Apr. 20, 2023 UPDATE
Kyoto Grand Antique Fair
Traveler Friendly
Only five minutes away from JR Kyoto station by subway and there are shuttle busses to and from the fair hall so access to the fair is really good. There are places inside the fair with information also available in English and Chinese.
Information
Only Japanese
Languages spoken
Only Japanese
PeriodThe fair is held in March, June and October.
March： March 24, 25 and 26, 2023
June： June 30, July 1 and 2, 2023
October： undecided
Story & Recommendation
This Fair is Sure to Make Antique Connoisseurs Cry with Delight
Antique connoisseurs visiting Kyoto in March, June, July, or October rejoice! One of the biggest antique fairs in western Japan, Kyoto Grand Antique Fair, takes place right here in Kyoto. Even compared to other antique fairs, the scale of the antique fair is huge. There are 1.5 million items on sale under one roof! There are of course Japanese antiques, but also on sale are western antiques, vintage accessories, retro furniture, kimonos…. all treasures you can find only at the Kyoto Grand Antique Fair. Beyond doubt the best part is when you enter the fair and take into your eyes the sight of hundreds of shops lining up in front of you. Antique lovers cannot miss this fair!
The fair hall is full of life. The mood is cheerful and festive, almost market-like, and you can hear lively chatter of people negotiating prices coming from the stalls. It is a fun experience even if you don’t plan to buy anything, but for antique lovers it is something you cannot miss!
1Highlight
One of the biggest antique fairs in western Japan
Antique dealers from Japan and from around the world gather in Kyoto for the Kyoto Grand Antique Fair. One of the highlights of this fair is the number of dealers and items on sale. There are over 300 shops and over 1.5 million items on sale! In the three days of the fair thirty thousand people attend the Kyoto Grand Antique Fair. From Japanese antiques like chinaware and swords to western antiques like accessories and glass tablewares, there is a lot to choose from. Even just looking at all the things on sale is fun.
2Highlight
Imari Bowls and Swords, a Golden Folding Screen, Genuine Oriental Antiques
Most of the antiques displayed in the fair are oriental antiques. There are genuine oriental antiques like old Imari wares and Korean Kingdom of Joseon items, with the prices ranging from affordable to hundreds of thousands of yen. There are also swords, hanging scrolls, Japanese folding screens bearing golden decorative paintings… all kinds of antiques crammed together in this one place. We recommend that if you find something you like you buy it right away. The reason is that it doesn’t take long for items to sell out. If you decide to take a look at some other shops before deciding… when you return, your treasure may have been sold out! You need to decide quickly.
3Let's join!
Thinking of the Greats of Days Past
At the Kyoto Grand Antique Fair you can find interesting items you wouldn’t normally run into. These old Japanese coins called ooban and koban are one of them. These coins were actually circulated in Japan about 200-300 years ago, and the one in the picture is a manen-ooban coin cast approximately 150 years ago. There are also some coins that were cast as a symbol of the shogunate when the Tokugawa shogunate was found over 400 years ago! It gives one goosebumps to think that those great people of the past were touching these same coins! You have to see this!
4Let's join!
Take a Break at the Cafeteria
In the middle of the hall there is a cafeteria space where you can have some light food or drinks. If you have been at the fair from the morning you must be getting hungry. Times like these call for cafeteria udon! The cafeteria does not only serve food, so for those wishing to take a little break from the antique-hunting, they can have a coffee or some tea at the cafeteria. Get to see everything the antique fair has to offer efficiently by taking a break at the cafeteria!
