Kyoto Porta to Host 'Kyo Machinaka Market by Kyotakumi Exhibition'!

Kyoto Porta, operated by JR West Kyoto SC Development Co., Ltd. (President: Takuju Morimoto, hereinafter 'Kyoto SC Development'), in collaboration with Kyoto WORKS LLC (Representative Employee: Akira Hayashi, hereinafter 'Kyoto WORKS'), will host the 'Kyo Machinaka Market by Kyotakumi Exhibition' for a limited 16-day period. The event aims to promote the revitalization of traditional Kyoto crafts and support the businesses that are custodians of traditional culture. Under the concept of 'See, Touch, Experience, and Enjoy Kyoto's Traditional Crafts,' the 'Kyo Machinaka Market by Kyotakumi Exhibition' will offer both sales and opportunities to experience traditional crafts firsthand, including daily workshops.

■ Event Overview

Dates: May 12 (Tuesday) – May 27 (Wednesday), 2026, 11:00 – 20:30

Location: Kyoto Porta (B1F) West Area, Central Street Event Space
901 Higashishiokoji-cho, Karasuma-dori Shiokoji-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto

Organizers: Kyoto SC Development, Kyoto WORKS

Event Content:

(1) Sales Event
Nine companies involved in Kyoto's traditional crafts will sell over 10 items, including traditional crafts such as Kyoto candles, Kyoto fans, and Kyoto rosaries, as well as new items like tableware and kimono accessories made using Kyoto tile techniques.

(2) Daily Workshops
The venue will host numerous hands-on workshops where visitors can deeply experience Kyoto's traditions. A variety of programs are available, such as 'Kimono Fabric Accessory Making,' 'Mizuhiki Crafting,' and 'Gold Leaf Pressing Experience,' showcasing the exquisite skills of artisans. Enjoy a special time creating your own original work while directly engaging with beautiful Japanese craftsmanship.

[Workshop Schedule] May 12, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 27
*Please confirm details on-site. Workshops may be canceled or changed depending on circumstances.

■ 'Kyo Machinaka Market by Kyotakumi Exhibition' Participating Stores

1. Nakamura Rosoku (Kyoto Candles)
Founded in 1887, a long-established Japanese candle maker spanning four generations. Committed to domestic plant-based ingredients and traditional manufacturing methods, their Japanese candles, with their gentle, flickering, warm light, have long been cherished for Buddhist ceremonies, tea ceremonies, and stage performances.
In recent years, 'Hana Rosoku' (flower candles) hand-painted by Kyoto Yuzen artists have gained popularity, and painting experience classes are also well-received. They have garnered wide support from both domestic and international visitors as a new Kyoto souvenir.

2. Tamura Shogundo (Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, Hanafuda)
A long-established Kyoto card and Hanafuda manufacturer committed to manual craftsmanship. A distinctive feature is the 'ura-bari finish,' where glue is applied to each card with a brush, and the edge is created by folding the Japanese paper from back to front. In addition to exquisite items featuring elegant calligraphy and beautiful designs, their initiatives combining tradition with modern culture, such as shrine offerings and collaborations with popular companies, are also noteworthy.

3. Onishi Kyosendo (Kyoto Fans)
A long-established specialty store for Kyoto fans, founded in the Tenpo era and spanning nine generations, will exhibit. They handle a wide range of fans, from ceremonial to everyday use, boasting the prestige and trust of being purveyors to various head temples. In addition to high-quality Kyoto fans produced by the division of labor among approximately 90 artisans, their original products, which combine Kyoto-esque designs with modern sensibilities, are also popular.

4. Kambe Juzu-ten (Kyoto Rosaries)
A specialty store for Kyoto rosaries, founded in 1918, located near Higashi Honganji Temple.
Artisans handcraft authentic Kyoto rosaries for each sect, using natural materials bead by bead. These Kyoto rosaries, carefully crafted for peace of mind and quality, are chosen for important gifts and memorial services.

5. Shiomi Uchiwa (Kyoto Round Fans)
A specialized manufacturer of Kyoto round fans based in Yamashina, Kyoto. Inheriting the tradition of the prestigious 'Kyo Uchiwa' (Miyako Uchiwa) that dates back to the Nara period, their unique structure, which separates the fan face from the handle, allows for beautiful flat surfaces and diverse expressions. Their fans, made with domestic materials, are highly regarded not only as practical items for cooling but also as decorative crafts to be enjoyed.

6. Yuimaru (Mizuhiki Accessories & Small Items)
An original brand by Mizuhiki artist Emi Shinjo, who utilizes her knowledge of Japanese painting and kimonos. While cherishing the tradition of Mizuhiki, which is considered a good luck charm, she reinterprets it as accessories and small items that fit into modern life.
The Mizuhiki accessories, with their delicate and beautiful color combinations, are characterized by a wide range of color variations that allow customers to create their preferred combinations.

7. Kyoto Aturae (Kimono Accessories & Japanese Small Items)
An accessory brand that fuses traditional techniques inherited in Kyoto workshops with contemporary designs. Using high-quality silk fabrics such as Nishijin-ori, Kyo-Yuzen, and Tango-chirimen, they develop items that leverage the luster and beauty of Japanese patterns, bringing Japanese aesthetics into daily life.

8. Asada Seigawara Kojo (Kyoto Tiles, Shoki)
Founded in 1913, the only existing Kyoto tile kiln in Kyoto. For over 100 years, artisans have continued to handcraft 'ibushi-gawara' (smoked tiles) used in temples, shrines, and machiya (traditional townhouses). The deep 'ibushi-gin' (smoked silver) texture, created by polishing tiles and smoking them with incomplete combustion, has a unique expression for each piece.