Setagaya Boroichi: Flea Market with a History
Setagaya Boroichi is a flea market with a long tradition: It has been held for over 440 years. Hundreds of stalls wait for you.
This flea market isn’t held at a big parking lot or market square. Its main area is the Boroichi street, with the closest train station being Kamimachi on the Tokyu Setagaya line. The Setagaya line is a light rail line – if you’re lucky (or look at the schedule), you might even catch the cat-themed variant.
Vendors at Setagaya Boroichi
Hundreds of stalls wait for visitors twice a year (January and December). The first market was held in 1578, when Lord Ujimasa Hojo authorized a tax-free market called Rakuichi in Setagaya.
Setagaya was an important stop between Odawara and Edo. Even after Setagayas importance diminished, the market was kept as a year-end market to purchase goods for the new year.
While you won’t visit the Setagaya Boroichi to buy farming equipment anymore, you can buy pretty much anything else, mostly antiques, toys, accessories, plants and food. Around 700 stalls offer their goods.
Crowds
This is no small communal flea market, Boroichi is advertised on event websites and attracts many visitors from outside the area. Getting around the market is thus very slow.
Setagaya Boroichi is a flea market with professional vendors, some restaurants and NGOs. I had some Korean Tteokbokki, grabbed some funny looking bread and looked for stuff that would pique my interest. Antiques are not my thing and the selection of clothes wasn’t that great. I liked the plants – the vendors had a section of their own – but I have nowhere to place them.
Daikan Yashiki
Along the route is a national important cultural property, Daikan Yashiki. This was the residence of the Setagaya administrator during the Edo period. This position was held by the Oba family for 235 years until the Meiji Restoration. The Setagaya Municipal History Museum is adjacent to the Daikan Yashiki.
How to Get to Setagaya Boroichi
Closest station is Kamimachi station on the Setagaya line. Note that this station will be very crowded during the event. Other options are Sakura-shimmachi and Komazawa Daigaku, both on the Den-en-toshi line.
The next Boroichi is on January 15/16, 2025 (event website).
Where to go next
Setagaya Hachimangu Shrine: Located next to Gotokuji, but a lot less crowded.
Gotokuji Temple: Temple of the famous Maneki-neko.
Shimokitazawa: A neighbourhood renowned for independent vintage fashion, bars, theaters and cafes.
