A Pair of Markets

Flea market at Toji Temple

One reason why I like visiting Kyoto is that by now, I can have the pleasure of revisiting my favourite haunts, but at the same time discover new places. 

This time, of course it was no different.  We popped into Nishiki market which I've been to on every visit to Kyoto, and also the flea market at Toji temple, which takes place on the 21st of every month.  I've never been in Kyoto on the 21st of any month so I was glad to have made it here. 

But first, a quick recap of the Nishiki market visit. 

Matcha and regular soft serve

I have to admit that I went to all my old favourites - we shared a serving of takoyaki balls, all smothered with mayonaise, BBQ sauce, and spring onions; the soft-serve soy ice cream; and a skewerful of marinated raw salmon cubes.  Plus other things besides.  The beef pao (which I ate last visit to Nishiki) are also extremely good but I didn't have one this visit as I was a little full already.  So moral of the story is eat the beef pao first  and you'll have a great morning. 

Nishiki is also a good place to buy food products to bring back to Singapore - I do recommend the packets of furikake, which are the toppings you put on top of rice, or the marinated preserved mackeral (with its distinctive smoky-sweet flavour).  You can also buy pickles, of every single variety you can think of.

The flea market at Toji Temple is quite different.  Set in the large, sprawling grounds of the temple, it is full of antique stalls, clothing stalls, craft stalls, food stalls, plant stalls etc.... indeed, there is something for everyone in this extensive flea market!  It was a little rainy the day we were there, which means that the photos are not that great but nonetheless we had a nice time wandering around all the stalls. 

Antique stall at Toji Market

The thing about going to these markets is that one must not have Marie Kondo and her teachings at the back of your mind.  We first went by all the stalls selling kimono and obi - with all their range of material.  The prices were good - very good.  But I knew it was most unlikely that I would wear one should I buy it.  To me, the most interesting stalls were the antique stalls with their mix of items ranging from old kitchenware, little ornaments, artworks, furniture etc.  I didn't buy anything as then I would have to figure out where to put it and what to do with it once back in Singapore - but still enjoyed just walking around looking at the goods.  And my cousin bought some food items and a little fabric purse, which made up for my lack of purchases :-)

The setting for all the market, Toji temple is itself impressive.  The temple was built in the late 700s, when the capital of Japan moved from Nara to Kyoto.  "Toji" means "East Temple" and it stood together with its neighbouring temple, "Saiji" or "West Temple" to mark the south gate into Kyoto.  Saiji was demolished many years ago but Toji, together with its proud and impressive pagoda, remains and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. More about the temple can be found here.

The temple is best known for its pagoda and the many Buddhist treasures within its halls.  We did not go in to any of the temple buildings this time round.  But treasures and buildings are static things. For me what caught the eye were the pilgrims walking around the outer walls of the jikido (or refectory) of the temple, stopping and saying a prayer at each scroll.  Oblivious to the crowds around them, they quietly focused on their devotions.  This, to me, is the tradition and religion which the temple has kept alive and growing for all the centuries since its construction, even as the world around it changes.

Pilgrims at prayer

More photos of my Japan visit here.