Jun. 02, 2017 UPDATE
The Best Ways to Find Antiques in Kyoto
Part 4

Discover Hidden Treasures at the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto!

Next up is the final chapter in the antique lover’s journey to Kyoto. Visit the Antique Grand Fair and discover some hidden treasures!
The Kyoto Antique Grand Fair is the top antique market in Western Japan. Around 30,000 visitors visit this large antique market during the three days it is held in search of rare treasures that cannot be found anywhere else! Antique lovers make sure not to miss this big event. Naturally, Share-K staff member Shiho would participate in the Antique Grand Fair held in October. This Share-K staff member provides an introduction of the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto along with recommendations on how to enjoy it 120%!
Jump into the Kobo-san and Tenjin-san markets, specialty antique shops, Teramachi Street shopping, and the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto. Even people new to the antique world will surely be connoisseurs by the end of this adventure! Appraise to your heart’s delight and get that special antique item that you will treasure. Your antique hunting adventure starts here!
The biggest antique market in Western Japan, the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto!
antique market
Known as the biggest antique market in Western Japan, the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto is held for three days in March, June, and October. It is scheduled to be held next on March 24 – 26 in 2017 with over 300 shops participating, offering over 1.5 million antiques for sale! All these dealers from across Japan and around the world will gather here under one roof.
antiques
A varied lineup of items for sale.
Naturally you’ll see an abundance of ceramic wares, hanging scrolls, as well as an assortment of all sorts of antiques, such as Japanese-style chests and furniture and even Western vintage accessories and glass tableware.
highlight
The highlight is the huge variety of items from numerous vendors lined up in this spacious hall. The excitement begins the moment you step into the hall and never stops!
Victor dog ornaments
As you wind around the booths in the hall, you will see Victor dog ornaments looking as innocent as they did in the old advertisements, unique objects adorning vendor areas, and Japanese swords lined up dramatically. One amazing thing after another will jump out at your eyes, with something catching your interest every moment in the hall.
Antique Grand Fair
A full range of prices and a myriad of items ensure that everyone will enjoy the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto. For the final part of this antique shopping in Kyoto report, we highly recommend visiting this event, as it epitomizes the ultimate antique shopping experience.
Enjoy viewing antiques at the Kobo-san and Tenjin-san markets, discover your favorite antiques at interesting antique shops, and once you have walked along Kyoto’s antique shopping street Teramachi, then test your eye for hidden treasures at the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto! There are three important key points that will help you best enjoy the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto. Take a look and fully enjoy this grand antiquing opportunity.
Share-K’s resident antique expert Shiho visits the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto!
Share-K staff antiques expert Shiho knows Teramachi Street like the back of her hand and visited this antique fair on its first day. She was full of excitement to go antique hunting in such a stunning location!
Pulse Plaza
The hall is located at Pulse Plaza, 15 minutes by bus from the Takeda Subway Station. We recommend the shuttle bus, which provides free pickup and drop-off.
Shiho’s expectations blossom as she sees all the people already at Takeda Station. She wonders if all the people at the station are also headed to the antique fair.
Fifteen minutes later the bus arrives at Pulse Plaza.
What kind of treasures are hidden, and what kinds of antiques await? Hearts are pounding!
Shiho
Shiho arrives around 10:30 a.m., but the venue was already totally packed! Even on a weekday morning, the Antique Grand Fair is already bustling, just as you would expect from the biggest antique market in Western Japan.

