AEON MALL Okayama | Review by Holly

Whenever I visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, my main reason is always the Tenjin-san Market held on the 25th of each month. If you like kimono, vintage clothing, or kimono accessories, I really recommend checking it out. Kyoto has quite a few antique markets, but based on the several times I've visited, this one has an especially large number of kimono-related stalls. There is a very complete selection, from kimono, haori, and obi to obijime and all kinds of kimono accessories. Some undergarments and consumable items are even sold new, and the prices are much lower than in stores. For anyone who is genuinely interested in kimono, this is a great place to hunt for treasures.

The Tenjin-san Market itself is huge. Besides kimono, there are antiques, old tools, tableware, miscellaneous goods, plants, and all kinds of snacks. The food stalls are mainly concentrated near the main entrance. There aren't many of them, but they're enough to fill your stomach, and trying something new isn't really that important. The food is basically just there to help you recharge, because it's very easy to lose track of time while browsing here. If your main goal is to buy kimono, I recommend coming early because the good items really do get picked over quickly.

Although most transactions at the market are cash only, during my later visits I noticed that some stalls had started accepting credit cards. I usually skip the stalls that accept cards, since they mainly sell antiques and probably only offer card payments because the transaction amounts can be quite high. Still, if you find something you really like, paying by card is quite convenient, since it's hard to carry that much cash around.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine itself is also well worth visiting. I've been here many times, and each visit feels a little different. If you come in February, you can enjoy the plum blossoms in addition to browsing the Tenjin-san Market. If you happen to visit on the 25th, you can also attend the Plum Blossom Festival. In addition to the festival, there is the Baikasai Nodate Grand Tea Ceremony, an outdoor tea ceremony served by geiko and maiko from Kyoto's Kamishichiken district amid the blooming plum trees. During the Setsubun Festival in early February, geiko and maiko from the Kamishichiken Kabukai also perform a dedication of traditional Japanese dance at the Kagura Hall. If you want to experience Kyoto's traditional performing arts, each of these events has its own distinctive appeal.

I also visited once in April. The cherry blossom season was already almost over, so I didn't have high expectations, but I was very lucky and happened to see a shower of falling cherry blossoms. It was incredibly romantic and ended up becoming one of my strongest memories of Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. From Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, you can continue on to Hirano Shrine, which is also one of Kyoto's well-known cherry blossom viewing spots. The two places fit very naturally into the same outing.

I recommend visiting Tsukiji Outer Market together with Tsukiji Hongwanji, since the two are very close to each other. You can visit Hongwanji first and then walk over to the outer market. Tsukiji Hongwanji itself is quite distinctive, so you can look at the architecture first and then head to the market to eat. It makes for a very smooth itinerary.

If you're visiting Tsukiji, I recommend not arriving too late. When I got there a little after 9:00, I could already clearly feel large numbers of tourists pouring in, and the market was quite lively. In particular, quite a few people were pulling luggage around with them. I personally don't really recommend doing that, because the market aisles aren't very wide to begin with, and once it gets crowded, large pieces of luggage really take up a lot of space.

Because I didn't stay very long this time, I wasn't able to fully explore all the food in the market. I just picked a few tamagoyaki shops to try. Once again, it proved that my stomach prefers Kanto-style tamagoyaki, and I had a very enjoyable time eating my way through them.

Although seafood is the first thing many people think of when visiting Tsukiji, once you actually walk into the outer market, you'll find so many choices that it can be a little overwhelming. In addition to fresh fish, sushi, and seafood bowls, there are also tamagoyaki, dried goods, fruits and vegetables, meat, and more. Although the main market has moved to Toyosu, even a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse, and the location is convenient, so there are still many shops operating here. If it's your first visit, I actually recommend looking up several places you genuinely want to try beforehand. There are simply too many choices, and with the crowds, it's easy to see one place you want to try and then another, until you end up not knowing what to eat at all.

Also keep in mind that Tsukiji isn't simply a tourist food street. It's a district of specialty shops that developed out of a working market, so it's better not to eat while walking.

The Former Iwasaki House Garden is a place that I think is well worth taking the time to explore. It was originally the main residence of Hisaya Iwasaki, the third president of Mitsubishi, and was completed in 1896 (Meiji 29). The most interesting thing about the estate is that you can see both an extremely ornate Western-style building and a traditional Japanese-style residence in the same space. This combination of Japanese and Western styles is also a representative feature of upper-class residences from the Meiji era.

The Western-style building is based on the Jacobean style of 17th-century England, with Renaissance, Islamic, and other design elements incorporated into it. Everything from the exterior to the interior details is quite impressive. What particularly stood out to me was the “kinkarakawa-shi” wallpaper inside, which uses washi paper, metal foil, and embossing techniques to create the look of leather wallpaper. It was a very valuable form of interior decoration at the time. Different patterns of kinkarakawa-shi wallpaper can still be seen on the second floor. Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed inside, which was a bit disappointing for me.

The Western-style building was mainly used for receiving guests and social gatherings, while the adjacent Japanese-style building served as the Iwasaki family's more everyday living space. Seeing two completely different architectural styles side by side really gives you a sense of how Japanese homes changed after Japan began widely adopting Western culture during the Meiji era. In addition to the Western-style building and the main hall of the Japanese-style building, the surviving structures include a very distinctive billiards room. It is a wooden building designed to resemble a Swiss mountain lodge and is connected to the Western-style building by an underground passage.

Another thing I really liked here was how distinctive the souvenirs related to kinkarakawa-shi wallpaper were. The bookmarks, card holders, and other items sold on-site aren't exactly cheap, but they may appeal to anyone interested in architecture, paper goods, or historically significant crafts like these. Snacks are also available, so you can take a break while enjoying something to eat.

However, don't underestimate the size of the garden. I felt that it took about five or six minutes just to walk from the ticket booth to the entrance of the residence, and part of the route is uphill. The entire grounds are also much larger than you might imagine from looking at the buildings alone. Although only about one-third of the original property remains today, some elements of a daimyo garden and a large lawn have been preserved.

So, if you want to thoroughly explore the Western-style building, Japanese-style building, and garden, I would recommend allowing at least two to three hours. I was honestly a little tired by the time I finished walking around, but fortunately there is a rest area near the exit. That was very thoughtful for people who have just walked all the way around the grounds.