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 pieces of music often heard throughout the city during the holiday season.
As in the lyrics, a Christmas market where you can purchase goods and participate in workshops to make handmade items while looking forward to Christmas and the New Year was held in 2025 at Kurashiki Ivy Square.
With delicious food from Kurashiki and Okayama, as well as exciting stage events, I reflect on the two days where I ended up staying longer than planned.
What is Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025
The Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 (hereinafter referred to as "Kurashiki Christmas Market") was held on December 13 (Saturday) and 14 (Sunday), 2025, at Kurashiki Ivy Square, featuring shops from Okayama Prefecture offering food, flowers, and miscellaneous goods themed around Christmas.
Reflecting the voices of visitors from last year (2024), the event days, which were previously on Friday and Saturday, were changed to Saturday and Sunday in 2025, moving the schedule to both days on the weekend. Additionally, the start time was set to 11 AM, and the operating hours were significantly extended.
| Event Dates | December 13 (Saturday) and 14 (Sunday), 2025 Rain or shine |
| Event Hours | December 13 (Saturday) 11 AM - 9 PM ※ Last order at 8:30 PM December 14 (Sunday) 11 AM - 7 PM ※ Last order at 6:30 PM |
| Venue | Kurashiki Ivy Square ※ Courtyard Square, Ivy Learning Center, West Gate Area, Aimi Red Brick Hall, Aimi Workshop Front |
| Admission | Free |
Enjoying Kurashiki Christmas Market from Day to Night
Approximately 25,000 people attended the Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 over the two days.
Since the event was previously held only at night, the food stalls were often crowded, but in 2025, the operating hours were extended and the stall locations were dispersed, allowing everyone to enjoy each booth thoroughly.
I enjoyed food tasting on the first day and focused on the stage performances on the second day.
Here’s a report on the two days.
Many guests gathered in the courtyard just minutes before the performance, stage events
With the extended event hours compared to previous years, there were also more stage events.
The daytime performers were all local high school students, with the following four groups participating.
- 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
The brass band performances on both days featured pop and Christmas-related music, making them perfect for the event's opening. Just 10 to 15 minutes before each performance, people gathered in front of the stage in the courtyard square, creating an exciting atmosphere.
The dance club and calligraphy performance also featured adorable dances and impressive performances set to Christmas music.
Especially on the 14th, the calligraphy performance faced strong winds, making it difficult to start as the paper used for the performance kept blowing away. As a result, the staff had to hold down the paper during the performance, creating a collaborative piece that everyone worked together to complete.
The street performance by Kendama Performer ISAMU, which was very popular in previous years, was also held after dark on both days in 2025. Everyone held their breath as they watched to see if the tricks would succeed, and each time a trick was successful, applause erupted along with cheers of "Oh!" creating a sense of unity in the venue.
In the evening, there were many families and adult participants at the stage performances, but this time, with the addition of daytime stage performances, it seems that the number of student visitors significantly increased.
It gives the impression that the Kurashiki Christmas Market is becoming an event that people of a wider age range can enjoy.
People of all ages participated in workshops
Workshops have been held since the first year in 2023, and the number of workshops has increased each year, with a total of 16 groups offering workshops this time.
In the first year, the workshops were mainly for children, but in the second year last year, workshops aimed at adult women, such as those by the Shibon Cosmetics Kurashiki Tenmaya store, also appeared.
This year, there were also male participants in workshops such as making small items and snow globes, and the workshops that can be enjoyed by people of all ages are increasing year by year.
Last year, the event's duration was short, so those who came mainly for food and drink couldn't enjoy the workshops, but this year, the extended hours allowed for both workshops and food to be enjoyed.
Among the miscellaneous goods sold next to the workshops, there were many knit caps that seemed useful throughout the cold season, as well as designs that could be enjoyed until the New Year, which was also impressive.
With about 10 days until Christmas and half a month until the New Year, there were many long-lasting goods available, which made me stop by various shops.
I purchased a big chouchou from handmade Rabbit, a shop run by parents of children with disabilities. It is voluminous but made of a sheer material, so it seems usable throughout the spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and I am very satisfied.
Many Special Christmas Market Menus Appeared at the Food Booths
When it comes to Christmas markets, hot wine and warm food menus that pair with it are essential.
I also ordered hot wine from the brewery "GRAPE SHIP" in Funao, Kurashiki City, which I look forward to every year. They also offer grape juice made from Muscat of Alexandria, so those who cannot drink alcohol and children can enjoy a Christmas-like drink together.
The food menu included warm items perfect for the cold winter season, such as dumplings that can be eaten in one bite, apple pie, hearty lasagna, and braised pork rice (lu rou fan), all of which were warm and comforting.
Many shops that usually have storefronts also offered original Christmas market menus, and regular customers of those shops made a special trip to the venue to enjoy the limited menus while chatting with the vendors.
With the Expanded Venue, Window Shopping Became One of the Enjoyments
The number of vendors remained the same as last year, but the venue layout has been renewed.
Last year, in addition to the food space, there were also stalls inside and outside the Aimi Red Brick Hall, and new stall spaces were created along the corridor from the West Gate to the Metasequoia, which had not had stalls until last year.
Due to the change in layout, the congestion in the courtyard square and Ivy Gakuen has eased, allowing for more leisurely window shopping to see what products are available, which is one of the reasons why visitors can enjoy their time more slowly.
It was also appreciated that there were more spaces to sit and eat calmly after purchasing food.
During the stage presentation times, I spent time in the courtyard square, and during other times, I thoroughly enjoyed workshops at Aimi Red Brick Hall, while being tempted by the delicious aromas of food along the way, making it a two-day event where I ended up lingering longer than planned.
Conclusion
Right after the opening on the first day, I received a message from a friend living in Kobe saying, "I'm currently heading to Kurashiki from Kobe, do you know about the Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025? I'm thinking of going there."
It seems that my friend came all the way to Kurashiki Ivy Square for a day trip with friends after seeing information on social media.
The Kurashiki Christmas Market is becoming an event loved not only by people in Kurashiki City but also by those from outside Okayama Prefecture, and I am looking forward to its future even more.
Articles about the Kurashiki Christmas Market
Data for Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025
| Name | Kurashiki Christmas Market 2025 |
|---|---|
| Date | December 13, 2025 (Saturday) 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Last order at 8:30 PM) December 14, 2025 (Sunday) 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM (Last order at 6:30 PM) |
| Location | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Free admission |
| Website | Kurashiki Ivy Square |
