- Wed, Oct 21 – Mon, Oct 26, 2026
- 10:00–20:00 (Oct 21 from 16:00, Oct 26 until 17:00)
- Ishikawa soba by shinkansen: Oct 22 only
Akita Prefecture is bringing its local products to one of the busiest stations north of Tokyo. From Wednesday, October 21 to Monday, October 26, 2026, the West Exit event space at JR Omiya Station will host the Akita Sanchoku Market (大宮駅 あきた産直市), a pop-up selling Akita sweets, local sake, processed foods, fresh produce and goods.
Two things are easy to miss: the first day doesn’t open until 16:00, and one item, a soy-milk soba from northern Akita, only appears on the afternoon of October 22 after riding down on a shinkansen. Here’s the schedule, what’s on sale and what each item costs.
Dates, hours and venue
The market runs for six days. Regular hours are 10:00–20:00, but the opening and closing days are shorter.
| Event | Akita Sanchoku Market at Omiya Station |
|---|---|
| Venue | JR Omiya Station, West Exit event space |
| Dates | Wed, Oct 21 – Mon, Oct 26, 2026 (6 days) |
| Hours | 10:00–20:00 Oct 21: opens at 16:00 Oct 26: closes at 17:00 |
| On sale | Akita sweets, local sake, processed foods, fruit and vegetables, goods |
| Organizer | East Japan Railway Company, Akita Branch (東日本旅客鉄道株式会社 秋田事業本部) |
| Operator | JR East Tohoku General Service Co., Ltd., Akita Sales Branch |
| Supported by | Akita Prefecture, Daisen City, Yokote City, Yurihonjo City, Oga City, Happo Town, Akita Prefectural Tourism Federation |
Who’s selling
Seven sellers are listed, from a prefectural products association to individual confectioners.
| Seller | Japanese name |
|---|---|
| Akita Prefecture Products Promotion Association | 秋田県物産振興会 |
| Okashi no Senseido | お菓子の泉栄堂 |
| Akita Donguri Mura | 秋田どんぐり村 |
| Kanehan Delica | カネハンデリカ |
| JR East Tohoku General Service, Akita Sales Branch | JR東日本東北総合サービス 秋田営業支店 |
| Kashiho Eitaro (via the Noka no Party network) | 菓子舗榮太楼 |
| Evol Five | エヴォルファイブ |
What to buy and prices
These are the items the organizer highlighted. All prices include tax.
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Petit Cigare Akita Inu tin (プティ シガール 秋田犬) | ¥1,950 | Akita-only tin, 16 pieces |
| Akita fish in sake lees, 5-piece set (秋田地魚純米大吟醸漬５種詰合せ) | ¥3,240 per box | Frozen, 5 fillets |
| Stewed pork cartilage (豚なんこつ煮込み) | ¥1,060 per 300g bag | Encouragement Award, Akita food contest 2026 |
| Stewed dried pollock (棒だら煮) | ¥700 each | Cold-dried pollock |
| Kodama Reika Babahera ice (児玉冷菓のババヘラアイス) | ¥330 each | Strawberry and banana |
| Malakao steamed cake (マーラーカオ) | ¥230 per 2-pack | Chinese-style steamed cake |
| Wakagaeri manju (若返りまんじゅう) | ¥160 each | Sweet bun |
| Oho dorayaki (王鵬どらやき) | ¥350 each | Dorayaki |
| Genuine leather key chain (本革製キーホルダー) | Akita Inu ¥2,200 Namahage ¥2,100 | Two designs |
Petit Cigare Akita Inu: the souvenir tin
If you only pick up one gift, this is the obvious candidate. Tokyo confectioner Yoku Moku teamed up with an Akita promotion project to make a tin you can only get in Akita. The artwork follows an Akita Inu puppy through the seasons: cherry blossoms in Kakunodate, the Omagari fireworks and the Kanto lantern festival in summer, autumn leaves and hot spring villages, then snow and namahage in winter.
Inside are 16 Petit Cigare, Yoku Moku’s rolled butter cookies. The tin is ¥1,950.
