I personally define this as the one day a year when I'm okay with being swamped by crowds. Generally, I hate crowds, but Mori, Michi, Ichiba is the exception. It’s necessary to fully enjoy the vibrant energy of the market.
As I've mentioned in past announcements, I really love the philosophy behind Mori, Michi, Ichiba—the desire to show people drawn together by the power of music what a serious market is really like. It gathers a wealth of store styles that I’d love for the cycling world to use as a reference, too.
That intense passion has reached so many people that Mori, Michi, Ichiba has become a hugely popular event. Back in the day, you could get in even on the day of the event, but now, entry tickets are becoming hard to come by.
Mori, Michi, Ichiba 2026 Official Website
https://mori-michi-ichiba.info/
Final Ticket Release!
It’s wonderful that, despite this, they’ve prepared bicycle-specific entry tickets and camping plots based on the idea of prioritizing those arriving by bike.
In line with the final release of official tickets starting at noon today, the 29th, we at Circles will also be holding a limited final sale of bicycle tickets.
There are only a few left, so I expect they’ll sell out quickly. Please, come by bike to Mori, Michi, Ichiba, one of the most vibrant market events in Japan.
Introduction to the (Personal) Circles Area Booths
And once again this year, Circles will have a large booth. We’ll also be bringing together unique vendors in the same row to create the "Circles Area" and bring the energy. Here is a quick look at the vendors in our area! Every booth is bringing their A-game!
PAPERSKY STORE
Born from the travel and lifestyle magazine "PAPERSKY," the PAPERSKY STORE is a brand that proposes practical and playful items themed around "travel." Editor-in-chief Lucas travels across the country by bike and on foot to edit the magazine, and he creates items useful for those journeys in collaboration with makers from various regions.
From items introduced with comments like, "The sound this pen makes when you take off the cap is so satisfying when you're feeling stuck," they are all truly unique.
They are sure to make your next journey even more exciting.
Circles
Of course, Circles will be selling bicycles (haha). It's difficult to sell bikes at a festival, but they are something that should be sold at a market.
We’ll also have gear like Bedrock sandals and apparel that you can try on before you buy.
We’re also preparing various items specifically for Mori-Michi again this year. We’ll be announcing them little by little, so stay tuned!!
We will also be operating our now-famous "Cycle Cloak" bike parking service. Please come to the venue by bike. Events with many people arriving by bike are the best events!
Pine Fields Market
Known as PFM, this is the bake shop division of Circles. Our shop, located in Matsubara southwest of Osu Kannon where the flower market is, had a major renewal this year. As always, we’ll be serving delicious bread, baked goods, and sandwiches. This time, we’ll be open to satisfy everyone's appetite, including breakfast for those camping!
CERCHI
CERCHI is the pasta restaurant division of Circles. It’s pronounced "Cher-ki."
Located under the JR tracks toward Kanayama, the shop serves pasta-centric dishes and alcohol. This is their first time at Mori-Michi! Not many other places serve pasta, so you should definitely try it here!
CHAORAS
CHAORAS was a huge hit last year, with an endless stream of customers. This year, they’re expanding their booth to take on the challenge again. Far more than just "cute," CHAORAS is a brand that has gained massive support for their "Sports Tenugui" (Japanese hand towels), which update traditional Japanese towels for the modern outdoor scene. They are packed with features perfect for outdoor festivals: excellent water absorption and quick-drying properties, a slightly longer size that's easy to wrap around your neck or head, and lock-stitch edges to prevent fraying. They are an essential, practical, and stylish festival companion to brighten up your look.
one nova
The merino wool underwear brand "one nova" caused a revolution for me, as I used to be indifferent and think, "Uniqlo is fine for underwear." Every time I encounter them at a market, I add a little more to my collection. Women will feel the benefits even more. Utilizing natural merino wool with excellent temperature regulation and deodorizing properties, they keep you feeling dry and comfortable even in sweaty situations like outdoors and festivals. They focus on transparency in the manufacturing process and sustainability, which is a feature that makes them feel good to wear.
Cacashi
Cacashi is an izakaya near Meijo Park in Nagoya's Kita Ward. The shop, run by Fuwa-chan (a former Aliba staff member) and her husband Kit-san, is always full of energy. After their trip to Mexico last year, they’ve refined their signature taco dish even further, and they say they're going all-in on tacos this year! It looks like they’ve also prepared various goods, so be sure to check them out at their booth.
