20 Best Places to Go Shopping in Kyoto

Nishiki Market is a must-visit destination for out-of-town visitors because it’s a real eye opener when it comes to local daily life. Many locals nickname it ‘the kitchen of Kyoto’. It’s where you can find many local delicatessens such as saké, tofu, fish, Japanese pickles, vegetables, seaweed, traditional sweets, cooked food, kitchenware, knives and more.

The market features more than 100 vending stalls and most shops are old establishments that have been run by the same family for generation after generation. Products for sale are said to be of better quality than those at average supermarkets in town and prices are accordingly a little higher.

This famous textiles centre is the pride of Kyoto. With its long history of surviving many setbacks, including wars, the centre has a reputation of being a ‘tough guy’ and has a good name all over the country. When visiting Nishijin, visitors will have the chance to try on kimonos and experience weaving by traditional methods. There's also a kimono fashion show several times a day. Call the centre for more information beforehand as certain activities need advance booking. Before leaving the centre, don’t forget to check out the shop which features a good variety of beautiful items such as kimonos, obi, ties, gold brocade, fabrics, woven small goods and household goods.

A popular downtown location for out-of-town visitors to get traditional goods is along Shijo Dori Street and Kawaramachi Dori Street. Here, there are many shops that specialise in kimonos and clothing accessories. Look out for unique items such as red lanterns, tea-ceremony utensils, and lacquerware. These areas are well known for lively bars, clubs, and coffee shops, too.

Take home the scent of Kyoto with some aromatic incense from Kungyoku-do. In Japan, kodo or ‘the way of incense’ is considered an austere art form; the smoke rising from the incense is said to show the way to heaven. Kungyoku-do imports materials from throughout Asia to craft these beautifully fragrant tokens of Kyoto. You will find this boutique store next to Nishi Hongan-ji temple. The company has been trading from the same location since its inception in 1594.

This is the largest antiques fair in Japan and takes place 3 times a year. It's a grand affair, attracting over 300 dealers from across the globe to sell their exquisite and unique antique items.

As admission is free, it is almost as good as visiting a museum for the wealth of historically significant items on display. Even if you don’t have the cash to purchase anything, it's well worth a visit for the experience of being in a room with so many significant antiques.Pulse Plaza is in Takeda, around 10 minutes south of Kyoto station. There's a free shuttle bus from Takeda station on the Karasuma line.

Pick up a token of business prosperity at Fukunoya gift store after a visit to Inari Fushimi Shrine, where the god of good business resides. Fukunoya sells a colourful selection of Japanese altar ornaments and good luck charms which make great souvenirs for work colleagues or loved ones at home. The most popular items for foreign visitors include key rings and cute maneki-neko (beckoning cats).

Paper is very important in Japan, an essential element in traditional doors, windows, fans, lamps and umbrellas. Morita Washi's quality handmade paper is highly sought-after in many parts of the world and its huge selection will fill a few hours of browsing. Craftspeople, calligraphers, artists, even scrap-bookers will be amazed at the number of different colours, textures, grains and especially the gorgeous chiyogami, decorated paper.

Housed in a vintage building dating back to 1823, Miyawaki Baisen-an presents a gorgeous array of fans and is probably the most famous fan shop in Kyoto. A cultural icon as much as a practical tool, these decorative fans are lacquered, painted, folded or scented into an amazing number of shapes, designs, and sizes. Visit the boutique store on Tominokoji-dori to browse these lovely accessories and pick up a special souvenir of Kyoto.

Ippodo is a Kyoto institution; a nearly 300-year-old tea shop famous for its top-quality teas. Far more than just merchants, they are directly involved in the procurement and blending of carefully selected tea leaves.

Besides being able to shop for top-grade Japanese green tea such as matcha, gyokuro, sencha and bancha, visitors can select many interesting tea utensils such as bamboo whisks (chasen), bamboo tea ladles and traditional teapots. A trip to Ippodo would not be complete without visiting its impressive ‘Kaboku’ tearoom. Here, guests learn to brew tea for themselves.This esteemed shop has expanded from its Kyoto main store on Teramachi-dori and now has branches in Tokyo and New York.

