Kyoto Handicraft Center is a definite "must see." It is a duty free six-story shop that offers a wide variety of Japanese handicraft items, such as lacquer ware, ornaments and jewelry, decorations, kimonos, decorative swords and much more. There is also a restaurant incorporated in the building plus workshop activities. English speaking staff is available.

The Teramachi Shopping Arcade in Kyoto is located on the historic Teramachi Street. It extends from Shijo Street to Sanjo Street.
Teramachi Street literally means temple town. This is because a large number of temples were moved here in the 16th century when Toyotomi Hideyoshi remodeled the city of Kyoto. The Shimogyroyo Shrine and Gyoganji Temple are located at one end of the street near the arcade and the Honnonji Temple, the Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine and Yatadera Temple lie to the east of the street.
The Teramachi shopping arcade is an enclosed shopping area with stores selling modern and traditional items. It has shops selling clothing and textiles, used and new books, magazines, groceries, music, instruments and souvenirs. There are also many 100 yen stores where bargain shoppers can find budget friendly products. Some shops sell traditional Japanese products like Ukiyo-e or Edo period drawings, samurai wigs, Japanese tea and Japanese paper. The street also has video game parlors, Pachinko parlors and western style slot machines that are popular with the locals. The northern part of the market has a selection of coffee shops and restaurants offering Japanese and international fare for the weary shopper. A portion of the arcade has become a mini market with the largest concentration of electronic stores in Kyoto.

The Nishiki Food Market is a narrow covered market that runs for five blocks parallel to the busy Shijo Street, east of Teramachi Street. Shops here sell all types of food and specialize in fresh Kyoto delicacies and produce. It is also called Kyoto’s Kitchen.
The Nishiki Food market was established in 1310 when it was a large wholesale market. The market, like the rest of the city of Kyoto, suffered during the Onin Civil War in the 1500s. After the war ended, the warlord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi reopened it again and this time as a well known retail market for food and groceries.
Shops at the Nishiki Food market sell all types of food. They sell vegetables, rice, fresh and dried fish, boiled fish paste, meat, dried bean curd, pickles and sweets. Most vendors allow customers to sample the produce before purchase. Some specialty stores have small eateries that serve the same specialty fare sold by the store. Most shops in the markets are closed on Wednesdays except those that sell fish. The holiday is Sunday for the fishmongers. Besides produce and seafood, there are stores selling knives, crockery and cookware. The Nishiki Food market is popular with locals looking for local produce and visitors who come to enjoy the atmosphere of a traditional Japanese food market.

The Shinmonzen-dori is regarded as the antique treasure trove of Kyoto. It is a small street with two storied wooden houses in the Gion Dustrict of the City. There are less than 17 stores in the street and each specializes in a well known Kyoto art or craft. The stores have international customers looking for authentic art and crafts and the shopkeepers are known to be trustworthy and knowledgeable.
The Shinmonzen-dori has shops specializing in scrolls, small carved ornaments attached to traditional Japanese clothing called Netsuke, lacquer ware, bronze, wood block prints, screens, paintings, ceramic bowls and antiques.
Well known stores at the Shinmonzen-dori are the Kawasaki Fine Arts store that specializes in selling six panel folding screens. They sell expensive antique screens and budget friendly screens painted by small upcoming artists. Hanging scrolls, Edo period Ukiyo-e prints, ceramics, wood block prints and lacquer ware are available at the store. The Ezoshi store sells both Ukiyo-e prints and the popular 19th century Shin Hanga prints of the new print movement. Kaori the incense shop offers perfumes and incense sticks. The Old Art Kanzando offers a range of porcelain dishes and plates and Imari style of pottery. The shop also sells ornamental hairpins. There is also a government registered Ryokan or traditional inn with a small garden and tea house. Candle lit tea ceremonies are held here on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Ninen-zaka & Sannen-zaka are two parallel streets in the Historical Preservation District of Kyoto. They retain the environment of old Japan with traditional Japanese wooden houses flanking a stone paved street.
The Ninen-zaka means Two Year Hill & Sannen-zaka means Three Year Hill. They are located at the foot of the Higashiyama Mountains. The streets are popular with tourists because they are located near famous Kyoto landmarks including the Kiyomizu Dera Temple, the Kodai ji Temple and the Yasaka shrine. Visitors also come to pay homage to the famous Japanese portrait artist, Yumeji Takehisa whose house is located here. The site is also called Nene-no-saka after the wife of the warlord who rebuilt Kyoto, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
The Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka Streets have unified wooden buildings in the traditional design of Kyoto houses. The shops that line the streets sell traditional arts, crafts and products like incense sticks, fans, textiles, candles, confectionary, souvenirs and intricate tableware. Some of the houses are restaurants and tea houses where weary tourists and shoppers can rest their feet. The two streets are steep slopes and can be difficult for some visitors to climb. The Ninenzaka & Sannenzaka Streets give visitors a feeling of walking in a street during the Haien era in Kyoto.