we wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy New Year.
The chorus of the traditional British Christmas song “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” is one of the songs you often hear around town during the holiday season.
Like the lyrics of this song, Christmas markets where you can buy or make by hand at workshops goods that make you look forward to Christmas and the New Year were held at Kurashiki Ivy Square again in 2025.
With plenty of delicious food from Kurashiki and Okayama and fun stage events, here’s a look back at the two days that made us want to stay longer than planned.
The information provided was current when this article was published in December 2025. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025?
Held on Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Kurashiki Ivy Square, Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 featured vendors selling food and drink, flowers, and miscellaneous goods from across Okayama Prefecture, all with a Christmas theme.
Reflecting feedback from visitors through last year (2024), the event dates, previously Friday and Saturday, were changed in 2025 to Saturday and Sunday, so that both days fell on the weekend. The event also began at 11 a.m., and its hours were extended considerably.
| Dates | Saturday, December 13 and Sunday, December 14, 2025 Held rain or shine |
| Hours | Saturday, December 13: 11 a.m.–9 p.m. ※Last order at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, December 14: 11 a.m.–7 p.m. ※Last order at 6:30 p.m. |
| Venue | Kurashiki Ivy Square ※Courtyard Plaza, Ivy Gakkan, West Gate area, Aibi Red Brick Hall, and in front of Aibi Kobo |
| Admission | Free |
A Kurashiki Christmas Market to enjoy at leisure from daytime until night
About 25,000 people visited over the two days of Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025.
Until last year, the event was held only at night, which led to crowded food and drink booths. In 2025, however, the hours were extended and vendors were spread across more locations, making it possible to take your time at every booth.
I enjoyed sampling food on the first day, and focused on the stage performances on the second.
Here’s what the two days were like.
Stage events drew a crowd to the courtyard minutes before they began
The event ran longer than in previous years, so there were more stage events, too.
All of the daytime performers were local high school students, with the following four groups taking part.
- Kurashiki High School
Brass band performance - Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Seiryo High School
Brass band performance
Dance club performance - Okayama Prefectural Kurashiki Commercial High School
Calligraphy performance
Both days, the brass bands played mainly pop songs and music related to Christmas, making for a perfect opening to the event. People gathered in front of the Courtyard Plaza stage 10 to 15 minutes before each performance began, bringing the venue to life.
The dance club performances and calligraphy performances also featured cute dances and powerful performance pieces set to Christmas-themed music.
Strong winds were blowing during the calligraphy performance on the 14th, making the paper used in the performance flap in the wind and delaying the start. The event organizers therefore held the paper in place during the performance, and everyone worked together to create the finished piece.
The street performance by kendama performer ISAMU, which was a big hit at previous events, was held on both days in 2025 as well, after dusk. Everyone watched with bated breath to see whether each trick would succeed, and every time one did, cheers of “Wow!” and applause rang out, creating a sense of unity throughout the venue.
There were many families and adult participants at the stage performances in the evening, but with performances also held during the day this time, the number of student visitors likely increased considerably.
The Kurashiki Christmas Market seems to be becoming an event that people of a wider range of ages can enjoy.
Workshops enjoyed at leisure by people of all ages
Workshops have been part of the event since its first year in 2023, and their number has grown each year. This time, 16 groups hosted workshops.
In the first year, most workshops were aimed at children, but last year, the second year, workshops for adult women also appeared, such as the one by C'BON Cosmetics at the Tenmaya Kurashiki store.
This year, men also took part in workshops such as making accessories and snow globes, and the number of workshops that people of all ages and genders can enjoy has been growing year by year.
Until last year, the event hours were shorter, so visitors who came mainly for the food and drinks sometimes didn’t have time to enjoy the workshops as well. This year, however, the event ran longer, so I think visitors were able to enjoy both the workshops and the food and drinks.
Among the goods sold beside the workshops, I was also struck by the many items that seemed sure to come in handy throughout the cold season, such as knit hats, as well as designs that could be enjoyed through New Year’s.
The event was held about 10 days before Christmas and half a month before New Year’s, and there were many goods to enjoy for a long time, so I found myself stopping at all kinds of shops.
I bought a big scrunchie from Handmade Rabbit, a goods shop run by parents of children with disabilities. It’s voluminous, but made of a sheer material, so it seems suitable for use in any season, and I’m very pleased with it.
Food and drink booths also featured many special Christmas Market menu items
When you think of a Christmas market, hot wine and warm foods to go with it are a must.
I ordered hot wine from “GRAPE SHIP,” a winery in Funao, Kurashiki City, that I look forward to visiting every year. They also serve grape juice made with Muscat of Alexandria grapes, so people who don’t drink alcohol and children can enjoy a festive drink together.
The food menu included everything from easy-to-eat bites like boiled dumplings and apple pie to hearty dishes like lasagna and lu rou fan (Taiwanese braised pork rice)—all warm dishes perfect for the cold winter season.
Many shops that normally have their own storefronts also offered original Christmas Market menu items. Their regular customers made a special trip to the venue to try the limited-time menus and enjoy chatting with the vendors.
With the venue expanded, window-shopping became another part of the fun
The number of vendors was unchanged from last year, but the venue layout was new.
In addition to stalls inside and outside Aibi Red Brick Hall, which last year had only a dining area, stalls were also set up in front of the West Gate and along the walkway from Ivy Gakkan to the metasequoia trees, where there had been no stalls until last year.
The changed layout eased the crowds at Courtyard Plaza and Ivy Gakkan, giving visitors time to browse the products on offer. This was one of the reasons they could enjoy the event at a more leisurely pace.
It was also a welcome change to have more places to sit down and eat in peace after buying food.
Over the two days, I headed to Courtyard Plaza during the stage performances and spent time at a workshop in Aibi Red Brick Hall during the rest of the day. In between, the delicious aromas of food along the way tempted me, and I ended up staying longer than planned.
From the Writer
Just after the event opened on the first day, I received a message from a friend who lives in Kobe: “I’m on my way from Kobe to Kurashiki right now. Have you heard of Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025? I’m thinking of going.”
Apparently, after seeing information on social media, my friend had made a special day trip from Kobe with a friend to visit Kurashiki Ivy Square.
Kurashiki Christmas Market is becoming an event loved not only by people in Kurashiki City but also by people from outside Okayama Prefecture. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
Articles about Kurashiki Christmas Market
Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 Information
| Name | Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 |
|---|---|
| Dates | Saturday, December 13, 2025 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (last order at 8:30 p.m.) Sunday, December 14 11:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (last order at 6:30 p.m.) |
| Location | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
| Website | Kurashiki Ivy Square |
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