Kanto · GunmaMarket
Ring in the new year at the market that supplies most of Japan’s lucky daruma dolls, held right outside Takasaki Station on January 1 and 2.
Overview
Takasaki in Gunma produces roughly eight in ten of all daruma dolls made in Japan, and the city opens the year with a market devoted to them. Billed as the country’s earliest daruma fair, it draws crowds who come to buy a fresh wish-doll for the year ahead and to soak up a lively, distinctly local New Year atmosphere.
Buying a daruma is a small ritual: you paint in one eye when you set a goal and the second when it comes true, so the market is really a shop full of intentions.
When & Where
The market runs on January 1 and 2, 2026, from around 10:00 to 16:00, in the plaza on the west side of JR Takasaki Station. The tradition traces back to the nearby Shorinzan Daruma-ji temple, long the spiritual home of Takasaki daruma.
Nearest station: JR Takasaki Station (west exit).
Getting There
Takasaki is about 50 minutes from Tokyo Station on the Joetsu or Hokuriku Shinkansen, or around 100 minutes on the Takasaki Line. The market is a short walk from the west exit, so it makes an easy first day-trip of the year. Bring a tote bag if you plan to carry a larger doll home.
What to Expect
Stalls stacked with red daruma in every size line the plaza, alongside this year’s zodiac-themed dolls and oversized specimens for businesses. Vendors call out blessings as you browse, and food stands keep the winter chill at bay. Many visitors return their previous year’s doll to be ceremonially burned before choosing a new one.
Tickets & Access
Admission is free. Dolls range from a few hundred yen for palm-sized versions to several thousand for large ones; cash is the safest bet at the stalls.
Tips for Visitors
Arrive in the morning of January 1 for the fullest range of dolls and the best New Year energy. Dress warmly, as Gunma winters are cold and windy, and remember which eye to paint first when you get your daruma home.
Access and Map
| Dates | January 1–2, 2026, approx. 10:00–16:00 |
|---|---|
| Venue | West-exit plaza, JR Takasaki Station, Takasaki, Gunma |
| Access | Right outside JR Takasaki Station (Shinkansen & Takasaki Line), west exit |
| Admission | Free |
| Official site | Takasaki Daruma Ichi (official) |
Source: Takasaki Daruma Ichi (official)
Image: Photo: puffyjet / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
