{"id":27866,"date":"2024-01-17T06:00:59","date_gmt":"2024-01-16T21:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yukiguni-journey.jp\/?p=27866"},"modified":"2024-01-17T09:32:27","modified_gmt":"2024-01-17T00:32:27","slug":"%e3%80%8c%e8%be%b0%e3%80%8d%e3%82%84%e3%80%8c%e3%81%8b%e3%81%8f%e3%81%be%e3%81%8d%e5%a8%98%e3%80%8d%e3%82%82%ef%bc%81%e3%83%81%e3%83%b3%e3%82%b3%e3%83%ad%e6%b1%82%e3%82%81%e3%81%a6%e7%af%80%e5%ad%a3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yukiguni-journey.jp\/en\/27866\/","title":{"rendered":"A busy seasonal market in search of chinkoros (Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blessings come as many as the number of cracks!<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>Do you know “chinkoro”, a lucky charm for the Little New Year?<\/p>\r\n

Chinkoro are dolls made by kneading joshinko into the shapes of puppies, rabbits, or the Chinese zodiac sign of the year, then steaming and drying the dolls.<\/p>\r\n

Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, holds a seasonal market (also known as “chinkoro market”) every January, where colorful chinkoro are sold.<\/p>\r\n

This year’s first Sekkiichi was held on Sunday, January 14 at the parking lot of the Echigo-Tsumari Exchange Center “Kinare” in Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, and approximately 1,000 people from the city and beyond formed a long line for the chinchillos they wanted.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>The Sekki Ichi market is said to have originated when farmers brought their daily necessities and folk crafts to the market as a winter side job, and has continued since the Edo period .<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>Four groups from the city opened stalls at the event, and a total of about 2,300 chinchoros were on display, including this year’s zodiac sign “dragon” and “kakumaki-musume” girls dressed in traditional winter clothing of the snow country. <\/span><\/p>\r\n

<\/p>\r\n

Each chinkoro is about 3 cm in size and all are handmade. It is said that the more dried and cracked they are, the more they bring good luck.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>Visitors selected chinchoros one by one, checking the differences in their expressions.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>Visitor
\r\nIt was cute. There were a lot of people, but I’m glad I managed to buy one.
\r\nI thought it was very nice that each one was slightly different or had a different but consistent shape.
\r\nI feel that health is the most important thing, so I want to put chinchoros there to pray for my family’s health. While everyone was standing in line looking happy, I was able to talk with people I didn’t know and became friends with them. I was very happy to be in line.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a>Stall owner, Tsumari Chinkoro Lover’s Club,
\r\nI have always wanted to carry on the tradition of traditional crafts. I was taught how to make chinkoro by a friend and decided to participate in the Setsuki Market for the first time. Since this is the first time in the new year, I make them with the hope that everyone will be healthy and have a good year. I hope the people who buy my chinkoros will have a wonderful year.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\r\n

The next Sekiichi will be held on Sunday, January 21.<\/p>\r\n

Related Articles<\/strong>
\r\nFive types of “chinkoros,” lucky charms for the koshogatsu season, including one for the Chinese zodiac, are on sale (Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture).<\/a>
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Sekiichi <\/h2>