Senso-ji Hagoita-Ichi Fair 2024 in Tokyo

Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, hosts the Hagoita-Ichi Fair every year from December 17th to 19th. This festive event features the sale of various holiday items, including hagoita bats—traditional good luck charms used in the New Year’s game of hanetsuki—kites, and other decorations for the New Year.

Traditional Celebrations

Hagoita are decorative rectangular bats with handles, inspired by the traditional New Year's game of hanetsuki, which resembles badminton, and their fan-shaped design, reminiscent of Mt. Fuji, symbolizes good luck and prosperity for offspring. Typically made from Japanese cedar, hagoita is adorned on one side with lacquered or embroidered images, often featuring kabuki actors, TV personalities, sports stars, or cartoon characters.

The Hagoita-Ichi Fair at Senso-ji includes around 50 stalls near the main entrance, where sales staff often clap to celebrate each purchase. Operating from 9 am to 9 pm, the fair showcases about 10,000 traditional “hagoita with Edo oshi-e” craft pieces in various sizes, ranging from 15 cm to nearly 2 m, many of which are made in Kasukabe.

Origins of Senso-ji Hagoita-Ichi Fair

Senso-ji Temple's Hagoita Market has its origins in the Edo period when hagoita decorated with kabuki actors' faces were sold at year-end markets. From the Edo through the Taisho era (1912-1926), it became customary to give hagoita as gifts to households with children. As demand grew, the number of shops selling hagoita increased, and by the mid-Showa era, the year-end market was officially named the "hagoita market." While these bats were traditionally adorned with kabuki actors, today they often feature designs of TV personalities, sports stars, and popular cartoon characters.