shopping in kyoto

shopping in kyoto

• 16 Jul 2015

During my stay in Japan, I actually made 2 separate trips to Kyoto with a quick side trip to Hiroshima. On my first visit to Kyoto I stayed in Northern Higashiyama where there was a distinct lack of shops. Until the last three days of my trip, I did no shopping at all. Nothing. Eventually I found a Muji store while I was in Hiroshima and broke the shopping drought there. The second time I was in Kyoto, my hotel was in the middle of the shopping district so there was no longer any excuse. Once I'd checked in, I hit the streets in search of the shops.



I found this beautiful store called Marcourt just a short walk from my hotel but unfortunately I wasn't able to take photos of it's interior.



The building was obviously a bank in it's former life. I found these interior photos online but I couldn't find a credit. If any-one knows who took these photos I'd love to credit the photographer.




I also found this lovely flower shop, called Azur.



which seemed to specialise in hydrangeas.



I went on a hunt for this building housing the Mina Perhonen boutique. Can I just say trying to use Google maps which only use Japanese characters is not easy. It took me 2 goes but I found the building in the end.





The building is a grand old lady.





The boutique houses some uncharacteristically brightly coloured clothing.




I found this cute shop near my first hotel and vowed to return but ran out of time. Unfortunately the shop doesn't have a website. 





On my last day in Kyoto, I woke bright and early because I was going to the Toji Temple Market.





It's a bustling market even at an early hour and I came home with some tasty candied fruit and some pottery bowls, which are still to be unpacked.






I took this photo solely for the elderly ladies you see in the foreground. Japan has a rapidly ageing population and I shared many bus and train trips with this cohort of lively travellers all of whom wore these hats. I was almost tempted to buy one for myself!





I still had time to squeeze in one more temple so I decided to visit the Ryoanji Temple with it's famous rock garden.





The temple is set in beautiful lush gardens.





and has a lovely lake and a restaurant is located in it's grounds.





On the bus ride back to my hotel I was seated next to a very elderly gentleman who was busy folding paper. He presented me with a paper frog, a butterfly and an aubergine which I carefully brought back to Sydney with me in my carry-on. I spent the last few hours in Kyoto madly dashing between the Nishiki food market, the Ippodo Tea Company, the Takashimaya food hall and Angers where I bought most of my purchases. I was far too busy to take any photos.

So there you have it, the final photos from my trip to Japan. See you all again next week with something from my kitchen.

Bye for now,

Jillian