Setagaya Boro Ichi | Tokyo
Celebration
The origins of Setagaya City can be traced back to the Azuchi-Momoyama period. In 1578 (Tensho 6), Hojo Ujimasa, lord of Odawara Castle and ruler of Kanto at the time, opened a free market in Setagaya Shinjuku. A free market is a market where vendors can freely buy and sell goods without paying any market taxes. At the time, it was held six times a month, on the first and sixth days of the new year, and was known as the Rokusai Market. Later, with the defeat of the Hojo clan by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the establishment of the shogunate in Edo, Setagaya Castle was abolished, and Setagaya Shinjuku lost its significance as a castle town and rapidly declined. The Rokusai Market naturally faded and evolved, eventually becoming an annual year-end market. With the adoption of the new calendar in the Meiji era, the festival was held on January 15th, later expanding to December 15th and 16th, as well as New Year's Day, a tradition that continues to this day.