Toji Temple Market

On the 21st of every month, Toji Temple in Kyoto holds a huge market within the temple grounds. It is crowded, colourful and quite interesting, even if you're there just to have a look.

This month the 21st fell on a weekend and it was my last chance to see the market before I leave Japan. I met up with Alison, Marissa and Leigh, then trained it to Kyoto where we met up with Sue Yen.

The weather was nice and hot. Perhaps a day better spent at the beach than being squashed up in the markets with the crowds. But it was a good experience and I ended up getting some Japanese cloth coasters and a Japanese hair tie (only because it was so hot and I needed something to tie my hair up).

If you're looking for unique gifts, this is definitely the place to go to. They had old kimonos, pottery, Japanese calligraphy tools, tea ceremony equipment, handmade goods, jewellery and heaps of random junk. They also had all the tasty yatai food stalls.

From Kyoto JR station, head south-west and you'll eventually see the temple's pagoda.







Then it was back to the station for a rest at Cafe Beret. We headed back to Sanners, said goodbye to Sue Yen who was meeting friends in Osaka, and chilled out at Starbucks before Marissa and I headed to the much loved and raved about 'Baan Thai.'

It's a small Thai restaurant tucked away in the streets of Sanners and you really need a reservation if you don't want to be disappointed. It was fully booked out with reservation after reservation and that's a real testament to the food. It was freakin' awesome.

We had the green curry with prawns and the chicken vegetable stir-fry thing with cashews. We were both so very impressed. Must go again...soon!