A trip to Kyoto to find cute things. Cafes, miscellaneous goods, architecture... an exciting stroll through the city

Admire the classical atmosphere of the ancient capital

Kyoto is home to many Western-style buildings built from the Meiji to Showa periods. Why not enjoy a cup of tea while touring these famous buildings and feeling like you're traveling back in time?

Enjoy some cute, retro baked goods in a historic Western-style building | Kyoto Murakami Kaishindo

This Western-style building stands on Teramachi Street, where many historical sites and long-established shops line the streets. You'll be captivated by the old-fashioned font on the signboard and the seasonally changing show windows. Founded in 1907 (Meiji 40), Kyoto Murakami Kaishindo is said to be the oldest Western-style confectionery shop in Kyoto. When you open the door, you'll find cute, retro baked goods lined up inside the Japanese-Western style shop.

The signature product "Russian Cake," which comes in five different flavors, is a baked confectionery made with a dough that is slightly softer than a cookie, with a gentle taste that gives off the right amount of sweetness and the flavor of fresh butter. Other products such as "Madeleines," "Dacquoise," and "Florentines" are also handmade with the intention of "making sweet time luxurious and special."

The popular cookie tin is filled with classic cookies and is somehow simple yet luxurious, symbolizing the appearance of Kyoto Murakami Kaishindo. There is currently a one-year waiting list for reservations! It can also be sent by mail, so why not give it to yourself a year from now as a memento of your trip? The box of baked goods carefully tied with a ribbon makes a great gift.

You can easily purchase just one in the store, making it the perfect place for a relaxing snack time near Kyoto Gyoen National Garden or along the Kamo River, both of which are close to the store.

Kyoto Murakami Kaishindo

Enjoy a special tea time while feeling like you're visiting a castle | Dessert Cafe Chorakukan

Maruyama Park is surrounded by lush nature, and is only a 15-minute walk from Shijo Kawaramachi, Kyoto's busiest shopping district, and the Gion area. On the shores of the park is Chorakukan, a Meiji-era Western-style building built over 100 years ago. Chorakukan is an architecture that incorporates a variety of European styles, including Rococo, Art Nouveau, and Chinoiserie, and once served as Kyoto's state guest house, hosting many guests.

In this special space, which is also a designated tangible cultural property of Kyoto City, you can enjoy tea at Dessert Cafe Chorakukan. The cafe consists of six rooms, each with a different architectural style and interior design, as well as a room called Geihin-no-ma, which is exclusively for afternoon tea.

You can enjoy a luxurious moment savoring seasonal desserts made by a pastry chef while surrounded by furnishings that have a long history in this place, such as chandeliers, plaster sculptures, and antique furniture. You will surely be touched by the attentive hospitality and classical tea utensils.

You need to make a reservation in advance for afternoon tea, but you can easily drop in to the cafe without a reservation. The lovely Vienna coffee topped with rose cream is almost too good to eat.

There is a grand piano in the lobby, and if you're lucky, you might even get to hear a live pianist playing.

Dessert Cafe Chorakukan

Discover new favorites on your travels

Items that remind you of a wonderful trip will brighten up your daily life. Visit a store that will make you want to find a souvenir just for you.

A general store where you can find romantic items carefully crafted | NORR KYOTO

The Kitayama area is a modern and quiet area of Kyoto. NORR KYOTO is a shop selling imported goods and books, mainly from Europe, located in a small building along Kitayama Street.

A wide range of selected items are on display, from vintage goods purchased locally to works by contemporary creators.

The owner majored in Nordic culture and history at a university in London, and then studied crafts at a Swedish arts and crafts school. This experience has led him to value the background of things that have been made over a long period of time, and he stands in the shop with the feeling of acting as a "guide" to convey this information.

The fun of choosing accessories and miscellaneous goods while listening to explanations about the country and historical background in which they were made is a unique experience at this store, where you can think back to the time that each item has traveled.

The especially popular compacts, lipsticks, and pill cases from the 1950s to 1980s have a particularly romantic design. It feels like a fateful encounter to come across these unique items, which have been carefully crafted and passed down to the present day, during this short journey, and it makes my heart flutter.

There are so many cute items that you'll want to pick them up one by one and look at them in detail. You'll have an exciting time searching for your very own favorites.

NORR KYOTO is a popular destination for many people when they travel to Kyoto. Reservations are only available through the website, so be sure to make your reservation early once your dates are decided.

NORR KYOTO

A warm yet sophisticated shop offering vintage clothing and non-alcoholic cocktails | and C cocktail & clothing

"and C" is a shop with a calm and relaxed atmosphere located in an area a little away from the center of Kyoto, close to Hirano Shrine, a famous cherry blossom viewing spot. The space, which is a cafe bar and a second-hand clothing store run by a husband and wife team, is unique yet sophisticated, and is filled with the wonderful attention to detail of the couple.

The cafe bar at the entrance mainly serves non-alcoholic cocktails. Along with drinks like "Osmanthus Lemonade" and "Clear Cream Soda," you can also enjoy menu items like "Lavender Cheesecake" and "Cardamom and Earl Grey Madeleines," which are so cute that you'll want to take the time to admire them before eating.

Also, with the health of those who eat them in mind, they are handmade using recipes that are gluten-free and do not use refined sugar.

In the back of the store, there are colorful vintage clothes that are simple yet sparkle with individuality, based on the concept of "everyday vintage clothes that let your personality shine through." The store selects clothes that will blend into your everyday life, based on the idea that by choosing based on your own intuition, rather than on someone else's values, you can let your "personality" shine through. You might come across a one-of-a-kind vintage item that you'll want to talk about as a memory of your trip.

