Odate Amekko-ichi

Overview

The Odate Amekko-ichi (Odate Candy Fair) is a winter tradition held over two days each year, on the second Saturday of February and the following Sunday, along Omachi Hachiko Street in the center of Odate City, Akita Prefecture. A two-lane city road, popularly called Omachi Hachiko Street, is closed to traffic and turned into a pedestrian zone lined with stalls selling many kinds of candy, including kiri-ame (cut candy), eda-ame (branch candy), and karami-ame (wound candy). Visitors come from both inside and outside the prefecture, and the fair is known as one of the signature winter events of northern Akita.

The fair is said to have a history of roughly 400 years as a Koshogatsu (Little New Year) observance, and the saying that "eating candy on this day keeps you from catching a cold" is still handed down today. Originally it was a folk event rooted in local faith and daily life, so it is not merely a market but an occasion charged with people's prayers for good health. The way the humble sweetness of candy is layered with wishes for well-being reflects a distinctive living culture of the snowy north.

History and Origins

The origins of the Odate Amekko-ichi are said to date back to the Tensho era (1573-1591) of the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and especially to around Tensho 16 (1588). According to the Odate City official website and materials from Odate Shinmei Shrine, the fair is thought to have begun as a "market" opened in the castle town of Odate. At that time it was an unstable age in which rival powers contended for control of Odate Castle. Later the castle town came under the rule of the Satake-Nishi family, and markets managed by the castle warden were opened, with rules reportedly set for the days of operation and the goods that could be traded.

The custom of offering and eating candy itself is said to derive from older folk belief. According to one account, it began when candy was attached to branches of the dogwood tree and offered before the gods in place of ears of rice, and farmwives are said to have eaten candy made from rice on rice cakes while praying for a good harvest and freedom from illness. It is also said that selling that candy in town eventually led to the beginning of the Amekko-ichi. Because there are various theories, nothing can be stated with certainty, but the resources agree that the event was tied to agricultural ritual.

The oldest documentary record is a diary kept by Ono Gisuke, the master of the Odate kimono merchant "Maruko." An entry dated February 11, Meiji 25 (1892), corresponding to the 13th day of the first lunar month, reads that the market had been moved up, describing it as a "candy town." This suggests that candy was already being sold at the market at roughly the same season as today. The diary is preserved as a valuable resource for understanding Odate in the Meiji period and serves as a clue to the historical continuity of the fair.

Around the early Showa period, confectioners began making candy commercially, and markets came to be held in the lanes of Teramachi and elsewhere. A major turning point came in Showa 57 (1982), when the fair began to be held with Omachi Street closed off as a pedestrian zone, after which it grew into a large-scale event drawing visitors from across the country. Even as it changed from a modest Little New Year observance into a wide-reaching tourist event, its core of praying for good health was never lost, which shows the tenacious continuity of this tradition.

Highlights

The colorful branch candy The eda-ame, or "branch candy," that symbolizes the Odate Amekko-ichi consists of candy and paper strips in colors such as pink and green attached to dogwood branches. Set against white snow and blue sky, the branch candy creates a beautiful scene as if the street trees had burst into bloom. It is said to have been inspired by mochibana, rice cakes attached to branches and offered at household altars, and today it is cherished as a good-luck charm purchased in hopes of fortune and health.

The White-Beard Deity procession This procession re-enacts the legend that the white-bearded deity Shirahige Okami descends from Tashiro-dake, the tallest mountain in Odate, to buy candy. A group dressed as the deity parades along Omachi Hachiko Street, forming the climax of the fair and captivating those who come to watch. Legend holds that the deity stirs up a snowstorm to hide his footprints on the way home, and it is said that, curiously, snow often falls during the days of the fair.

Servings of wound candy At the venue, booths offering karami-ame, water candy wound onto a wooden stick, draw lively crowds. Its nostalgic, simple sweetness is highly regarded, and enjoying it under a cold winter sky is said to be a special treat. The warm sweetness taken in amid the chilly air makes for an experience unique to this event.

The Akita dog parade A signature event of Odate, the birthplace of the loyal dog Hachiko, is the Akita dog parade featuring Akita dogs and their owners. The sight of fluffy Akita dogs striding along Omachi Hachiko Street is beloved by visitors of all ages. For dog lovers and Akita dog fans who come from across the country, it is a scene that conveys a charm unique to Odate.

