Chionji Handicraft Market: Omiyage Heaven

I love going to the handicraft and flea markets in Kyoto because there is always such a variety of goodies that you can find and buy. My parents partially planned their trip to Japan specifically around the Chionji handicraft market after seeing pictures. While I like to purchase gifts and omiyage for people whenever I go, I chose to focus on taking pictures this time around. My mom is the queen of omiyage and she always had her market bags ready to go. She might have been ecstatic when she saw the hundreds of vendors there :) Like me, my dad was taking pictures although he still enjoyed walking around and looking at what each vendor was selling. If you're looking for unique omiyage that's hand-made and not sold in every omiyage shop, this is definitely your place ^^I hope you guys enjoy the pictures! 

One of my favorite vendors! I absolutely loved all of the wooden products that she was selling. 

I actually made a beeline for this vendor when I saw the food, thinking that it was real...

Looks pretty convincing, right?

Donguri!!!! My mom would have definitely bought this if there was a safe way to transport them back home. 

Nothing like some fresh, cranberry bread as a quick and yummy snack ^^

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Minatogawakoen Handicraft Market: Buy Local

I haven't gone to the Minatogawakoen Handicraft Market since summer, but decided to go this past weekend :) It's held on the fourth Saturday of every month and is located literally on top of the station at Minatogawakoen! Just go up the stairs as you exit and you'll find yourself at a large park area with all of the tents. There were some new vendors in addition to some familiar ones as well and I was able to pick up a couple of gifts for my parents there! :D I love supporting local businesses so I asked vendors for their business cards or blog sites if I took pictures of their products. I'll have those sites below in the pictures if they gave me one! ^^Please be sure to check them out :) They would make wonderful gifts and omiyage as well!

This was one of the first vendors that I stopped by and I couldn't decide what I wanted to get so I ended up coming back again :) I'll link the blog in their last picture.

So you can carry your water bottle in style :) It'll be the cutest one out there!

Musubi pouch? Too good to be true :D

Their blog can be found here

I was really tempted to buy more from this vendor! He and his wife were very nice to me while I asked them about a couple of their products. They have a blog so I'll link it at the last picture.

Blog can be found here

The owner was extremely nice to me when I asked her if I could photograph her sweets. She nodded enthusiastically and asked if I could put it on my blog and then gave me her business card as well! ^^ Ended up buying some chicken curry and those cute animal cookies on the right :) 

She also sold an assortment of jams and the yuzu jam looked really tempting to buy! Her blog can be found here and her online site here

More bakery goodness :)

Really liked her setup :)

Blog can be found here

Blog can be found here

Online store can be found here

Site can be found here

One of my favorite vendors. Chatted with him for awhile and he told me that this was his first time selling at a market so he didn't have a blog or site yet, but he encouraged me to take lots of pictures :)

If I had a real-life tree house like this, I wouldn't come out of it :D

This man made clocks out of everyday items!

Blog can be found here

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a wonderful week!