🛍️ 5 Best Places to Go Shopping in Kyoto (2025 Guide)
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From tradition to trendsetter — shops with style in Kyoto
Kyoto might be famous for its temples and gardens, but it’s also a hidden gem when it comes to shopping. From handcrafted souvenirs and elegant ceramics to minimalist fashion and indie designer pieces, Kyoto blends traditional craft with modern cool in the most unexpected ways.
Here are the 5 best places to go shopping in Kyoto — for every taste and budget.
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1. 🏮 Teramachi & Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcades
Kyoto’s classic shopping streets
These two parallel covered arcades — just north of Shijo Street — are a must-visit for first-time visitors. Expect a fun mix of local shops, vintage finds, snack stalls, quirky souvenirs, and global brands. You’ll find everything from incense and manga to sneakers and yukata.
• 📍 Near Shijo-Kawaramachi intersection
• 💡 Tip: Great for affordable gifts, street food, and everyday fashion.
• 🕒 Best time to visit: late morning to early evening
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2. 🛍️ Nishiki Market + Nishiki-koji Street
For food lovers and kitchenware collectors
Nishiki Market is more than just a place to eat — it’s also a shopping hotspot for Kyoto-made goods like hand-crafted chopsticks, ceramic tea cups, local miso, pickles, and even wasabi salt. Along the side streets, you’ll find shops selling Japanese knives, matcha tools, and foodie gifts.
• 📍 Parallel to Shijo Street
• 💡 Tip: Stop by Aritsugu for world-class kitchen knives.
• 🛒 Great for: gourmet gifts & local craftsmanship
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3. 🧵 Kyoto Handicraft Center
Where tradition meets artistry
This is the place to go for authentic, high-quality Japanese crafts. From lacquerware and woodblock prints to textiles, fans, and jewelry, everything here is made by skilled artisans. You can even join a workshop (like painting a Kyo-doll or learning calligraphy).
• 📍 Near Heian Shrine
• 💡 Tip: Ideal for meaningful, long-lasting souvenirs.
• 🎁 Best for: gifts that tell a story
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4. 🛒 Takashimaya Kyoto & Fujii Daimaru
Department stores with Kyoto flair
Located at the heart of downtown Kyoto, these iconic department stores are great for fashion, beauty, homeware, and gourmet food. The basement food floors (depachika) are a dream — full of Kyoto sweets, fresh sushi, and gift-ready treats.
• 📍 Shijo-Kawaramachi area
• 💄 Fashion tip: Check out Japanese and Korean brands on the upper floors
• 💡 Bonus: Tax-free shopping available for tourists
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5. 🧥 Kyoto Station & Porta Underground Mall
Surprising variety, all in one place
Kyoto Station is more than a transport hub — it’s also a sleek shopping center with boutiques, bookstores, and souvenir shops. Porta, the underground mall connected to the station, offers fashion, cosmetics, snacks, and more in a weatherproof setting.
• 📍 Under and around Kyoto Station
• 💡 Tip: Great for last-minute shopping before leaving town
• 🛍️ Best for: convenience, variety, and rainy days
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✨ Bonus Tips for Kyoto Shopping
• 💴 Carry cash — many small shops still prefer it
• 🎁 Ask for tax-free if you spend over ¥5,000 and show your passport
• 📦 Some stores offer international shipping for big items
• 🧧 Don’t hesitate to browse — Kyoto shop staff are polite and patient
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🏯 Final Thoughts
Shopping in Kyoto isn’t just about buying things — it’s about discovering beauty in everyday objects, learning from tradition, and taking a piece of the city’s spirit home with you. Whether you’re after a hand-carved fan or a matcha lip balm, Kyoto has something quietly extraordinary waiting on a shelf.