Mentai-ju News vol.22

A seasonal event in early winter: the "Fukuhaku Seimonharai" festival.
Every year from November 15th to 20th, the town of Fukuhaku comes alive with the annual Fukuhaku Seimonbarai sale and event.

The initiator of this project was Yahiro Ribei, an idea man and Hakata merchant who revitalized Hakata during the Meiji period.
He was born in Chikushi County, Fukuoka in 1849 (Kaei 2). At the age of 14, he began training as a clerk at a leading kimono merchant in Hakata, and at the age of 30, he founded the pickle shop "Yahiro Kinzando."

When he visited Ebisu City, Osaka for business, he saw the success of the Seimonbarai ceremony and said, "I want to help boost Hakata too," even though his store wasn't benefiting from it.
He called on the kimono merchants of Hakata to hold a joint sale. At the time, sales were associated with the idea of "kura-arae" (a type of storehouse sale) held when a store went bankrupt.
The negotiations were difficult, but they continued tenaciously and finally came to fruition at the end of 1879 (Meiji 12) under the name "Seimonbare."
(※To give it a brighter image, they changed "harai" (barai) to "hare" (clear) and wrote "Seibunhare.") As a result, waves of people flocked to Hakata and it was a huge success.

Since then, the number of participating stores has continued to grow, and the event is now a huge success every year in the Fukuhaku area (the entire Fukuoka city area).
This year, the event will be held at 24 shopping arcades and department stores in Fukuoka City. Why not come and enjoy the lively atmosphere and shopping of the town of Fukuhaku?