Best around Nijo Castle, Kyoto Imperial Palace Spot List

More than a thousand picture postcards adorn this store's walls, including valuable ones from Kyoto's art galleries and museums as well as other regions of Japan. In fact, searching for your favorite postcard here feels like viewing artworks in an actual museum. Items popular among non-Japanese people, such as folding screens and folding fans, are available too.

Founded in early in the Edo Period in 1615, this store, which has been run by the same family for 14 generations and over 400 years, is said to be the oldest cotton product store in Japan. There, you can always find a variety of tenugui (hand-towels) with over 200 designs, such as reprinted early Showa period designs and new designs by the current 14th owner, Ihee Hosotsuji. The second floor is a free-admission machiya tenugui gallery where tenugui made from the Meiji period to the early Showa period are on display.

See “Thunder of the Dragon” during special viewings

This is a cheesecake specialty shop, providing over 30 kinds of special cheesecakes (from 594 JPY) that rotate from day to day. Besides cheesecake there's an abundant food menu, such as a quiche set and a coconut curry.