Exploring Japan - A Walk Through Toji Market in Kyoto
Whenever I visit a new city I always make an effort to research where the local markets are and if there are any taking place when I'm in in the area. I think the foods are a special part of any culture, and the different objects being sold also give you a sense of the cultural ingredients that make up a countries identity. Since I own a shop that specialises in selling Japanese crafts, when I was in Kyoto I had two or three markets on my radar that I wanted to visit to see if I could find some new makers for my shop. One of the better known being Toji Market at Toji Temple, approximately a 10-15 minutes walk from Kyoto Station that takes place on the 21st of each month.
This particular market features a wide array of sellers, from antiques, to craftsmen and food sellers, there really is something for everyone here. After meeting with a few craftsmen I decided to capture some details and general shots in and around the grounds of this temple. I'm not that keen photographing busy spaces as I feel rude at times, especially in Japan where taking pictures of people is frowned upon, but I tried my best to breach my comfort zone and capture in these tight spaces in a discreet manner. Street photography doesn't come naturally to me but I'm always working on it.
I liked the pottery here but I thought the prices were a little overpriced (probably thanks to the many tourists that come here to buy such goods). The best products here seemed to be the Kimono and the beautiful Japanese materials. There were also some nice pieces of calligraphy and ukiyo-e woodblock prints that would look good in the home. Probably best to do your research before you buy though. I personally didn't buy anything this time around but I urge you to visit if you're ever in Kyoto when this market is on, you're sure to see something that inspires you.
More from my Travels:
Exploring Japan - A Visit to Kyoto Botanical Gardens
Exploring Japan - Yuzuruha Shrine in Kobe
Exploring Japan - A Visit to Kosetsu Museum of Art Garden
Exploring Darwin - A Trip to Crocodylus Park
Exploring the UK - Tate Modern Details
Exploring Finland - Walking Around Helsinki
All photos captured by Mark Robinson.
Please follow me @oen for more interesting art, design and travel content
Congratulations! Your high quality-travel content caught our attention and has earned you a partial upvote. We love your hard work and hope to encourage you to continue to publish strong travel-related content. Thank you for using #travelfeed
Congratulations, Your Post Has Been Added To The Steemit Worldmap!
Author link: http://steemitworldmap.com?author=oen
Post link: http://steemitworldmap.com?post=exploring-japan-a-walk-through-toji-market-in-kyoto
Want to have your post on the map too?
You see quite a bit. I wouldn't mind an in-depth on good spots to catch portraiture of people..
It's my dream to travel through Japan in the next years 😊 this market seems interesting! Thanks for sharing!
I hope you can follow your dream. Japanese is a beautiful country.
I too love going to markets to take photos it shows so much of the character of the region. I didn't know taking photos of people is seen negatively in japan. If permission is asked would they often decline?
If Japanese people upload photos of other people online they always blur their faces out of respect (unless they have permission to upload it on a certain website). When I'm in Japan I try to be sensitive to this culture as many Japanese take online privacy very seriously, compared to here in the West anyway. My Japanese friends often talk about these situations so I try to be cautious myself not to upset anyone. If you ask permission and they say it's ok then you can go ahead. Objects and scenery are fine though.
Thank you for this information. I never realized this is a sensitive issue for some cultures. Something I would look into if ever we visit another country.