Last weekend brought a welcome break from the plum rain and also aligned with the elusive Kawagoe Shrine Sale. Instead of falling on the fourth Saturday, the outdoor antique market is held on the 28th of every month regardless of convenience.
The market is held on the grounds of the Naritasan Kawagoe Betsuin temple where we rang in the New Year. Vendors crowd into the area in front of the shrine and offer everything from kimonos and figurines to toys and antique tools.
Please enjoy a few photos from the day.

Hundreds of gently-used kimonos and yukata for sale. New ones are pretty spendy, but these could be had for around 1,000 yen (less than $10 USD).

Many vendors offered wooden kokeshi dolls. Messages are placed inside and the dolls are given as gifts of friendship.

Miscellaneous handmade dolls and figurines. The guy with the white belly on the left is a Tanuki, often found in shops and restaurants as a very-thorough lucky charm.

Trading cards featuring samurai film stars used to be distributed in packs of chewing gum in 1960s Japan.

A match made in vintage heaven… a Mickey Mouse phone and a Blushing Willy drinking doll (check out a video of Willy in action)

An ichimatsu doll. The current style is modeled on dolls created for the friendship doll exchange between the U.S. and Japan during the 1920s.
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