Take Part In a 1,000-Year-Old Tradition At Kiyomizu

Above, looking downslope towards the shops below Kiyomizu-dera. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the best places to buy souvenirs in Japan are the shops below Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto.

There are many shops and the prices are quite reasonable.

Souvenir Finder has an article on what visitors can find while they make their way to Kiyomizu-dera.

Above, the Kiyomizu-dera stage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It begins with:

Kiyomizu temple, the Eiffel tower of Kyoto 

If you’re like most travelers, you’ve probably seen a dramatic photo like this one of Kyoto’s Kiyomizu temple, perched in the trees like a bird’s nest, and thought, I must go there. 

That is, until the bus drops you off at the bottom of the hill and you are left looking straight up at the nearly half-mile incline standing between you and the temple. 

Family owned shops, sweets stands and tea shops all make perfect pit stops during your trek up the hill. And as a bonus, by shopping your way up to the temple you’ll actually be participating in a time-honored custom followed by temple visitors for the last 1000 years.

To read more, go here.