Although it is a hidden shop, it has an atmosphere that makes it easy to drop in casually. The two said, "You can come to have a cocktail, try on some vintage clothes, or just buy some madeleines as a gift. We would be very happy if you just stop by without any particular purpose and have a chat."

and C cocktail & clothing

Enjoy a relaxing time in an antique atmosphere at a bookstore | Keibunsha Ichijoji store

The Ichijoji area can be reached by Eizan Railway, a small local line affectionately known as "Eiden." Keibunsha Ichijoji store is located in a quaint brick building with a cute "Keibunsha" sign as its landmark.

This bookstore was chosen as one of the "10 most beautiful bookstores in the world" by the British newspaper The Guardian. In its antique atmosphere, you will find a selection of books from a variety of genres, including self-published little press books.

With the idea of "creating unexpected encounters," the books are not arranged in a neat and functional manner, but are arranged loosely and in an edited manner on each bookshelf and table. In this day and age, when online searches and mail-order services are so convenient, you can experience the richness of a bookstore. There are also many books with cute bindings, so you'll have fun picking up any that catch your eye.

Spending time reading a book you come across in a wonderful bookstore in Kyoto, either at your accommodation or on your way home, could be one of the pleasures of your trip.

In addition, there is the "Lifestyle Hall" which offers books and miscellaneous goods related to daily life, and "Enfer" which mainly deals in stationery and paper goods. There is also a gallery and event space where local students and artists active both in Japan and overseas exhibit, making it a place where you can experience culture unique to Kyoto.

Keibunsha Ichijoji store

Walking around the town and taking a relaxing break along the Kamo River

The openness of the Kamo River, which embraces people spending their time by the river, is almost a symbol of Kyoto. We will introduce you to some special places along the Kamo River (the upper reaches are called "Kamo River") where you can experience the feeling of living in Kyoto.

Picnic by the river with a basket full of coffee | WIFE&HUSBAND

The Kitaoji area is located north of the city center. WIFE&HUSBAND is a cafe near the Kamo River, run by a married couple, as its name suggests. Cute round chairs and baskets are lined up outside the shop.

The interior of the store is a relaxing space filled with tasteful antiques and vintage items, but we also recommend the "PICNIC BASKET" picnic set menu that can be enjoyed by the river.

The "PICNIC BASKET" contains a thermos of coffee, snacks, mugs, and a tablecloth. You can also borrow other items to enhance your picnic mood, such as round stools, folding tables, and straw hats.

This menu was created because the couple wanted their customers to experience the same way they love to spend their holidays - having a picnic by the river with some delicious coffee.

The spacious riverside of Kitaoji is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and spend some relaxing time. It's a place you'll want to visit again and again to enjoy the changing scenery of nature with each season.

Reservations are given priority for both the cafe interior and picnic, so it's a good idea to make a reservation in advance.

WIFE&HUSBAND

A place where everyone in Kyoto can gather to return to their childhood and experience nature | Demachi Stepping Stones

After descending the Kamo River, we arrived at the Demachiyanagi area, where the river joins the Takano River. The river that flows south from here is called the Kamo River. This beautiful Y-shaped triangle on the map is called the Kamo River Delta, and is a popular spot that often appears in TV dramas and anime.

Crossing the river at this confluence is the "Demachi Stepping Stones." If you look closely, you will see hidden stepping stones in the shapes of turtles and plovers. In the summer, many people go barefoot and play with their children in the water, making this a place of relaxation where people come together in a relaxed atmosphere.

You can feel like a child again as you bounce around and experience the nature of Kamogawa River.

Enjoy the "special" aspects of "everyday Kyoto" | HOSTEL NINIROOM

A little further down the Kamo River from Demachiyanagi, just a short walk from Jingu-Marutamachi Station on the Keihan Railway, is HOSTEL NINIROOM, a hostel with the concept of "a room for friends living in Kyoto." It was opened by two sisters in a renovated 40-year-old building.

NINIROOM is located in the Okazaki area, which is within walking distance of the center of Kyoto, with bustling areas such as Shijo Kawaramachi. The owner also wanted guests to take advantage of the opportunity to experience local life that isn't found in guidebooks.

The rooms, which can be chosen from single, double, and dormitory plans, were designed by the designer's older sister with the idea of "minimalism yet comfort." Surrounded by furniture and textiles in calm, cute colors, it has a relaxing Scandinavian atmosphere.

The first floor is a cafe lounge that is also used by the locals. You can enjoy a "one soup and four side dishes lunch" made with seasonal ingredients, taco rice that can be made vegan, and coffee. Markets and events are occasionally held on the outdoor terrace, where you may have fun interacting with local people.

After enjoying the delicious food and cozy atmosphere, we recommend spending some time relaxing by the Kamo River, just a five-minute walk from NINIROOM, or visiting art museums such as Heian Shrine, Nanzenji Temple, and Kyoto City Kyocera Museum of Art, all within walking distance.

HOSTEL NINIROOM

Besides the city center and famous tourist spots, Kyoto has a lot to offer. We have introduced walking spots around the city that will make you want to make it your travel destination while touring all kinds of "cute" things. At the end of your trip, where you have walked a lot and experienced the history, culture, and nature that are integrated into the city of Kyoto, you may feel refreshed and want to go back to Kyoto.

Domestic Discount Fares Skymate

Limited to ages 12 and over and under 25!
Extremely affordable discount fares available for booking from the day of departure (4 hours before departure)

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