March 8 = Machiya Day! Various events at Gangi townhouses in Takada area from March 4 to 12.

2023.2.28

Joetsu City町家雁木

March 8 is “Machiya Day. In conjunction with this, various events, including tours and workshops, will be held at Gangi-Machiya in the Takada district of Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture, starting on Saturday, March 4, as “Machiya Day Week.

March is “March” in English, and the number 8 is read as “Ya,” so in the summer of 2016, the Kyomachiya Information Center, a group of real estate agents involved in the revitalization of machiya houses in Kyoto, registered March 8 as “Machiya Day.Since the following year, various events have been held at machiya houses in the Kansai region, mainly on March 8, to promote the traditional value and splendor of machiya houses to many people.

Machiya Day HP

So far, events have been held at machiya houses in Kyoto, Himeji, Kanazawa, and Otsu, but starting this year, the Takada district of Joetsu City will also join the effort, led by the general incorporated association “Gangui no Machi Renovation.

30 or so events during townhouse day week!

Machiya Day in Echigo-Takada” will be held from March 4 (Sat.) to 12 (Sun.), with about 30 events of great variety scheduled to be held at the Ganki machiya houses in Honcho, Nakamachi, Omachi, Higashi-Honmachi, Shikasho, and other locations in Joetsu City.

Machiya Day HP

Visitors can tour the “Goze Museum” and “Kimono no Ogawa” as well as the inside of the valuable Ganki machiya. There will also be a variety of events throughout the week, including mini-live performances, workshops, limited lunch hours at restaurants normally open only at night, and one-day-only café and bar hours.

General Incorporated Association, Wild Geese Town Regeneration, Yuko Seki
Echigo Takata has been approached by “Machiya Day,” a niche website that disseminates information throughout Japan, and Echigo Takata will be participating this year. Events have been held in Kyoto and other historic towns in the Kansai region, and we hope that our participation in this initiative will help to convey the atmosphere and lifestyle of the town of Echigo Takata. At each of the venues, we have placed a copy of our booklet “Tsugitsugi No. 2,” which introduces the qualities of Echigo Takata’s townhouses, so please pick one up and take a look at it as well.

Machiya Day in Echigo Takata
■Period: Saturday, March 4 – Sunday, March 12
Website: Machiya Day website