May. 05, 2023 UPDATE
Eat, drink, and play in Kyoto – in Nanzen-ji and Okazaki!
Part 4

Shopping spree Nanzen-ji style!

When in Kyoto, you also need to do some shopping, right? In the cultural areas of Nanzen-ji and Okazaki, you can find many stores selling zakka, which is Japanese cute products that are also useful, souvenir shops, and shops selling antique cups and plates. You can spend quite some time just looking at all the Kyoto-like things being sold at these shops. These recommended shops also sell Japanese bags, Kyoto’s famous tsukemono pickles, and cosmetics that are favored by geisha, so there is surely going to be something for everyone. So take a walk in Kyoto and go on a historic shopping spree!
Yojiya Ginkaku-ji
Yojiya Ginkaku-ji
Yojiya Ginkaku-ji is on Philosopher’s Path, and it can easily be recognized from its handmirror-geisha logo. To get to the shop, you first have to walk through the café and Japanese garden. Yojiya Ginkaku-ji is surrounded by nature and it’s full of Kyoto-like atmosphere.
blotting paper
Their most classic product is blotting paper, which has been always popular and favored by many. When you put blotting paper on your face, you can feel it sucking up the excess sebum, it’s very gentle on the skin, and it won’t have any adverse effects. They also have lip cream, makeup, face soap, and many other products, so it’s easy to end up buying a bit too much here!
Bougatei
Bougatei
Bogatei is also on Philosopher’s Path, and it’s in a western-style house, but inside it sells Japanese zakka, especially bags. The bags have a Kyoto-like Japanese design to them, so they’re very popular among tourists from overseas.
purses
The most popular product here is the one in the picture: purses with Shiba-inu on them. They also have handmade earrings, hair accessories, and other products with Japanese motifs on them, so there is something Japanese here for you no matter if you’re wearing kimono or something more western.
Kyo-Tsukemono Daiyasu
Kyo-Tsukemono Daiyasu
One of the most famous products of Kyoto is tsukemono or Japanese pickles. Close to Heian Shrine, you can find Kyo-Tsukemono Daiyasu, that has a long history behind it, and is located in a huge traditional Japanese building. The tsukemono sold here have a gentle, natural taste to them, as nothing artificial is added.
tsukemono
You can also try some tsukemono before you decide to buy it, so you can be sure of the taste. They also have nice gift sets that make for perfect tsukemono-souvenirs, so if you like tsukemono, or know someone who does, this is the place to get tsukemono in Kyoto! Tsukemono goes really well with white rice, so take care not to eat too much!
Utsuwa Akando
Utsuwa Akando
You can find Utsuwa Akando on an alley in Okazaki, and although it may look very small and old, once you step inside you’re surrounded by piles of plates, cups, and sake pitchers all around you. You can even find antiques here, some of them even from the Taisho period (1912-1926).
plates
You can see all kinds of small plates, cups, lacquerware; a dazzling line-up, right in front of your eyes, waiting for you to pick them up. Some of the famed kaiseki chefs of Kyoto shop here, looking for nice plates to plate their fine dining artwork. So if you happen to like cooking, this is the place for you! Get soleplates here, and your dinner parties are going to become even more popular than before!
Nanzen-ji & Okazaki are both very atmospheric, and they make for a great place to enjoy the culture of Kyoto for a day. You can even get some very nice souvenirs here, like Kyo-ware, tsukemono, purses, and blotting paper, so this is one of the best places in Kyoto to go shopping. So after sightseeing, remember to take the time to buy souvenirs for your loved ones back home!
The area of Nanzen-ji & Okazaki is an area that is must-visit to most of our readers. No matter whether you’re looking for a restaurant, shops, or sightseeing spots, there is something unforgettable here for everyone. So do you want to enjoy the atmosphere of Kyoto even more? Now you know where to go!
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