A variety of candy and artisans' skill The venue is lined with distinctive candies such as karami-ame, kiri-ame, eda-ame, and nejiri-ame, offering the pleasure of tasting as well as looking. Long-established shops that continue to make candy by traditional methods, such as Saisakuya Kashiho, founded in Meiji 5 (1872), also set up stalls. The artisanal technique of shaping candy into thin strands and adding twists cannot be imitated overnight, and it conveys the depth of the confectionery culture of snow country.

The marumage procession and local custom As a custom of the Odate and northern Akita region, married women celebrating their 33rd year by traditional reckoning have taken part in a marumage procession, dressed in black formal kimono with the marumage hairstyle, as part of the Amekko-ichi. It is a valuable chance to see traditional women's attire up close. However, whether it is held varies by year, so anyone hoping to take part or watch should check the latest event information on the official website.

Event Information and Access

The Odate Amekko-ichi is held over two days each year, on the second Saturday of February and the following Sunday, along Omachi Hachiko Street in Omachi, Odate City, Akita Prefecture. In 2026 it is scheduled for Saturday, February 14 and Sunday, February 15; because opening hours vary by year, checking the official website is recommended. Traffic restrictions accompany the pedestrian zone around the venue, so it is wise to confirm the restricted area and parking information before visiting.

For those using public transportation, the nearest bus stops to the venue are "Suehirocho" and "Odate Sakaecho." It is about a 3-minute walk from the Suehirocho bus stop to the venue. From JR Hanawa Line "Higashi-Odate Station" it is about a 9-minute walk, while JR Ou Line "Odate Station" is about a 25-minute walk away, so taking a local bus from Odate Station is convenient. Because bus schedules change from year to year, please check the latest timetable on the Odate City official website or with the bus operator.

Inquiries can be directed to the Odate Amekko-ichi Executive Committee Office (telephone 0186-42-4360, Odate City Tourism Association). For the detailed schedule on the day, the status of paid viewing and events, and the latest information on traffic restrictions and parking, it is best to check the Odate City official website or the Odate City Tourism Association site "Dodasuka Odate." Contents may be changed or canceled in bad weather, so advance confirmation is essential for those traveling from afar.

Nearby Information

When visiting the Odate Amekko-ichi, touring the sightseeing spots within Odate City is recommended. The tourist exchange facility "Akita Inu no Sato," located near JR Odate Station, was built modeled on Shibuya Station of the Taisho era, when Hachiko waited for his owner, and it offers exhibits on the roots of the Akita dog along with a souvenir corner. Odate is the birthplace of the loyal dog Hachiko, and monuments related to Hachiko and Akita dogs are scattered throughout the city.

Odate is also famous as a producer of "Odate magewappa," bentwood ware designated a traditional craft of Japan, and there are several workshops making elegant woodwork by bending Akita cedar boards. Furthermore, the Odate and Hokuroku area is said to be the birthplace of kiritanpo, a representative local dish of Akita, and restaurants in the city serve authentic kiritanpo hot pot. Enjoying warm kiritanpo hot pot during the cold season of the Amekko-ichi is one way to spend time that is unique to Odate.

As a historic castle town, Odate is filled with charms that differ by season, including the townscape of the old castle town and shrines and temples such as Odate Shinmei Shrine. Visiting to coincide with the winter Amekko-ichi lets you experience the region's food, crafts, and faith all at once amid snowy scenery. Being able to savor both the sweetness of candy and the depth of local culture is the pleasure of a visit to Odate.

Related Information

The Odate Amekko-ichi is a Little New Year observance that has been carefully preserved by local people. In the past there was also a saying that "if you do not eat candy on this day you will turn into a maggot," but over time it changed into the expression that "eating candy keeps you from catching a cold," and today it is enjoyed as an event praying for freedom from illness and for family safety. The legend that Shirahige Okami, enshrined on Tashiro-dake, comes to buy candy enriches the cultural depth of the Amekko-ichi.

The making of branch candy begins with the arrival of winter, and once the new year comes, branch candy decorated with candy and paper charms on dogwood branches gradually appears here and there in the city. In this way the Amekko-ichi is not confined to a two-day event but becomes a cultural scene that colors the streets throughout winter. Although it developed into a large-scale tourist event after 1982, at its foundation lives the simple, warm prayer of people to eat candy and wish for a year of good health.

Along with the sweetness of candy, what makes the Odate Amekko-ichi most appealing is the wisdom and love of home nurtured by people amid the harsh cold of Odate's winter. It is worth noting that, while remaining a traditional event, it has also taken in contemporary attractions such as the Akita dog parade and functions as a place connecting people inside and outside the region. A winter day where history and the present meet in a snowy town will long remain in the memory of those who visit.

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