Kawagoe Kitain Temple Daruma Market
Head over to the Saitama suburb of Kawagoe for the annual Daruma Market on January 3. Symbolising perseverance, daruma dolls are sold in temples across Japan during New Year’s and are a tangible way to remind yourself of your New Year’s resolution.
After purchasing a daruma with blank eyes, draw in a pupil on one of the eyes while making a promise to yourself. Once you fulfil the resolution, paint in the other eye. People visit Kawagoe Kitain every year to have their old daruma burned and to purchase new ones at the many stalls selling dolls of all colours and sizes, so be sure to arrive early while supplies last.
Expect to see large crowds, as this is one of the largest daruma fairs in the Kanto region with plenty of stalls selling festival grub to go with the daruma stands. Organisers recommend that you take the train; all major stations in Kawagoe are within 25 minutes on foot from the temple.