Tokyo – September 04, 2026 -- Koshigaya City in Saitama Prefecture will host its first "EDO Nigiwai Market" on November 15, giving Tokyo-area visitors a 30-minute day-trip option built around local vegetables, traditional crafts and hands-on samurai culture.
The event takes place at AEON LakeTown OUTLET, a major shopping destination in the city, and is planned and operated by ROJICOYA, an organizer specializing in Edo-period cultural experiences and walking tours. A pre-event on September 27 will let organizers gather visitor feedback before the full-scale launch.
Koshigaya once helped supply Edo, the historic name for Tokyo
Located about 25 kilometers from Nihonbashi in central Tokyo, Koshigaya flourished during the Edo period (1603-1868) as Koshigaya-juku, the third post town on the Nikko Kaido road connecting Edo with Nikko. Its rivers and fertile farmland supported agriculture, trade and local craftsmanship that continue today.
Visitors can taste vegetables, watch shamisen music and throw shuriken
The market is organized around four experiences: tasting and buying locally grown vegetables and food; viewing and purchasing traditional crafts such as Koshigaya daruma dolls, hina dolls, samurai armor and paulownia-wood boxes; watching live shamisen performances and samurai shows; and trying on samurai armor or throwing shuriken in a ninja-themed activity.
A tourism information area will point visitors beyond the mall
Organizers plan to direct attendees toward the historic Nikko Kaido and Koshigaya-juku area, local farms and workshops, waterfront sites, Hisaizu Shrine, Koshigaya Noh Theater and the traditional garden Hanata-en. Half-day and full-day tours linking farms, workshops and cultural sites are also in development, along with year-round bookable experiences.
The market will return roughly every three months
Following the November 15 launch, organizers expect to repeat the event about once every three months, each time featuring seasonal produce, crafts and cultural programming. The goal is to turn the market into a recurring reason for visitors to return to Koshigaya and explore areas beyond the LakeTown shopping complex.