Starting in December 2023, the "Kurashiki Christmas Market" (hereinafter referred to as "Kurashiki Christmas Market") has been held three times so far, attracting many visitors each year and becoming a staple winter event.
Shops offering food, miscellaneous goods, and workshops line the venue, and various performances are held, while the venue decoration "garland" has also attracted attention.
Garland
It is a string-like decoration made using motifs such as flowers, leaves, fruits, and flags.
It is used by hanging it at parties and event venues.
One of the popular garlands was the "flag," which disappeared in the second event held in December 2024, but was revived in the third event held in December 2025.
This garland was produced by HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC., headquartered in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.
When you think of HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC., you might associate it with "blue sheets," but the revived garland is actually made from "blue sheets."
We will introduce the story behind the revival of the garland based on the voices of the visitors.
What is the "Kurashiki Christmas Market"?
The Kurashiki Christmas Market is a Christmas event held annually since December 2023.
The venue is at Kurashiki Ivy Square, and the first event was only in the courtyard square and Ivy Hall, but the area has gradually expanded, and now it is an event held throughout Kurashiki Ivy Square.
The "Kurashiki Christmas Market Executive Committee," consisting of businesses in Kurashiki City, organizes the event. The first event was mainly organized by the Kurashiki Tourism Convention Bureau, but from the second event onwards, Kurashiki Ivy Square has taken the lead in planning and managing it.
- First event: December 15-16, 2023
- Second event: December 13-14, 2024
- Third event: December 13-14, 2025
Transition of the Garland
The garland at the Kurashiki Christmas Market is mainly used for the venue decoration in the courtyard square.
In the first event of 2023, flags were hung, and this decoration was reportedly well-received as "cute."
However, in the second event of 2024, the garland was discontinued due to the installation of a large Christmas tree in the courtyard square.
As a result, many visitors expressed their regret, saying, "The garland was so cute" and "It's gone."
Thus, movements began towards its revival, and it was brought back in the third event of 2025.
Garland by HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC. using Blue Sheets
The garland for the Kurashiki Christmas Market was produced by HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC., headquartered in Mizushima, Kurashiki City.
Why did the well-known blue sheet manufacturer HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC. decide to produce garlands?
The trigger was a conversation with the food and beverage department of Kurashiki Ivy Square.
During discussions about what could be done for the venue decoration of the "Summer Beer Garden" held annually in the courtyard square of Kurashiki Ivy Square, the idea arose that "the garland from the Christmas market would be good," and the project began.
The production was carried out at HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC.'s Kasaoka Factory.
Since blue sheets are usually "single pieces," the usual processing focuses on linear sewing, and there are no special tasks like sewing sheets to ropes. Care was taken with the order of colors, and they faced challenges with the unique processing required for garlands.
The completed garland turned out to be so vibrant that it was hard to tell at first glance that it was made from blue sheets.
At the Kurashiki Christmas Market in December 2025, there were voices of joy at the revival of the garland, but without explanation, few people realized it was made from "blue sheets."
However, when staff explained to the visitors, most were surprised to find out, "It really is a blue sheet!"
Of course, the durability as a blue sheet remains the same. It is not a one-time use item, and it will likely appear in future Kurashiki Christmas Markets as well.
We spoke with the representatives from Kurashiki Ivy Square and HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC. involved in the revival of the garland.
Data on the Kurashiki Christmas Market
| Name | Kurashiki Christmas Market |
|---|---|
| Address | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0011 |
| Website | Kurashiki Ivy Square |
