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Most shops slide their doors open at 10, and many shopkeepers partake of the morning ritual of sweeping and watering the entrance to welcome the first customers. Traditional shops lock up at 6 or 7 in the evening. Stores often close sporadically once or twice a month (closings are irregular), so it helps to call in advance if you're making a special trip. On weekends, downtown can be very crowded.
A shopkeeper's traditional greeting to a customer is o-ideyasu (Kyoto-ben, or Kyoto dialect, for "honored to have you here"), voiced in the lilting Kyoto intonations with the required bowing of the head. When a customer makes a purchase, the shopkeeper will respond with o-okini ("thank you" in Kyoto-ben), a smile, and a bow. Take notice of the careful effort and adroitness with which purchases are wrapped; it's an art in itself.
Kyoto's depato (department stores) are small in comparison to their mammoth counterparts in Tokyo and Osaka. They still carry a wide range of goods and are great places for one-stop souvenir shopping. Wandering around the basement food halls is a good way to build up an appetite. Prices drop dramatically during end-of-season sales.
Kyoto has several popular seasonal fairs, from local area pottery sales to the national antiques fairs, usually held in May, June, and October. Several temple markets take place in Kyoto each month. These are great places to pick up bargain kimonos or unusual souvenirs. They're also some of the best spots for people-watching.
Fine handwoven and hand-dyed indigo textiles are this shop's specialty. The indigo plant is grown only in one place in Japan nowadays, and Aizen Kobo makes exclusive use of that product crafting cloth and garments in this rich deep-blue color. The owner dyes the cloth and his wife, Hisako Utsuki, designs.
In the heart of the pottery district near Kiyomizu-dera, Asahi-do specializes in Kyoto-style hand-painted porcelain. It offers the widest selection of any pottery store in the area, and can arrange overseas shipping.
A market specializing in handmade goods and crafts is held here on the 15th of each month. Dolls, small carved wooden statues, fabric, ceramics, costume jewelry, and many other items are sold. Baked goods and other foods are available.
This large department store is known for high-quality merchandise—cosmetics, clothing, furniture, kitchenwares, and other products that appeal to more expensive and conservative tastes. International shipping is available. An exhibition hall and several galleries are worth checking out, as are sections displaying traditional crafts. In the basement are prepared foods, breads, cakes, wine, and other edibles.
The tenugui hand towels sold by this shop have served many purposes through the centuries. In designs today that range from traditional to playful, the towels make wonderful scarves, napkins, bottle holders, and other items depending on how you twist and shape them. The colors and designs are so vibrant and eye-catching that framing one and hanging it as art is another possibility. This Eirakuya store is one of several in the city.
This store focuses on trendy fashions but caters to all ages. Many locals favor the basement food market for its reasonable prices and wine selection.
Tucked away on a quiet side-street, this small store offers kimono and yukata rentals for men and women at very reasonable prices, with a decent selection of items available for purchase too. The friendly English-speaking staff are knowledgable and patient, and will ensure that you are wearing everything correctly.
The 13-story Isetan, in the Kyoto Station Building, is a branch of its Tokyo-based cousin. The feel here is slightly less exclusive than in Tokyo. The store sells high-quality goods and has a well-attended exhibition hall. Many of the restaurants have city views.
A thing of beauty more than utility in Japan, traditional umbrellas provide protection from the scorching sun and pelting rain. Since 1861, Kasagen has produced beautiful oiled-paper umbrellas that are guaranteed to last for years.
On the 25th of each month, the streets around the shrine grounds overflow with all sorts of goods: used clothing and kimonos, food, plants, furniture, Buddhist images, dolls—just about everything you can imagine. Bargaining with a smile often brings good results.
One of Kyoto's best collections of antique and newly forged swords is fittingly located on a corner south of Nijo Castle. Authentic swords are not for sale, but sword paraphernalia and related items are on display.
Fine traditional crafts, including reasonably priced dolls, ceramics, lacquerware, prints, incense, textiles, and bonsai, can be found at this center.
This center has served visitors and residents for decades with its huge selection of crafts and art, both new and old. Various vendors sell dolls, kimonos, pottery, swords, woodblock prints, and pearls, and you'll find one of the best collections of English-language books on Japan. The prices are reasonable in this duty-free commercial center that's also great just for browsing. Regular demonstrations of traditional craft techniques and hands-on workshops (reservation required before 5 pm) make this place tourist-oriented, though not a tourist trap. Everything is of high quality.
In an attractive traditional building, this shop has been in business for 330 years, specializing in stationery, brushes for calligraphy, and incense, some of which (aloeswood) is more expensive than gold.
The famous fan shop Miyawaki Baisen-an has been in business since 1823, delighting customers not only with its fine collection of lacquered, scented, painted, and paper fans, but also with the old-world atmosphere of the shop itself.
Kyoto's central food market is located elsewhere, but restaurateurs and housewives visit this long, narrow street to select fresh produce and other foods. In recent years, the covered arcade has started to include souvenir shops in addition to tempting edibles. Ogling is fine. At some places you might be offered samples. If that happens, don't be shy—have a taste.
One-room Ryushido sells exquisite paper products for calligraphers: paper of varying thicknesses, writing brushes, ink sticks, ink stones, and paperweights. The shop has a classic, artisanal feel.
Another of Kyoto's favorite department stores, Takashimaya specializes in luxury goods and designer fashions. You'll find an accommodating, English-speaking staff and a convenient money-exchange counter. The top floor has bargain merchandise, and another floor is filled with restaurants to revive the shop weary. The exhibition hall and galleries are also worth a visit, as is the basement gourmet food market.
One of the two largest temple markets takes place on the 21st of each month. Vendors arrive early and set up by 7 or 8 am. Hundreds of stalls display fans, kimonos, antiques, potted plants, herbs, and newly designed clothing. Bring a pencil and paper to help you bargain down the price. The temple also hosts a smaller antiques market on the first Sunday of the month.
The ceramics, glass, basketry, lacquerware, and other objects sold here are made with such artistry that only their utilitarian nature nudges them into the craft, as opposed to fine art, category. The owner keeps the prices reasonable so these beautiful things will be appreciated and used daily.
Steps from Shijo subway station's Exit 5, this quaint kimono shop stocks original attire and antique accessories. Its English-speaking staff are kind and extremely knowledgeable. Your time spent trying on different items is sure to be a fun fashion experience. Many of the goods sold here are painstakingly tracked down at estate sales and flea markets.
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