Shopping in Kyoto
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Junkudō
In the BAL Building, this shop has a great selection of English-language books on the 5th and 8th floors. This is Kyoto's best bookshop now that the old Maruzen and Random Walk bookshops have closed (you may remember these shops if you visited in the past). There is an excellent cafe on the top floor, which has a great view over Kyoto to the Higashiyama mountains. You can get light meals here as well as drinks.
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Shin-Puh-Kan
This new Downtown shopping complex has a variety of boutiques and restaurants clustered around a huge open-air atrium. The offerings here run to the trendy and ephemeral, which seems to appeal to all the young folk who congregate here. Occasional art and music performances are held in the atrium.
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Aritsugu
Located in Nishiki Market, this is one of the finest knife shops in Japan. There's usually someone on hand who can help you in English. If you purchase a knife, staff put a final edge on it with a giant stone sharpening wheel before packaging it.
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Fujii Daimaru Department Store
Major department store.
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Ippōdō
This is an old-fashioned tea shop selling all sorts of Japanese tea. You can ask to sample the tea before buying. There's an excellent adjoining cafe that sells a variety of green tea drinks and Japanese sweets – it's a highly recommended spot to relax while shopping on Teramachi.
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Nijūsan-Ya
Boxwood combs and hair clips are one of Kyoto’s most famous traditional crafts, and they are still used in the elaborate hairstyles of the city’s geisha and maiko (apprentice geisha). This tiny hole-in-the-wall shop has a fine selection for you to choose from (and if you don’t like what’s on view, you can ask if it has other choices in stock – it usually does).
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Tanakaya
Tanakaya is one of the best places in Kyoto to buy kyō-ningyō. In addition to the full range of kyō-ningyō, the shop sells display stands and screens, Japanese traditional shell game pieces and miniature Gion Matsuri floats. It occupies a wide stretch of Shijō-dōri and is easy to spot by its dolls in the window.
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Kyoto Handicraft Center
Just north of the Heian-jingū, this is a huge cooperative that sells, demonstrates and exhibits crafts (wood-block prints and yukata are a good buy here). It's the best spot in town for buying Japanese souvenirs and is highly recommended.
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Tessai-dō
While exploring the lovely Nene-no-Michi lane in Higashiyama’s main sightseeing district, you might want to step into this fine little wood-block print shop. This shop specialises in original prints, some of which are quite old. Prices average ¥10,000 per print and the owner will be happy to consult with you about what sort of print you are after.
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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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Tenjin-san Market
This market is held once a month at Kitano Tenman-gū and marks the birthday (and coincidentally the death) of the Heian-era statesman Sugawara Michizane (845–903). Items on offer are similar to those at Kōbō-san. It’s pleasant to explore the shrine before or after you do your shopping.
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Rakushi-kan
Rakushi-kan offers paper-making workshops on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with sessions at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. The one-hour course costs from ¥1000 for making sheets of washi, business cards or postcards. Reservations in Japanese should be made a week in advance and courses are held for groups of five or more.
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Onouechikuzaiten
With a name that even residents find hard to pronounce, this fine little specialist store stocks a selection of bamboo crafts. It’s only a few steps away from its main competition, Kagoshin, which allows for easy comparison shopping. Like Kagoshin, it stocks baskets, bamboo vases, decorations and knick-knacks.
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Kamiji Kakimoto
This place sells a good selection of washi (Japanese paper). It even stocks washi computer paper.
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Kagoshin
This small shop sells a wide variety of inexpensive bamboo products like flower holders and baskets.
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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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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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Eirin
If you plan on spending more than a week or so exploring Kyoto by bicycle, it might make sense to purchase one second-hand. A simple mama chari (shopping bike) can be had for as little as ¥3000. Try the used-cycle shop Eirin near Kyoto University.
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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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Tōki Matsuri
This is Kyoto’s largest ceramics fair and it’s a good place to snap up some bargains, especially late on the last day. Even if you don’t intend to buy, it’s fun to stroll past the stores. The market runs between Kawabata and Higashiōji.
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Kyoto-Kimono Plaza
This 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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Opa
This youth-oriented shopping centre is the place to go to see swarms of ko-gyaru (brightly clad Japanese girls) and their mates. It’s also a decent spot for those who want to check out a wide variety of fashion boutiques and other trendy shops.
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Tanakaya
This shop sells noren (curtains that hang in the entry of Japanese restaurants) and a wide variety of other fabric goods such as placemats, tenugui (small hand towels), handkerchiefs and bedding. It’s near Daimaru Department Store.
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Teramachi Club
Used kimono and obi are only the beginning at this interesting little antique shop. Prices are on the high side but it usually has some interesting items. It’s only a little bit further north than the famous Ippo-dō tea shop.
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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. It's down a flight of steps, the entrance to which is to the right of a convenience store.
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