Rice cracker maker Azuma Arare Honpo (株式会社東あられ本鋪) is opening its factory in Yachiyo, Chiba on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 9:30 to 15:00 for its yearly autumn market, the New Rice Okaki Fair (新米おかきフェア 秋の東マルシェ). The star of the day is okaki made from this year’s rice and fried right there in front of you. Entry is free and the market goes ahead rain or shine.
Below you will find what is on sale, how the ticket system at the booths works, and the easiest way to get there without a car.
Key details at a glance
| Event | New Rice Okaki Fair, Autumn Azuma Market (新米おかきフェア 秋の東マルシェ) |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9:30–15:00 |
| Venue | Azuma Arare Honpo Yachiyo Factory (inside the factory grounds) |
| Address | 1355-3 Kamikoya, Yachiyo, Chiba (千葉県八千代市上高野1355-3), right behind the Maruhan Yachiyo Higashi store |
| Organizer | Azuma Arare Honpo Co., Ltd. (head office in Sumida, Tokyo) |
| Admission | Free, held rain or shine |
| Parking | Temporary lot on the grounds, about 40 cars |
| How to buy | Buy exchange tickets at the outdoor register, then trade them in at each booth |
| Official site | azuma-arare.co.jp (latest updates) |
The company holds this market every autumn to celebrate the new rice season with people in the area.
Fresh-fried okaki: four flavors, factory only
Okaki are rice crackers made from glutinous rice, and the ones sold here are hand-fried on the spot by the factory’s craftsmen, batch by batch. You cannot get this fresh-fried version anywhere except the factory sale, which is the main reason to make the trip. There are four flavors:
Every flavor except salt comes as a seasoned coating on the okaki.
The rice: Himenomochi from Yamagata
All of the new-rice okaki use 100% new-crop Himenomochi, a glutinous rice grown under contract by farmers in Nakayama Town, Yamagata, including grower Hiroshi Komatsu. It is a specially cultivated rice: compared with standard growing, pesticide applications are cut by 50% and chemically derived nitrogen by 60%.
Other stalls and factory-only items
Besides okaki, the factory sells items available only at its own events, and local businesses set up stalls. Announced so far:
| Item | From |
|---|---|
| Freshly pounded new-rice mochi (soy sauce and nori / kuromitsu syrup and kinako) | Azuma Arare |
| Sesame daifuku | Azuma Arare |
| Drinks | Azuma Arare |
| Beer | Yachiyo Brewery (八千代ブルワリー) |
| Vegetables | Bell Tree Farm (ベルツリーファーム) |
| Amanatto (sugared beans) | Takai Seika (高井製菓) |
The company says there will be more than this, so check the official website for the latest lineup.
What the spring market looked like
The photos below are from this year’s spring market, so they give you a feel for the atmosphere. This autumn’s lineup may differ.
A staff member with a barista qualification served coffee-flavored arare alongside coffee tastings.
Yachiyo Brewery sold an original craft beer brewed with Azuma Arare’s own mochi.
Fresh local vegetables and some unusual eggs were on sale.
Kids could win products at a ring toss game.
How buying works on the day
You do not pay at each stall. Instead:
- Go to the outdoor register inside the venue and buy exchange tickets for what you want.
- Take the tickets to each booth and swap them for your items.
Getting there by bus or car
- By train and bus: from the north exit of Katsutadai Station on the Keisei Line, take the Toyo Bus Katsutadai Station North Exit Loop (勝田台駅北口循環) and get off at Nishi-Kodan (西工団). The factory is a 5-minute walk from the stop.
- By car: there is a temporary lot on the factory grounds for about 40 cars. The factory sits right behind the Maruhan Yachiyo Higashi store.
Forty spaces is not many for a free Saturday event, so the bus is the safer bet if you want to arrive without circling for a spot.
Looking for more things to do this autumn? Our guide to the Musashino Art University Festival covers another free campus event, and the Asoview campaign with up to ¥3,000 off leisure tickets helps if you are planning a paid outing. For past local festivals, see how we covered the Shibaura Canal Festival with its free canal cruise and the Setagaya Tamagawa Fireworks.
New-rice okaki in regular retail
Can’t make it on the 17th? Azuma Arare also releases packaged new-rice products around mid-October. The listed prices below are for these regular products, not for the fair.
| Product | Price (tax incl.) |
|---|---|
| New-rice hand-fried okaki (新米手揚げおかき): salt, soy sauce | ¥476 each |
| New-rice fukure mochi (新米ふくれ餅): salt, soy sauce, plain baked | ¥422 each |
For details, see the company’s press release.
FAQ
- Q. Is admission free?
- Yes. Entry is free, and the market goes ahead rain or shine.
- Q. What are the opening hours?
- Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 9:30 to 15:00.
- Q. Can I drive there?
- There is a temporary parking lot on the factory grounds with space for about 40 cars. With so few spaces, the bus from Katsutadai Station may be easier.
- Q. How do I pay at the booths?
- Buy exchange tickets at the outdoor register inside the venue, then hand them over at each booth. Prices and accepted payment methods for the day have not been announced, so check the official website before you go.
- Q. Can I buy the fresh-fried okaki anywhere else?
- No. The fresh-fried new-rice okaki is sold only at the factory.