Gunma’s Minakami Mirai Marche revitalises hot spring town

The hot spring town of Minakami in Gunma Prefecture will host the Minakami Mirai Marche on this weekend October 11 and 12. The event is an evolution of the popular “Haikyo Saisei Marche” (Ruins Regeneration Marche), and represents a new step in the town’s revitalisation efforts, transforming abandoned buildings into vibrant community hubs.

The event is designed as a collection of “10 small market clusters” spread across a 1.5-kilometre area from JR Minakami Station. This concept encourages visitors to explore the town and its scenery along the Tone River. According to the organisers, it is a series of markets that “challenge the town-building future of Minakami Onsen.” This project is driven by a public-private-academic-financial partnership between local young volunteers, the Minakami Town government, Gunma Bank Ltd., Open House Group Co., Ltd., and the University of Tokyo.

First held in 2022, the Ruins Regeneration Marche has seen consistent growth. The inaugural event at the former Higaki Dormitory attracted approximately 1,300 people. By its third year, the event expanded to four locations and drew 4,500 visitors over two days, demonstrating strong public interest in the town’s unique approach to regeneration.

The 2025 marche will feature over 60 stalls from local businesses, offering food, crafts, and exhibitions across 10 distinct venues. Each location will have its own theme. The Walk On Water book cafe will host a Taiwanese-style market, while the former Higaki Dormitory will feature an open art atelier focused on upcycling and crafts, culminating in a candle night. At MIDORI SOW, a renovated apartment complex, a “farm harvest festival” will be held.

A central feature is the former Ichiyo-tei hotel, a large, disused inn currently undergoing regeneration. During the marche, its former entrance will serve as a venue, and guided tours will offer visitors a rare look inside the building’s exposed structure as it is being reborn.

To connect the dispersed venues, a slow mobility social experiment will be conducted in collaboration with Minakami Town and Gunma University. An electric bus, the eCOM-10, will operate between key locations, allowing visitors to enjoy the journey itself. Environmentally friendly options like share bikes will also be available.

Visitor engagement is further encouraged through a digital stamp rally. By collecting stamps from all 10 locations, participants can receive points for the local electronic currency, MINAKAMI HEART Pay. Additionally, the historic “Kogure-ke no Dozo,” an early 20th-century storehouse, will be specially opened to the public as a rest area for the first time.