Water, Water Everywhere, and Actually a Few Drops to Drink

Yesterday, I went to the Grand Antiques fair in the Fushimi area of Kyoto, several minutes south of Kyoto station by train. I went there with another girl and in hopes of picking up a few interesting things.

Well, there were a lot of interesting things - but WAY out of my league in terms of price. Suits of samurai armor, old estate jewelry, vintage scrolls, laquerware, furniture, pottery, etc. etc. In short almost anything under the sun. Some prices were utterly ridiculous.

I did, however find some things within my budget. Note to anyone going to Kyoto for a holiday - the best sort of souvenier you can get is a kimono, so long as your in town for any antiques fairs or the monthly fair at Toji Temple which is on the 21st of each month. Kimono are cheap, gorgeous and make great wall hangings. And they can be found almost anywhere - there were more kimono at that fair than I can shake a stick at. How do I know? I got TWO.


The black one is a formal, five-crested (the little circles) kimono usually worn by older women for occassions such as weddings. Younger women wear kimonos with brighter colors and longer sleeves, so that is my next goal. When I was at the fair I even saw a gorgeous wedding kimono - not that I would get it to wear to my own wedding, but if I had the money (it was only 8000yen but I only had 7000yen total to spend) I would have gotten it, it was gorgeous. I got the black one for 2000yen.

The second one was the first one that I got. The good thing about going to the last day of the antiques fair (or at the end of any flea market) is that prices get marked down. Case in point: my Chloe bag was marked down to 400yen from 800yen and then to 300yen when I apparently showed some hesitation. The white kimono was marked down from 2000yen to 1000yen - and as you can see in the detail picture, it was actually the design that got me since it was folded.

Unfortunately, there are some stains but they are more on the front of the kimono; I plan to hang it showing the back of it off a curtain rod when I get back home. I am actually thinking of going to the Toji fair this month - the 21st is a Sunday and I figured I can finish up my kimono shopping there before it gets too cold. Apparently to get the best selection I need to be there very early - normally I would go at the end but for this fair, I would want to go early.

I also picked up some old pictures for my mom at 100yen each, but also got another bargain, this time for my sister - a vintage Christian Dior silk neck scarf for 300yen.