【5 things to enjoy Kyoto】 vol.3 Dig second hand when you travel!

With the autumn leaves changing colors, Kyoto is in the midst of the autumn season. Compact and easy to get around, with historical buildings, old and new stores, and abundant nature just a short distance away, Kyoto is a perfect place for a trip. Let's go on a hunt for some second-hand goods this time! This time, we will visit Kyoto's unique markets. Second-hand goods may be the best part of shopping on a trip.

Photo_Kai Naito
Text_Shinri Kobayashi
Edit_Shuhei Wakiyama

It's a mixture of cobblestones, and that's why it's worth digging around in.

Perhaps because of its location, Kyoto City has many stores selling antiques and old tools. In other words, it is a city where you can enjoy digging for second-hand items. However, what we introduce here is not such a store, but a market that has been held on a fixed day every month for many years.

There are two famous antique markets in Kyoto. One is the "Koboichi" held at Toji Temple on the 21st of every month. This time we visited the other market, called the "Kitano-Tenmangu Antique Market," held on the 25th of every month at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, the head shrine of the 12,000 Tenmangu and Tenjin Shrines in the country.

The 25th is called "Tenjin-san Day" because the venue, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, is called "Tenjin-san. Tenjin-san" refers to Sugawara Michizane, who is enshrined at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. Known as the god of learning, many people must have prayed to him at least once when they were students.

At this "Tenjin Market," open-air stands line the approach to the shrine, the parking lot, and Gozen-dori Street, which runs north-south on the east side of the shrine grounds.

Lining the approach from the torii gate to the national treasure Gohonden (main hall) and the Sankomon Gate (an important cultural property) are open-air food stands that add to the atmosphere of the fair. Stores selling apple candy, yakisoba noodles, etc., are just what you would expect to find at a fair.

On the other hand, antiques and other "things" are lined up in a row on Onmae-dori Street, which runs north-south east of the parking lot and the precincts of the shrine. Visitors are welcomed by an overwhelming amount of second-hand and new handcrafted goods, mainly antiques, which is typical of Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Those who really want to find something of interest are said to come to the open-air market, which begins to line up at around 5:00 in the morning.

The number of stalls is said to number more than 1,000, and a quick look around the stores reveals a mix of people, from so-called connoisseur antique dealers to ordinary people displaying their personal belongings, such as "Is this a personal item? The shops were a mixture of stones and stones, ranging from so-called connoisseur antique dealers to ordinary people displaying items such as "Is this a personal item? The majority of the items were Japanese, including old pottery, wooden Shinto and Buddhist objects, folk crafts, records, books, and even some unidentified items that one wondered what they were used for. There were also a few unidentified items here and there. Some of the items include old clothes, such as old Levi's, Tiffany's, kimono, and rags.

Many items do not have price tags, so if there is something you are interested in, you can ask the shopkeeper each time you want to buy it. One of the pleasures of this kind of place is that you can ask the shopkeeper whether you want something or not, and if you want it, you can negotiate the price. If you find "my best bargain" based on your own sense and taste, it will be a good memory of your trip. Of course, even if you don't find it, you will still have a fulfilling time.

Nowadays, it is said that everything can be purchased on the Internet, and the number of stores that lack individuality has increased. The best part of shopping on a trip is the second-hand items that can only be found in that particular place at that particular time and time, and if you do come across them, it is only by "chance" that you can find them.