Page 186 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

184  JAP AN REGION B Y REGION

SHOPPING IN KYOTO

Kyoto is famous throughout Japan for of Japanese department store chains.
the quality of its crafts and food products, Typically these offer a vast selection
the result of many centuries of catering of goods, including foodstuffs in the
to the demanding tastes of its resident basement. Specialty craft outlets are all
aristocrats, temple abbots, tea masters, over the city. ATM machines can be found
and merchants. Venerable shops coexist in the basement of the Kyoto Tower
with stores stocked with the latest fads, building opposite Kyoto Station, as well
making shopping here a bizarre, but never as at the central post office. A map of the
boring, experience. As in other major central shopping district is on page 161;
Japanese cities, Kyoto has large branches details of opening hours are on page 340.

women’s fashions; The Cube, which contains a
inside are bou- sizable number of souvenir
tiques stocking shops specializing in Kyoto
Issey Miyake and craft items. Slightly farther
other brand-name away, close to Shiyakusho-mae
clothing. The Station is Zest Oike, another
city’s other main underground mall.
department store,
Daimaru, is six Nishiki Market
blocks further
west on Shijo’s Nicknamed “Kyoto’s Kitchen,”
north side. Many Nishiki is a fascinating
of Kyoto’s famous market alley north of, and
old shops, such as running parallel to, Shijo,
the Ippodo tea from Teramachi west to
store, have outlets Takakura. This is where most
in department of Kyoto’s kaiseki chefs buy
store basements. their ingre dients. Many of
Just west of the items sold, such as fu
Takashimaya is (wheat gluten) and yuba
Modern storefronts along Kawaramachi Fujii Daimaru, a (soy milk skin), are unique to
local department Kyoto cuisine. In particular,
Shopping Districts
store which is unrelated to the a wide selection of pickles,
The intersection of Shijo larger Daimaru depart ment another local specialty, is
and Kawaramachi forms the store. Mina is a glittering available. Aritsugu, at Nishiki’s
heart of the downtown shopping mall in Shijo with eastern end, is known for
shop ping district. During a comprehensive collection Japanese knives and other
the day, the sidewalks of of youthful fashion stores. kitchen utensils.
Kawaramachi, which serves Shin-Kyogoku, a street
as Kyoto’s main street, are situated within the network
busy with shoppers, while of arcades and roads between
at night boso-zoku (hot- Shijo and Sanjo, caters to
rodders) cruise noisily along Japanese youngsters on
its store-lined length. school outings. Its varied
Smaller shopping districts offerings run the gamut
include the area around from legitimate craft items
JR Kyoto station and Kitayama- to outrageous kitsch.
dori, where Kyoto’s most On the west end of Kyoto
upscale shops can be found. Station is JR Kyoto Isetan,
which adds to Kyoto’s
department store line-up.
Department Stores Porta, an underground
and Arcades
shopping arcade, is located
The Kyoto Marui and beneath the station’s north
Takashi maya department side, while to its south is
stores are located at the Avanti, a building housing
intersection of Kawaramachi a variety of shops.
and Shijo. Takashimaya is the Within the station itself is Nishiki Market, the best place to shop for
place to head for men’s and a shopping area called food items in Kyoto

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