Hanakari Market

Yesterday I had a booth at the "Hanakari Market" held in Tsuruta, Aomori Prefecture. I came all the way from Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. This event had been buzzing on social media for some time and I had wanted to take part, so it was a long‑cherished opportunity to exhibit. It took about three and a half hours from Kesennuma to the venue by highway. From Friday I traveled with my wife and enjoyed Aomori on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th. On the first day we visited Hashikami, where a fellow from my Local Venture Lab cohort is active, and toured a book center and several bookstores in Hachinohe. On the second day we strolled around Oirase and Towada, then moved on to Hirosaki City to see historic buildings and sample apple pies as we walked. On the third day we ran our booth at the main event, the Hanakari Market. Despite the gloomy weather, the event was lively with many customers and vendors, and it was a lot of fun. While learning about and feeling Aomori and Tsuruta, I also sensed connections to Kesennuma through conversations with visitors. I also had a chance to speak with the organizers and heard about how the event started, the challenges they faced, and the joys involved. I want to plan a book event in Kesennuma too. The three days in Aomori were full of learning about ideas, presentation, and building a store concept. I came away inspired and want to try similar initiatives at Hamarain BOOKS.