Kyoto shopping
Kyoto shopping includes traditional crafts, textiles, clothing and antiques and old wares sold from one of the many flea markets.
Shijo Kawaramachi area
Shijo Street is the main east-west shopping street in downtown Kyoto. It is lined with most of the city’s department stores, some of its largest banks, and many shops and intersects with two of Kyoto’s biggest shopping arcades (Teramachi Street and Shinkyogoku Street). Kawaramachi Street, running north-south and intersecting Shijo Street, is full of amusement facilities, and more shops of all kinds. The area where these two streets intersect is the busiest in Kyoto.
Access: Karasuma subway line, Shijo Sta.
The Kyoto Station Building
The Kyoto Station Building is usually the gateway to the city for most visitors. Centered around the national JR railway lines, the shinkansen (bullet) train line, and the Karasuma subway line, the Kyoto Station Building is comprised of four zones: a public zone, a shopping zone, a hotel zone, and an entertainment zone.
Kyoto’s latest modern spot is the area around the new Kyoto Station. Here, the old and new meet as ancient temples and the latest cultural sites come together.
Kitayama Street
This elegant shopping street, stretching mainly eastward from the Kitayama Bridge on the Kamogawa River, is bordered by the Kyoto Botanical Gardens and the Kyoto Concert Hall to the south. Known as Kyoto’s most fashionable shopping street, it is crowded with trendy restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. Just walking down the street to look at its fancy buildings and displays can be great fun.
Access: Karasuma subway line, Kitayama Sta.
Nishiki Food Market
This market, set up along Nishikikoji St. between Teramachi and Takakura streets, is known as the "kitchen of Kyoto." On this narrow, stone-paved street, about 150 grocery stores sell the best fresh produce available in Kyoto. It is always bustling with customers who come to look, to taste, and to buy the best.
Access: Karasuma subway line, Shijo Sta.
Kyoto Handicraft Center
This center was jointly established by Kyoto's traditional handicraft manufacturers. The center sells traditional crafts such as Kyoto dolls, fans, pottery and porcelain, dyed and woven crafts, damascene. The center also functions as a popular tax free shop for foreign tourists. Tourists can also, through hands-on experiece, learn to about making cloisonne, wood block prints, and dolls.
Tel: 075-761-5080 Open: 10:00-18:00 (closed during the New Year holidays) Access: City bus, get off at Kumano-jinja-mae (#206 from Kyoto Sta.)
Nishijin Textile Center
Nishijin textiles are wellknown as one of Japan’s representative traditional craft forms. In this seven-story modern building, devoted to the history of this rich weaving tradition, visitors can see all kinds of Nishijin textiles (kimono and obi sashes), weaving demonstrations, as well as try on kimono from different historical eras.
Tel: 075-451-9231 Open: 9:00 - 17:00 Entry free (¥600 for the Kimono show, ¥3,000-¥8,800 to try on kimonos) Access: Karasuma subway line, Imadegawa Sta.
Kyoto Craft Center
AAt this excellent craft center, visitors can see exhibitions of textiles, ceramics and many other crafts made by craftsmen and artists living in Kyoto.
Address: 275 Gion-machi-kitagawa, Higashiyama-ku. (#206 and #100 from Kyoto Sta.) Open: 10:00-18:00, closed on Wednesday (open if a holiday) Entry: free Access: Kyoto city bus, get off at Gion
Sannenzaka/Ninenzaka Area
Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka, leading from Yasaka Shrine to Kiyomizu Temple in three, separate, sloped stages, is a designated national historical preservation area. Interesting souvenir shops which sell Kiyomizu pottery, Nishijin weavings and others handmade articles line each street (no cars) and lend a bustling, exotic atmosphere. These streets are also highly recommended for late evening and early morning strolls, when the visitor can easily imagine that time had stopped a hundred years ago.
Access: City bus, get off at Kiyomizu-michi (#206 from Kyoto Sta.
Toji Temple "Kobo-san" Flea Markets
This large market, also known as Kobo-san, in memory of the 8th century Buddhist saint, Kobo Daishi, is covered with about 1,200 stalls (antiques, clothing, food, plants, ceramics, etc.). The biggest Kobo-san markets are in December and January.This flea market is held on the 21st every month. Another flea market will be held on the first Sun. every month.
Access: Karasuma subway line, Kujo Sta
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine "Tenjin-san" Flea Markets
Marking the anniversary of the scholar and poet, Sugawara Michizane, this large market (antiques, clothing, food, plants, ceramics, etc.) is also known as Tenjin-san.
25th of each month.
Access: City bus, get off at Kitano Tenmangu-mae (#101 from Kyoto Sta.).
