December is here, bringing the season filled with Christmas cheer.
From JR Kurashiki Station to the Bikan Historical Area, colorful illuminations and Christmas trees are appearing all around.
For a long time, Kurashiki had no events dedicated to Christmas. But last year (2023), a two-day-only market called “Kurashiki Christmas Market 2023” was held at Kurashiki Ivy Square.
Kurashiki Christmas Market 2023 featured 35 vendors and was a huge hit, with items selling out one after another. In 2024, Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 will be held.
The information provided is as of the article’s publication in December 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What is Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024?
Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 will feature shops from across Okayama Prefecture with Christmas-themed offerings.
Vendors selling food and drinks, flowers, and miscellaneous goods will be there, and workshops are also planned.
| Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024: Basic Information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, 2024; held rain or shine |
| Hours | 4:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (last orders at 8:30 p.m.) |
| Venue | Kurashiki Ivy Square *Courtyard Plaza, Ivy Gakkan, West Gate area, and in front of the pottery shop |
| Admission | Free |
Participating vendors
There were 35 vendors in 2023, but the number has grown significantly to 57 in 2024.
Some vendors will be there for only one day, so be sure to check when the shops you’re interested in will be participating.
There will be plenty of delicious meals as well as drinks and sweets, so you’ll want to come hungry.
At Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024, each vendor will offer festive foods, services, and more prepared especially for the occasion.
In 2023, the market was packed with popular treats from European Christmas markets, such as mulled wine and currywurst, as well as Christmas-themed goods. Expectations are high for Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024, too.
A hashtag campaign, too
A hashtag campaign is being run on the official Instagram account for Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024.
Details on how to participate are as follows:
- Follow the Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 account @kurashiki_xmas
- Post a photo of the event on Instagram with “#KurashikiChristmasMarket2024”
- Discount coupons redeemable at participating shops and products will be given away by lottery
The campaign runs from Friday, December 13 to Wednesday, December 25, 2023. Take lots of photos and share them!
Christmas-themed venue decorations
A 5-meter-tall Christmas tree decorated by Okayama-born decorator Seiko Nose is currently on display in Courtyard Plaza.
The Christmas tree, adorned with red ornaments, is very charming, and the plaza is bustling every day with people enjoying taking photos.
The entire venue will also be decorated with candle illuminations on the day of the event. In 2023, candlelight illuminations enveloped the venue in a wonderfully magical atmosphere, and this year’s candle displays are said to be even more spectacular.
Both the red-brick Kurashiki Ivy Square and Christmas markets originated in Europe, so I can’t wait to spend two days in this wonderfully exotic setting.
Interview with a Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 organizer
We asked Kanae Nagahara of the Kurashiki Christmas Market Organizing Committee about the background behind the event and its highlights.
The Christmas market is being held at Kurashiki Ivy Square again this year, following its debut in 2023.
Nagahara (name honorific omitted)
Many people who attended last year’s (2023) Christmas market told us, “We want you to do it again!” So we decided to hold the Christmas market at Kurashiki Ivy Square again this year.
Last year’s Christmas market was the first, and this year marks the second. There had never been a major Christmas-themed event in the Bikan Historical Area, so last year’s market drew a great many visitors and was a huge success.
We hope to continue it as an event rooted in Kurashiki’s winter.
There are more vendors than at last year’s Christmas market.
Nagahara
That’s right.
As well as shops that participated last year, some have signed up after seeing how it went and saying, “I want to be a vendor, too!”
Last year, every shop had long lines, and some items sold out before the last order time. This time, we’ve increased the number of food vendors, so we hope visitors will enjoy plenty of delicious food.
Also, dining space was limited last year, so some people couldn’t enjoy their meals at a leisurely pace. Taking that into account, this year we’ll open the West Gate area and Aibi Red Brick Hall as dining spaces. There are more vendors, including places serving hearty meals like meat dishes and ramen, so we hope you’ll come hungry.
There will be even more workshops than last year, so children should enjoy them, too. We look forward to welcoming families.
What kind of people would you like to see come?
Nagahara
We welcome families, of course, since there are plenty of workshops and food options. Couples and friends who want to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere, as well as individuals who want to enjoy the food and goods, are also very welcome.
There aren’t many large Christmas markets in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, so we’d be delighted if this event encouraged people from outside the prefecture to visit Kurashiki.
We want to make winter in Kurashiki even more exciting through the Christmas market.
What do you recommend visitors do to enjoy the event?
Nagahara
I hope you’ll walk around and visit every spot in the venue.
Enjoy delicious food, take part in a workshop, enjoy more delicious food, and buy souvenirs. The venue will be decorated with Christmas-themed displays, including candles, so I hope you’ll take in the scenery, too.
An Instagram hashtag campaign will also be held on the day. Among those who post photos of the event on Instagram with the hashtag “#KurashikiChristmasMarket2024,” winners will be selected by lottery to receive discount vouchers usable at participating shops or products. Enjoy the venue and try taking a truly special photo.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Nagahara
This year’s Christmas market has grown in both the number of vendors and its scale since last year, so please come and enjoy the Christmas spirit.
Why not wrap up 2024 at the Christmas market?
From the Writer
I also attended Kurashiki Christmas Market 2023 last year.
I remember how the wonderful shops from across Okayama Prefecture filled the Christmas market with festive food and goods, making it a truly heartwarming Christmas. I was one of the attendees who sincerely hoped, “I hope this continues next year and beyond!” So when the Kurashiki Christmas Market Instagram account I followed last year announced this year’s event, I was jumping for joy inside.
A large Christmas tree has already been set up in Courtyard Plaza at Kurashiki Ivy Square, and I can hardly wait for the Christmas market to begin.
Why not visit Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024, where vendors passionate about Kurashiki and Okayama gather to celebrate Christmas a little early?
Articles about Kurashiki Christmas Market
Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 Information
| Name | Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14, 2024 4:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. (last order at 8:30 p.m.) |
| Location | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission (tax included) | Free admission |
| Website | Kurashiki Christmas Market 2024 |
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