Tokaichi, or the Tenth Day Market, in the city of Minami-Alps in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, is a historic, 400-year-old traditional open-air market held annually on February 10th and 11th (Feb. 7th and 8th in 2026) to herald the arrival of spring. It is a massive market known for selling everything “except cat eggs and horse horns,” featuring traditional wooden crafts (mortars, pestles), local food, and Daruma dolls.
Wooden Crafts stand
Tokaichi, Minami-Alps, Yamanashi, 2/08/2026
Food stands, Tokaichi, Minami-Alps, Yamanashi, 2/08/2026
Onigawara are decorative roof tiles placed at the ends of the roof ridge, often depicting the face of an oni (Japanese ogre) or other designs. The city of Minami-Alps is recognized as the production site for Koshu onigawara. The Wakakusa district in the city has a long history of tile-making, and today the Wakakusa Kawara Kaikan (Tile Museum) preserves this tradition and allows visitors to experience making these crafts.
“Koshu” historically refers to the former Kai Province, which is largely equivalent to modern-day Yamanashi Prefecture.
Onigawara (Decorative ridge-end tiles): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigawara
Onigawara, Wakakusa Kawara Kaikan, Minami Alps, Yamanashi, 2/08/2026
Shachihoko are mythical Japanese creatures with a tiger’s head and a carp’s body. They are also placed as roof ornaments on Japanese castles and temples to serve as protective, fire-extinguishing spirits, usually appearing in male-female pairs. Shachihoko are also made in the Wakakusa district using the local clay.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shachihoko
Shachihoko, Wakakusa Kawara Kaikan, Minami Alps, Yamanashi, 2/08/2026
Koshu Onigawara: https://www.pref.yamanashi.jp.e.aao.hp.transer.com/shouko/kogyo/densan/onigawara_01.html