Five Akita fish, five sake breweries
Akita is known for sake, and this set leans into that. Five kinds of fish landed in Akita are each marinated in the junmai daiginjo sake lees of a different Akita brewery. It’s sold frozen, at ¥3,240 for a box of five fillets.
| Fish | Sake | Brewery |
|---|---|---|
| Red sea bream | Tenju Chokaisan | Tenju Shuzo |
| Autumn salmon | Chiyomidori | Okuda Shuzoten |
| Sailfish | Ippaku Suisei | Fukurokuju Shuzo |
| Yellowtail (Akita miso flavor) | Amanoto | Asamai Shuzo |
| Pacific cod (Saikyo style) | Suirakuten | Akita Shuzo |
Pork cartilage stew from Noshiro
In Noshiro City, pork cartilage is called paika and has long been part of local cooking. This version simmers Akita-raised pork cartilage in Shirakamiya’s sweet soy sauce until it turns soft. It won an Encouragement Award at the Akita Food Championship 2026 and costs ¥1,060 for a 300g bag.
Stewed dried pollock (bodara-ni)
Cold-dried Alaska pollock, simmered slowly in the home style and ready to eat as is. It’s a standard dish in New Year osechi boxes in Akita. ¥700 each.
Babahera ice
Babahera is Akita’s roadside ice treat, traditionally scooped into the shape of a rose by older women at stalls along the road. Kodama Reika’s cup version recreates that rose shape with pink strawberry and yellow banana flavors. It’s light and closer to sherbet than ice cream. ¥330 per cup.
Small sweets under ¥400
For something to snack on while you walk around: malakao steamed cake at ¥230 for two, wakagaeri manju at ¥160 each and Oho dorayaki at ¥350 each.
Leather key chains
Genuine leather key chains come in two designs: Akita Inu at ¥2,200 and namahage at ¥2,100.
Ishikawa soba by shinkansen (Oct 22 only)
On Thursday, October 22, a limited batch of Ishikawa soba from Happo Town in northern Akita travels to Omiya on a regular Komachi shinkansen. JR East’s Hakobyun (はこビュン) service uses passenger trains to carry freight, which lets fresh goods arrive the same day.
| Date | Thu, Oct 22, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Train | Komachi No. 16 Akita 10:07 → Omiya 13:39 |
| Sales start | Around 14:00, once it’s ready |
| Quantity | Limited |
| Price | Not listed in the press release |
What makes Ishikawa soba unusual is that it is bound with soy milk instead of the usual wheat flour or egg. The result is a faint sweetness, a smooth texture and a flavor of its own. The organizer suggests pairing it with Akita sake, which is also on sale at the market.
Tips before you go
- Skip the morning of Oct 21. The first day opens at 16:00.
- The last day ends early. On Oct 26 the market closes at 17:00.
- Want the soba? Aim for Oct 22 after 14:00 and expect it to sell in limited numbers.
- The fish set is frozen. If you’re heading somewhere else afterward, plan how to keep it cold on the way home.
- Payment methods aren’t listed in the release. If you’re still figuring out which card works for everyday spending, see which credit card foreigners in Japan should get first.
Can’t make it to Omiya? The operator runs an online shop, Tohoku MONO WEB SHOP on JRE MALL. The release doesn’t say which market items are listed there, so check the shop itself. If regional food is what you’re after, furusato nozei is another route to products from places like Akita.
Planning more outings this autumn? Our guides to the Musashino Art University Festival 2026 and the Shibaura Canal Festival cover dates, access and tips.
FAQ
- When is the Akita Sanchoku Market at Omiya Station held?
- From Wednesday, October 21 to Monday, October 26, 2026. Hours are 10:00–20:00, except October 21 (opens at 16:00) and October 26 (closes at 17:00).
- Where in Omiya Station is it?
- At the West Exit event space of JR Omiya Station.
- When can I buy the Ishikawa soba?
- Only on Thursday, October 22, 2026. It arrives on the Komachi No. 16 shinkansen at 13:39, and sales are planned to start around 14:00 once it’s ready. Quantities are limited, and sales may be cancelled or changed depending on weather or train operations.
- How much is the Akita Inu Petit Cigare tin?
- ¥1,950 including tax. It’s an Akita-only Yoku Moku tin with 16 Petit Cigare inside.
- Can I buy Akita products if I can’t go?
- The operator runs an online shop, Tohoku MONO WEB SHOP on JRE MALL. The release doesn’t say which market items are listed there, so check the shop directly.
Source: press release from JR East Tohoku General Service (Oct 19, 2026) · Operator site: JR East Tohoku General Service