7 Best Places to Shop in Eastern Kyoto, Kyoto

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.

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.

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.

Kyoto's oldest and most renowned maker of lustrous lacquerware trays, tea ceremony utensils, calligraphy, boxes, and other lacquer products was established in 1661. The showroom on Teramachi-dori has both contemporary and traditional specimens.