6 of the Best Flea Markets to visit in Kyoto
- Published on : 20/02/2026
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Toji Market
@Maarten Heerlien on Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Kyoto is home to some of the best flea markets to visit in Japan! Stop by one of these monthly events and pick up some unique items!
Kyoto is a city that champions culture above all, and such can be found in charming forms through the many goods and trinkets that can be found at these local flea markets! Take a look at some of our favorites to visit in Kyoto!
1. Kobo-san Temple Flea Market (Toji Market)
Date: 21st of every month
Hours: 7 AM to 4 PM
Address: Toji Temple | 1 Kujocho, Minami Ward, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture 601-8473
The Kobo-san Temple Market is one of the city’s largest and most beloved flea markets. The market commemorates the monthly memorial day of Kūkai (also known as Kobo Daishi), the founder of Shingon Buddhism, and draws both locals and visitors in search of antiques, vintage kimono, ceramics, tools, calligraphy scrolls, and seasonal plants.
Around 1,000 stalls fill the spacious temple grounds beneath the five-story pagoda, creating a lively yet distinctly traditional atmosphere where bargaining is common and street food vendors serve snacks like taiyaki and yakisoba. Blending spiritual heritage with the thrill of treasure hunting, Kobo-san offers a uniquely Kyoto experience that feels both festive and rooted in centuries-old custom.
Toji Market
@np&djjewel on Flickr, CC BY 2.0
2. Tenjin-san Shrine Flea Market
Date: 25th of every month
Hours: 7 AM to 4 PM
Address: Kitano Tenmangu Shrine | Bakurocho, Kamigyo Ward, Kyoto, 602-8386
The Tenjin-san Shrine Flea Market honors Sugawara no Michizane, the shrine’s enshrined deity of scholarship, and transforms the expansive shrine grounds into a lively maze of stalls, of which there are also around 1,000! Visitors can browse antiques, vintage kimono, pottery, woodblock prints, calligraphy tools, and seasonal plants, while food vendors sell local favorites such as takoyaki and sweet mochi.
Especially popular during plum blossom season, when the shrine’s famed trees are in bloom, Tenjin-san blends cultural heritage, community atmosphere, and treasure hunting into a quintessential Kyoto experience.
Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
@Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert on Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0
3. Hyakumanben Handicraft Market
Date: 15th of every month
Hours: 8 AM to 4 PM
Venue: Hyakumanben Chion-ji Temple | 103 Tanaka Monzencho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, 606-8225
The Hyakumanben Handicraft Market is a beloved gathering focused on handmade and artisanal goods. Unlike larger flea markets that emphasize antiques, this market showcases contemporary crafts, including ceramics, textiles, jewelry, woodwork, natural soaps, and organic foods, all sold directly by the creators.
The atmosphere is relaxed and community-oriented, attracting students, families, and travelers who enjoy meeting artisans and learning about their techniques. With its leafy temple grounds and thoughtfully curated stalls, the Hyakumanben Handicraft Market offers a creative, grassroots contrast to Kyoto’s more traditional temple markets.
4. Umekoji Handicraft Market
Date: First Saturday of each month (except Jan, May & Aug)
Hours: 9 AM to 4 PM
Venue: Umekoji Park | 56-3 Kankijicho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8836
Set against the park’s wide lawns and open skies, the Umekoji Handicraft Market features stalls selling ceramics, textiles, leatherwork, accessories, artwork, and specialty foods, with many vendors traveling from across the Kansai region to peddle their unique assortment of goods. Just like the Hyakumanben Handicraft Market, this flea market emphasizes local, artisanal goods.
Located near attractions like the Kyoto Railway Museum adds to its appeal. Blending creativity with the casual charm of a neighborhood gathering, this unique market offers a fresh, contemporary side of Kyoto’s market culture.
5. Kamigamo Handicraft Market
Date: Fourth Sunday of every month and Setsubun Holiday
Hours: 9 AM to 4 PM
Venue: Kamigamo Shrine | 339 Kamigamo Motoyama, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8047
The venue of Kamigamo Shrine is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, and stalls feature ceramics, textiles, natural-dyed clothing, woodwork, accessories, and artisanal foods, with many vendors focusing on sustainable and small-batch production. Along with Hyakumanben and Umekoji, it makes up the three largest handicraft markets in Kyoto.
Visitors can browse at an easy pace beneath wide skies and grassy lawns, often with the shrine’s iconic sand cones (tatesuna) in view. Combining traditional surroundings with contemporary craftsmanship, the Kamigamo Handicraft Market offers a peaceful yet creative alternative to Kyoto’s busier temple markets.
Kamigamo Shrine
@Rawpixel, Public Domain
Travel to and from Kyoto with train tickets and rail passes!
6. Kiyomizudera 1000 Market
Date: 28th of each month
Hours: 9 AM to 4 PM
Venue: Kiyomizudera Temple | 1 Chome-294 Kiyomizu, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0862
Outside Kiyomizudera
@Carla Abanes on Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Kiyomizudera is among Kyoto’s most famous and visited landmarks, but its appeal goes beyond the typical tourist fare. The Kiyomizudera 1000 Market is held in front of the temple grounds and the event coincides with the temple’s monthly observances dedicated to Fudō Myōō, bringing a mix of vendors.
Here, you’ll find antiques, vintage kimono, pottery, household goods, handicrafts, and seasonal foods. Set along the historic approach and within the temple grounds, the market offers glimpses of Kyoto’s everyday culture against the backdrop of one of its most iconic temples!
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