Atelier Mitikusa & TUMBLEWEED
"Atelier Mitikusa" and "TUMBLEWEED" are shops beloved in the backstreets of Nagoya as flower and plant ateliers. They are mind-blowing entities that can't be categorized as just regular flower shops, as they don't just provide flowers for various Circles-affiliated shops, but also offer various graphic designs. At Mori-Michi, they offer their popular service where they draw custom text in a unique style onto pin-back buttons, in addition to various design goods. Last time, they had a record number of orders and were drawing until the middle of the night. What will happen this year!?
pot equipment store
A close ally of Circles and sewing master, Inocchi of Welldone. He will be exhibiting under his shop name, "pot equipment store," offering not just handmade outdoor bags packed with functional ideas, but also gear from up-and-coming independent brands selected by Inocchi himself, the connoisseur of fun. If you want to encounter carefully crafted gear that you can feel the passion of the maker in, rather than mass-produced items, pot is the place.
TORAYA EQUIPMENT
"TORAYA EQUIPMENT" has many fans across the country as a "maker that creates travel gear for traveling." Personally, I’m a loyal user of their travel trousers, which are easy to move in and don't press on your stomach. They fit comfortably during any movement, and they are perfect not only for activities like hiking and mountain climbing but also for travel, so you should definitely try them. They are usually made-to-order, but they will have items for sale on the spot at their Mori-Michi booth!
TACOMA FUJI RECORDS
They don't often brag about it themselves, but "TACOMA FUJI RECORDS" is a T-shirt label featuring insanely amazing artwork for those in the know. Their eye-catching logos are also amazing, but explaining it too much would be tacky, so I'd rather just share the sentiment of "It's great, isn't it?" Or, you could ask the head of the label, Nabe-san. He might look tough, but he's a genuinely great guy and would be happy to talk about it.
Bar Liquors
Many people look forward to drinking lemon sours here every year. Naturally, in hand, there’s always a new original lemon sour glass with fun graphics. The best move is to buy it and use it right there. It’s way better than a disposable plastic cup. A brand derived from the Lemon Sour Department of the outdoor creator group "VALLICANS," their playfulness and sense of style for goods is, needless to say, top-tier. If you love a drink, this is a must-visit booth to find a companion for your toasts. I hear they have some kind of new initiative this time, too.
THE STAND
This is a kiosk-style pop-up run by popular apparel brands such as "THE STAND by JOURNAL STANDARD." They will feature a lineup of miscellaneous goods, food, drinks, and special collaboration items, all edited from a refined perspective based on baseball. They are appearing with a Mori-Michi-esque booth style with nimble ideas, such as a collaboration with the Gifu incense brand BULLPEN. Stay tuned!
YELLOW vintage store
"YELLOW vintage store" is an up-and-coming shop based in Osu, Nagoya, that proposes a "new normal" for used and vintage clothing. With an unerring aesthetic sense cultivated over many years in the vintage industry, the owner hand-picks a wide range of American vintage clothing from the 1950s to the 2000s in the US. This year, they plan to bring not only vintage clothing but also many vintage stuffed animals they’ve collected in America. I’m looking forward to it.
Eanbe
A brand familiar at Circles, the Okinawa-born aloha shirt brand "Eanbe" is themed around "ii anbe," which means "feeling good" in Okinawan. Their designs feature all-over patterns with mature yet humorous motifs like alcohol, gambling, and the rich nature and culture of Okinawa. I don't think there are many shirts that fit Mori-Michi as well as these. With a relaxed silhouette that can be worn by anyone, regardless of gender, and a soft texture that feels like a tropical breeze, they will surely raise the sense of liberation at the festival even higher. Are they preparing new items for Mori-Michi…!?
CARAVAN
"Caravan" is a food and drink team from the new generation that runs "Fushimi-cho POPEYE," a set-meal restaurant that already had a 2-hour queue when I first heard of it. The background to their rapid expansion and entry into Tokyo is the overwhelming support from sensitive young people, drawn to their modern and sophisticated space creation and exquisite, genre-less menu. They are a food and drink team one generation younger than the Aliba staff. They are incredibly strong.
With delicious pizza as their centerpiece, they will once again be exhibiting with all their might, bringing a fresh breeze to Mori-Michi!
