A selection of twelve Christmas Markets in Saitama Prefecture in 2022. I would love to be able to say “twelve Christmas Markets for the 12 days of Christmas”, but unfortunately Christmas in Japan stops at 11.59 pm Christmas night! About half of the Christmas markets on this list are only for one day. But there are also a few that are on for several days. Lake Town Christmas Market (Kawaguchi) and the ‘Yummy’ Night market (Koshigaya) were on earlier in December. Those that have more information in English are also linked to detailed blog posts.
>>22+ places to meet Santa in the Greater Tokyo Area in 2022.
Christmas Markets in Saitama in 2022
- Tamaari Town Very Berry Christmas 【Saitama City】
- Cocoon City Christmas market 【Saitama City】
- A Tonttu Christmas from Finland 【Saitama City】
- Metsa Village Christmas 【Hanno City】
- European Christmas Market 【Soka City】
- Winter Party Christmas Market 【Asaka】
- Scandinavian Christmas Market 【Honjo】
- Hikari Christmas Market【Tokorozawa】
- Fukaya Christmas Marche 【Fukaya】
- Station Christmas Market 【Ageo】(Temporary entry for 2022 only)
- Christmas Craft Market【Kawagoe】
- Mini Estonia Christmas Market 【Tokigawa】
1. Tamaari Town Very Berry Christmas
Dates: Thursday December 8th to Sunday December 25th 2022
Hours: 10 am to 9 pm on weekends, noon to 9 pm on weekdays. Last entry at 8 pm.
Venue: Keyaki Hiroba, 10 Shintoshin, Chuo Ward, Saitama, 330-0081. View on Google Maps.
Access: Right beside Saitama Shintoshin station, and about a 7 minute walk from JR Kitayono Station.
>>Official website
2. Cocoon City Christmas Market
Dates: Wednesday December 21st to Sunday December 25th 2022
Hours: 11 am to 8 pm
Venue: Cocoon City, 4-263-1 Kishikicho, Omiya Ward, Saitama 330-0843. View on Google Maps.
Access: About a 2 minute walk from Saitama Shintoshin station, and about an 8 minute walk from JR Kitayono Station.
>>Official website
3. Tonttu Christmas from Finland
Dates: December 16th to 18th, December 23rd to 25th.
Hours: 11 am to 7 pm
Venue: Omiya Kadomachi, 2 Chome-118 Daimoncho, Omiya Ward, Saitama, 330-0846. View on Google Maps.
Access: A 3 minute walk from the east exit of Omiya Station.
>>Official website
4. Metsa Christmas Market
Dates: October 29th to Christmas Day, Sunday December 25th.
Hours: 10 am to 6 pm.
Venue: Metsa Village, 327‐6 Miyazawa, Hanno City, Saitama〒357-0001 Japan. View on Google Maps.
Access: Bus from the North exit of Seibu’s Hanno Station. It takes about 13 minutes and costs 200 yen. You can also walk, it takes about 40 minutes on foot.
>>Official website
5. European Christmas Market
Dates: Tuesday December 6th to Wednesday December 21st 2022.
Hours: 10.30 am to 8 pm, but finishes at 5 pm on the last day, the 21st.
Venue: 1F Marui Department Store, Soka Branch, 2 Chome-9-1 Takasago, Sōka, Saitama 340-0015. View on Google Maps.
Access: A minute walk from the east exit of Soka Station.
>>Official website
This is a new-to-me Christmas Market, so unfortunately I don’t know if its new this year or if its been around for a while. I read about it on Soka Go Guy, which generally has pretty good information for Soka City. According to the official website this market sells wooden Christmas ornaments made in Germany, as well as miscellaneous goods that are sold at European Christmas markets. Examples include Christmas lace, glass Christmas decorations and nutcrackers.
6. Winter Party Christmas Party
Dates: Friday December 16th
Hours: 4 to 9 pm
Venue: Asaka Park, 1 Chome-9-1 Aobadai, Asaka, Saitama 351-0016. View on Google Maps.
Access: an approximate 20 minute walk from Tobu Tojo Line Asaka Station.