Shiho at the entrance, posing with enthusiasm and ready to take on the antique fair.
screens
Full of enthusiasm, Shiho enters the hall and sees an overwhelming number of antiques spread out in the spacious area in front of her very eyes. Even more than she ever imagined, Shiho is left at a loss for words.
Some shops are even using majestic folding screens as separators! These beautiful and stunning screens are large and feature golden backgrounds and detailed designs. They catch your eye and entice you with their beauty. It’s hard to look away.
Shiho
But Share-K’s resident antiques expert cannot be intimidated! No, she snaps out of her antiques trance to start antique hunting!
Share-K Staff Recommendation! How to enjoy the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto!
Let us introduce three key points to fully enjoying the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto.
Three great ways to enjoy the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto brought to you by the Share-K staff members who have given it a visit. It is only held three times a year, so if you go, then go all out to enjoy every nook and cranny! We recommend following the following points to fully enjoy this antique fair.
1 Be right there as they open on Friday, their first day.
items
Outstanding items will disappear quickly.
This is the same thing we discussed in Part1 at the Kobo-san and Tenjin-san markets, and of course this is a fundamental rule for any market anywhere.
Likewise, if you are participating in the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto, we highly recommend arriving as they open on Friday, their opening day.
visitors
Not only that, but the number of visitors increases significantly on Saturday and Sunday, crowding the venue. The more people there, the more items will be selected, and the harder it will get to talk to the shop workers.
items
Outstanding items are still available. There are fewer people on weekdays than weekends, so aim to arrive before noon on opening day Friday!
2One cannot fight on an empty stomach! If you need a rest, take a quick break at the cafeteria in the middle of the hall.
lunch
This antique market features a cafeteria for those who want to grab some lunch to take a quick break between shopping!
It is located right in the middle of the first floor hall. When you can smell the delicious curry, you know you’re almost there.
After all, you cannot fight on an empty stomach. Nutrition comes first. So with that in mind, Shiho enjoys some udon noodles early on!
udon
You can choose either udon or curry for your meal.
There is also plenty of variety available when ordering udon noodles, such as tempura udon as well as kitsune udon.

The cafeteria also offers a respite to those who would like to have a tea or coffee break. Coffee and black tea are also served, making a quick lunch break very convenient.
Shiho
Dine on some udon to have energy for an antiquing adventure!
Shiho looks so happy with a big bowl of her favorite udon in front of her eyes!

It looks delicious!
Take a quick, efficient break at this cafeteria between antiquing.
3It’s not just ceramics! Enjoy all types of antiques.
ceramics
When you hear of an antique market, the quintessential antiques that spring to mind are ceramics and lacquerware. However, this Antique Grand Fair is different. Everything that can be described as antique is on display.
The Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto not only has ceramics and lacquerware, but also hanging wall scrolls, Japanese swords, as well as Western antique collectables for your eyes to feast upon!
oban
For example, the photo to the right shows an item that was cast nearly 150 years in the past. It is genuine Japanese currency from that era, known as manen-oban.
These are rare, valuable items that cannot be seen every day. Make sure to take a look even if you do not have any intention of purchasing it.
In the middle you can see keicho-koban from the era that saw the establishment of the Edo shogunate. These coins arranged here are emblematic of the shogunate itself.
swords
Here are the Japanese swords!
You will find shops carrying Japanese swords dotted across the hall.
These are always especially popular with customers from outside of Japan. We recommend visiting these to see how they are grandly displayed, even if you do not purchase them.
watches
While the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto carries high-value items such as small and large coins, Japanese swords, and Japanese-style paintings, it also specializes in the sale of everyday vintage items such as the pocket watches pictured.
vintage item
There are many items at an obtainable price, allowing everyone to purchase a vintage item they like!
We hope you enjoyed this special report on antique shopping in Kyoto.
This report has shown you a comprehensive view of antiquing in Kyoto, from the two big monthly antique markets Kobo-san and Tenji-san, while Share-K staff have shown specialty items as well as introduced Teramachi Street, the biggest art street in Kyoto, and lastly the biggest antique fair in Western Japan, the Antique Grand Fair in Kyoto.
The city and people of Kyoto value and embody not only what is new, but also what is wonderful about the past. This has been the theme of our reporting on the wonderful antiques of Kyoto.
Antiques are produced with care, treated and handed down with love, and are layered with memories from all the people who have owned them. That is what makes them so wonderful and special.
We hope that you will read this and step into an antique shop, fair, or market, become acquainted with other antique lovers, and discover the wonder of antiques. Immerse yourself in the world of antiques and enjoy their allure for yourself.
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