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Avanti
This department store has a decent bookshop on its 6th floor, and a food court and supermarket on its B1 floor. It's geared mostly to younger Kyoto shoppers but it's good for browsing if you have time to kill while waiting for a train. Take the underground passage from Kyoto Station.
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Benri-dō
We love this new postcard shop inside a converted machiya (traditional Japanese townhouse). They stock postcards of the most famous pieces from art museums across Japan. It's a great place to buy postcards that are a bit out of the ordinary to send or take home.
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Bic Camera
This vast new shop is directly connected to Kyoto Station via the Nishinotōin gate; otherwise, it's accessed by leaving the north (Karasuma) gate and walking west. You will be amazed by the sheer amount of goods this store has on display. Just be sure that an English operating manual is available for your purchases. For computer parts, keep in mind that not all items on offer will work with English operating systems.
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Camera No Naniwa
This vast camera/film/electronics emporium is part of a huge low-cost Osaka chain. You can find some great bargains here - they sometimes offer special discounts for travellers - but don't expect much in terms of personal service.
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Chion-Ji Tezukuri-Ichi
The Tezukuri-ichi (handmade market) is held at Chion-ji on the 15th of each month. Wares include food and handmade clothes. This is a good chance to see Kyoto's alternative community out in full force.
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Erizen
Roughly opposite Takashimaya department store, Erizen is one of the best places in Kyoto to buy a kimono or kimono fabric. It has a great selection of kyō-yūzen (Kyoto dyed fabrics) and other kimono fabrics. Prices are not cheap but the service is of a high level. Staff can measure you for a kimono and post it to your home later.
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Fujii Daimaru Department Store
Major department store.
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Green E Books
This small bookstore has a decent selection of used books. It also organises a variety of interesting events in town.
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Ippo-Dō
This old-style tea shop sells the best Japanese tea in Kyoto. Its matcha (powdered green tea used in tea ceremonies) makes an excellent and lightweight souvenir. Try a 40g container of wa-no-mukashi (meaning 'old-time Japan') for around ¥1600 , which makes 25 cups of excellent green tea. The tea shop is north of the city hall, on Teramachi-dōri. If you need a break while there, it has an adjoining tea house.
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Isetan Department Store
This large, elegant department store is located inside the Kyoto Station building, making it perfect for a last-minute spot of shopping before hopping on the train to the airport.
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Junkudō
On the 5th to 8th floors of the BAL Building, right downtown, this is one of Kyoto's best bookshops. The 7th floor has a good selection of English books and a smaller selection of books in other European languages. It also stocks English-language manga, magazines, Lonely Planet travel guides, and Japanese-language textbooks and reference books.
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Kagoshin
Kagoshin is a small semi-open bamboo craft shop on Sanjō-dōri, only a few minutes' walk east of the Kamo-gawa. It has a good selection of baskets, chopstick holders, bamboo vases, decorations and knick-knacks. The baskets make a good, light souvenir and look great in alcove displays.
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Kamiji Kakimoto
A close second to Morita Washi as our favourite washi shop in Kyoto. It's got such unusual items as washi computer printer paper and washi wallpaper. It's very close to Ippo-dō tea shop, with which it makes a very good double bill.
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Kōbō-san Market
This market is held at Tō-ji on the 21st of each month to commemorate the death of Kōbō Taishi, who in 823 was appointed abbot of the temple. If you're after used kimono, pottery, bric-a-brac, plants, tools and general Japanalia, this is the place.
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Kōjitsu
If you plan to do some hiking or camping while in Japan, you can stock up on equipment at this excellent little shop on Kawaramachi. You'll find that Japanese outdoor sporting equipment is very high quality (with prices to match).
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Kōjitsu Sansō
If you plan to do some hiking or camping while in Japan, you can stock up on equipment at this excellent little shop on Kawaramachi-dōri. You'll find that Japanese outdoor sporting equipment is very high quality (with prices to match).
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Kungyoku-Dō
A haven for the olfactory sense, this place has sold incense and aromatic woods (for burning, similar to incense) for four centuries. It's opposite the gate of Nishi Hongan-ji.
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Kyōsen-Dō
Kyōsen-dō sells a colourful variety of paper fans; here you can see the process of assembling the fans and even paint your own.
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Kyoto Handicraft Center
The Kyoto Handicraft Center is a huge cooperative that exhibits and sells a wide range of Japanese arts and crafts. It also has two in-house wood-block printmakers and a corner where you can try your hand at making some of your own prints.
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Kyoto-Kimono Plaza
Kyoto-Kimono Plaza is one of Kyoto's more approachable kimono shops. As with other shops specialising in new kimono and kimono fabrics, prices are not cheap, but the quality is high. You can be measured for a custom kimono here and the shop will post it to your home.
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Kyūkyo-dō
This old shop in the Teramachi covered arcade sells a selection of incense, shodō (calligraphy) goods, tea ceremony supplies and washi (Japanese paper). Prices are on the high side but the quality is good.
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Kyūkyō-Dō
This old shop in the Teramachi covered arcade sells a selection of incense, shodō (Japanese calligraphy) goods, tea-ceremony supplies and washi . Prices are on the high side but the quality is good.
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Matsuya
Just north of Shijō-dōri, on the eastern side of Kawaramachi-dōri, Matsuya sells an impressive assortment of delicately painted kyō-ningyō (Kyoto dolls).
