On the 21st day of each month, the normally tranquil grounds of Kyoto's
Toji Temple erupt in a burst of color unlike anything else in Japan.
Although cherry blossoms along the Path of Philosophy and autumn leaves
at Kiyomizu-dera are among Kyoto's most famous sights, Toji market
is an equally rewarding cultural event with at least as many photo and
shopping opportunities.
From modern-day medicine men hawking dubious cure-alls, to row upon row
of priceless antiques, Toji market is probably the most intense and uniquely
Japanese shopping experience outside of Tokyo's consumer electronics paradise
- Akihabara.
One of the most attractive things about Toji is its location - just a
fifteen-minute walk from JR Kyoto
Station. Just leave the station from the south-central exit, turn
right, and walk for about 700 meters.
You should cross one major street and pass a furniture store on your
right, soon after that you should be able to see the antique stalls spilling
out from the temple's north entrance across the street on your left.
Toji Market Antiques
If you've entered through the north gate, you may have realized that
this isn't the main entrance to the temple, but it puts you right in the
middle of one of the market's two antique districts.
The stall owners in this part of the market tend to have the lowest prices,
but if you're looking for fine objets d'art you might want to save your
money for the more up-market antique dealers on the other side of the
temple.
As you proceed south, you eventually reach the picturesque bridge and
the entrance to the temple proper. The path forks at this point as the
market splits into two very different entities. The path to the left takes
you into the very heart of the market, where you can find an amazing variety
of goods mostly geared for local shoppers.
There's anything from hand-crafted wooden toys to discount shampoo. The
path to the right offers a more esoteric selection as it takes you past
vendors dedicated to religious paraphernalia, eventually leading you to
used kimonos and yet more antiques.
These antique stalls continue for more than 100 meters until you reach
the main entrance to the temple to the south. This is the place to go
wild since it offers the largest variety of quality and prices that you're
likely to see in one place.
December & January Kobo-san
Although the selection is more a matter of luck than anything else, the
December and January markets are particularly good. On most days though,
the variety is amazing: tetsubin (iron teakettles), sensu
(paper fans), tabakobon (tobacco boxes), tsuba (samurai
sword guards), goban (go boards), materials for calligraphy and
tea ceremony, and much more can be found within the market's many stalls.
One of the best buys in Toji is used clothing. Good kimono, haori
(jackets), and obi (belts) can be had for as little as a few thousand
yen, and you can complete your outfit with a new pair of sandals or geta
(clogs). Some stalls have boxes of 500-yen kimono, but most of those are
useful only as a source of recycled material. At the other end of the
scale, used wedding kimono can cost up to 100,000 yen.
Painted hanging scrolls and ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) can also
be a good buy. Many antique dealers have a box or two of 1,000-3,000-yen
scrolls of calligraphy and landscape paintings.
These vary widely in quality, and while some are ready to grace your
walls back home, others are little more than moth-eaten rags. You can
usually tell if a scroll is worth unrolling by the condition of the outside
- if it looks worn don't bother.
A few stalls specialize in scrolls and prints, and though museum quality
pieces are rare, there are some truly beautiful works of art in the 10,000-30,000
yen price range. Ukiyo-e tend to be more expensive, and it pays
to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
Pottery can be a good buy if you just want a simple teapot or some sake
cups. It is even possible to find beautiful new chawan (tea bowls)
at reasonable prices. However, truly antique pottery can be absurdly expensive
and, as with ukiyo-e, you really must know what you're getting
before you buy.
Musical instruments are another risky investment. You shouldn't have
any trouble finding a shakuhachi (flute) or shamisen (lute)
suitable for decorative purposes, but few are in playable condition, so
you shouldn't spend more than a few thousand yen.
If you've fallen in love with an ancient chawan that is far beyond
your means, all is not lost. Toji is one of the few places in Japan where
prices are negotiable. Although the vendors here don't have the zeal for
haggling that you find in many parts of South East Asia, a polite "chotto
makete kudasai" is usually enough to bring the price down about
ten percent.
The market gets going by about nine in the morning but it often pays
to come earlier than that and vendors start to pack up at around four.
If you want to avoid the crowds, it's best to get there at nine or ten
and leave before noon. Conversely, people seem more willing to bargain
later in the day, so three or four in the afternoon is the best time to
look for good deals.
Although the crowds can become intense, the temple buildings provide
a quite haven in the midst of the chaos. If you can't make it to Kyoto
on the 21st a similar large scale market is held at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
in the north west of Kyoto on the 25th of each month, or you don't relish
the idea of jostling with the crowds, there is an additional market on
the first Sunday of each month at Toji. This much smaller market is devoted
to antiques, so it's ideal for more focused shopping.
Even if you don't buy anything, the main market on the 21st is an amazing
experience. For this one day each month, the grounds of Toji encompass
all of Japan in miniature - the peace of the temple and the richness of
the country's artistic traditions combined with bustling consumerism.
Access - Getting to Toji Flea Market
Toji Temple is located near to Kujo Station, one stop south of Kyoto Station, on the north-south line of the Kyoto subway in the south of Kyoto. From Kujo Station it is a 5 minute walk. Toji Station is a stop on the Kintetsu Line and slightly nearer to Toji Market than Kujo Station. Buses #205, #202 and #207 run past the temple.
From Kyoto Station allow for a 10-15 minute walk to the south west. Exit Kyoto Station at the Hachijo Exit turn right and walk until you reach Omiya Street, then turn left. You will see the pagoda of Toji Temple ahead of you.
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Toji Market, Kyoto
