The world is seeing new technologies and items appearing one after another, and the speed of trends feels fast. However, that does not mean we throw away or forget the old things.
When it comes to events for those who truly love old things, flea markets come to mind.
In Hayashima Town, the first "Hayashima Mushi Flea Market" was held in April 2025, and the second one was already held in September.
I went there right away, so I will report on it.
What is the Hayashima Mushi Flea Market?
The Hayashima Mushi Flea Market is a new event in Hayashima Town that was held for the first time on Sunday, April 20, 2025. It has been decided to hold it twice a year, with the second event taking place on Sunday, September 7 of the same year.
The event is organized by the Hayashima Town Tourism Association.
It aims to become a standard event following the Hayashima Cherry Blossom Festival and the Hayashima-Kurashiki Hanago Festival.
Many shops from outside the town and even from other prefectures gather, and the venue features booths selling old tools, antique Japanese and Western tableware, miscellaneous goods, crafts, as well as food and workshop booths, making it an event enjoyable for both adults and children.
Starting this time, local booths from Hayashima Town have also been added, and initiatives to help visitors learn about the region have begun.
The second event's atmosphere
Just like the first event, there was a long line in front of the Hayashima Town Hall next to the venue before the event started at 10 AM.
I heard from Katsushi Sato, the president of the Hayashima Town Tourism Association, during an interview that many enthusiastic old tool fans were lining up before the start.
My family arrived at the venue about an hour after the start, around 11 AM.
It was bustling with many customers.
At the entrance of the venue, there is a booth from the Hayashima Town Tourism Association. The appeal of igusa (rush grass) to visitors is nice.
Speaking of Hayashima Town, there is the "Hayashima Town Tourism Association booth" across from the main venue, where eight shops were set up. It felt local and had a festive atmosphere, which was nice.
Now, as for the main venue, compared to the previous time, the distance between the shops has become much closer, and the aisles have narrowed. When I asked the president of the tourism association, he said, "We intentionally narrowed the aisle width compared to last time." This likely means that the number of exhibitors has increased.
Conclusion
You might have the impression that flea markets are only for specific people, but the Hayashima Mushi Flea Market has a lot of families and has a different atmosphere compared to other flea markets. Also, due to National Route 2 passing through the center of Hayashima Town, there are many visitors from outside the prefecture.
According to the owner of Tabi Shonin Chaya, who had a booth in the food area, "There are many people from Fukuyama today." Surely many people from other regions were also visiting.
The Hayashima Mushi Flea Market is held twice a year. The next "third event" is scheduled for April 2026, if it follows the same schedule as this year.
Although it has only been held twice so far, it already feels like a staple event. I look forward to the next one.
Data for the 2nd Hayashima Flea Market
| Name | 2nd Hayashima Flea Market |
|---|---|
| Date | September 7, 2025 (Sunday) 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM |
| Location | 356-1 Maegata, Tokiwa-gun, Hayashima Town (behind Hayashima Town Hall) |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Actual cost |
| Website | Hayashima Flea Market Instagram |