>>Official website
7. Scandinavian Christmas Market
Dates: Saturday December 17th and Sunday December 18th
Hours: 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and until 5 pm on Sunday
Venue: Honjo Brick Warehouse, 1 Chome-5-16 Ginza, Honjo, Saitama 367-0052. View on Google Maps.
Access: About an eight minute walk from Honjo Station on the JR Takasaki line.
>>Official website
8. Hikari Christmas Market
Dates: Saturday December 17th and Sunday December 18th, Saturday December 24th and Sunday December 25th.
Hours: 11 am to 5 pm
Venue: Tokorozawa Sakura Town, 3-3-1-3 Higashi Tokorozawa Wada, Tokorozawa, Saitama 〒359-0023. View on Google Maps.
Access:
>>Official website
9. Fukaya Christmas Marche 【Fukaya】
Dates: Friday December 23rd
Hours: 10 am to 2 pm
Venue: Brick Corridor at Fukaya City Hall, 11-1 Nakacho, Fukaya, Saitama 366-8501. View on Google Maps.
Access: About a 10 minute walk from Fukaya Station.
>>Official website
This is more of a food market than a typical Christmas market. But there are usually some nice things for kids. For example, this year they will have a mini fire truck that kids and adults alike can ride and get a photo in. They usually have mini fire fighters outfits too, but they may not be available in 2022 due to the pandemic. In addition, there is a live stage on the day. If you are in the area and travelling by car, I recommend checking out the Christmas decorations at the new Premium Outlets too.
10. Station Christmas Market
Dates: Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th.
Hours: 1 pm to 5 pm.
Venue: Ageo Station, 1-chōme-1 Kashiwaza, Ageo, Saitama 362-0075. View on Google Maps.
Access: Right at Ageo Station!
>>Official web page.
This will be the 5th annual Christmas Market in Ageo city. This is actually a really small market and it really has little to do with Christmas except that it is on Christmas Eve! Truth is, I had planned to put the Lake Town Christmas Market as #10, but I couldn’t get the post out in time. Lake town’s Christmas Market was on last weekend. So next year, Lake Town’s Christmas Market will replace this one.
11. Christmas Craft Market【Kawagoe】
Dates: Christmas Eve, Saturday December 24th 2022.
Hours: 10.30 am to 5.30 pm
Venue: Crea Mall, 2-2-8 Shintomicho, Kawagoe, Saitama 〒350-0043. View on Google Maps.
Access: About a 5 to 10 minute walk from Kawagoe and Hon-Kawagoe Stations.
>>Official Instagram
Despite not being that big, this Christmas craft market proved very popular last year. Last year was actually the very first time the event was held. There are several different Christmas crafts you can try and of course, buy handmade Christmas goods too. In addition there are live performances on the day. Last year local kids dressed up as reindeer and Santa, and performed Christmas Carols. It is one of the performances scheduled for this year too.
12. Mini Estonia Christmas Market 【Tokigawa】
Dates: December 1st to 31st.
Hours: 10 am to 6 pm
Venue: Tokitama Himitsu Kichi Comoriver, 930-1 Hongo, Tokigawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0353. View on Google Maps.
Access:
>>Official event page.
The second Estonian Market at Comoriver, a glamping site and restaurant in Tokigawa town. Last year they had this stunning, elaborate flyer that made it look like it was the type of Christmas Market that I grew up with. But unfortunately, it was just an image! So this year, they are playing it down and have added the word “puchi” in Japanese, meaning ‘mini’ or ‘petit’ to better reflect the true nature of this small, but unique Christmas market. They sell traditional Estonian sweets and ornaments, including sustainable Christmas ornaments ‘Ideeklaas’, as well as local handmade goods. The below photo is from PR Times of Comoriver’s current “Winter wonderland” event:
The featured photo (at the top of the post) is a stock photo from Pixabay and not a depiction of any of the Christmas Markets in Saitama Prefecture.
im sure there are more Christmas markets in saitama than in all of Victoria!
Haha, you’d think it’d be the opposite, but I guess with it being summer, open fires, mulled wine and toasted marshies just don’t have the same appeal! Not that Saitama’s markets have any of that – they’ve just adopted – appropriated❢？ – the bits that can make them money!!