New, antique and decorative swords have been the Hashimoto family’s business for over 50 years. The katana swords sold here have been painstakingly hand-crafted to make genuine replicas of the actual swords that were once brandished by samurai warriors. The collection displayed in store at any one time contains a variety of authentic antiques and some more budget-friendly replicas. Flying home with a samurai sword might be a problem, os the owner, Mr Kuraya Hashimoto, is pleased to offer safe, secure shipment to most countries.

Kimura Oshido is a shop that specialises in traditional Japanese dolls – especially dolls from Kyoto – and their various accessories. To find the shop, just go to the magnificent Kiyomizu Temple. It’s just next door. Each of the dolls have their own meaning. For example, hinaningyo dolls are placed in the house to pray that daughters will grow up joyfully. Baby dolls are for wishing the recipient to have many more healthy children. Lucky cat dolls are commonly known as a traditional Japanese symbol and each nuance means something different. Make sure you visit this shop to learn more about traditional Japanese dolls.

A vital part of a geisha’s impeccable ensemble is her wooden hair comb, called kanzashi. The use of hair ornaments is deeply symbolic and offer geisha an avenue for a little individuality. For more than 60 years Jusan-ya has been crafting exquisite boxwood combs and hair accessories for Kyoto’s geiko and maiko. Although you may not have the kimono to fulfill the look, these fragile ornaments are a great gift for any woman.

With a beautiful range of stunning oiled-paper umbrellas, Kasagen is a good place to pick up an authentic memento of Kyoto. All throughout the city’s famous Gion district, the majestic geisha protect their priceless kimono with these umbrellas, and they also provide portable shade from the sun. In business for more than 140 years, Kasagen stands by the durability of its umbrellas offering a guarantee your products will last for years. Kasagen also makes umbrellas on behlaf of the Imperial Household Agency – an incredibly high honour. 

On the 21st of every month, Toji Temple hosts one of Japan’s oldest and biggest flea markets, known as Kobo-san. The market appeals to bargain hunters and collectors from all over the country, as it is a good place to buy authentic Japanese antique furniture and textiles, jewellery, art, kimonos and unique decorative household items. It's best to get there early as the best items tend to sell quickly. The environment is relaxed and friendly, although you may resort to a lot of pointing and gesturing to communicate. 

Whether you decide to buy some of the exquisite ceramics for sale at Tachikichi or not, it is well worth a visit just to see the regular exhibitions of international and Japanese ceramic artists or simply experience the scope of 5 floors of contemporary and antique ceramics. Highlights at Tachikichi include dinner sets and sake cups, with styles ranging from traditional to more modern designs, suchas their anime series. The store has been a leader in the ceramics industry in Kyoto since 1752 so the're expertise is assured. 

If you plan to take some uniquely Japanese snacks back home with you, don’t forget the Japanese pickles to go with it. Tsuji Shibazuke uses only homegrown vegetables, pure salt and traditional pickling processes to create outstanding tsukemono pickles, reputed to be among the best in Kyoto. Selections vary according to the seasons, but expect to find pickled eggplant, ginger, cucumbers and red peppers among other delicious pickled vegetables.

Surprise your loved ones at home with a box of colourful Japanese sweets from Shioyoshi-ken. They have been in the Japanese confectionery business for more than a century, producing fine products to accompany traditional tea ceremonies. The products on offer change according to the season, but revolve around authentic flavours like glutinous rice mochi, sweet beans, and sugar. There's usually a sample plate available for you to try some of the sweets before buying. You can find this charming sweet shop by taking the Karasuma line to Imadegawa station.

Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu is a local Kyoto brand featuring mainly handmade cotton bags in various styles and colours. Other popular items include aprons, hats, writing utensils, bags and letter organizers. The shop has a repair section, too. The products from Ichizawa Shinzaburo Hanpu are functional, everyday items and highly regarded by locals. In fact, several Kyoto hotels use these products. Find this boutique shop just south of Higashiyama subway station.