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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.
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 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.
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