Chion Temple Handicraft Market 知恩寺手作り市

Held on the 15th of every month, the Chion temple Hand craft market (Chion-ji Tezukuri Ichi) is a veritable smorgasbord of handmade crafts, food, and art. Held at the Chion temple in Kyoto city, the market has around 350 booths, all of which sell handmade goods. Not that I needed anything, but wandering around and seeing the cool stuff creative people can make is always a good day.

毎月１５日に開催されている知恩寺手作り市は手作り工芸品、食べ物、アートの大収集です。京都市内の知恩寺で行われて、手作り市約３５０ブースがあって、手作り物のみ販売します。私は別に買いたいものがありませんでしたが、想像性のある人が作ったものを見るのは楽しい一日になります。

This was my second time going and unlike the first time where rain and wind conspired to ruin the day, this time it was sunny and warm, with perfectly clear weather. Of course, this also meant that the crowds were out in force and just trying to get anywhere was a battle in and of itself. Still though, jostling with people and fighting your way through a crowd to investigate something that catches your eye is part of the charm of these markets.

今回は二回目の参加で、一回目に雨がちょっと降っていて寒かったですが、今回は温かくて明るく晴れた日でした。そのために人ごみがすごく、他の人と衝突しないで歩くのは大変でした。ただし、気になった商品を見るために人ごみと戦うのはマーケットの良い点だと思います。

The Chion market is special as unlike other flea markets everything is handmade, and you can see how much effort people have put into their work. I talked for a while with a fellow who made traditional indigo dyed clothes and he explained how important the stall could be to his business. With the blue dye seeped under his fingertips, it was obvious how hard and long he had worked to make all the goods he had for sale.

他のフリーマーケットと違って、知恩寺での商品は全部手作りだからちょっと特別です。人の努力をよく分かります。藍染で染物を作っている一人と話をしましたが、彼は普通の店も経営しましたが、手作り市のブースは営業に大事な一部だと説明しました。手が藍染めで青くなっていたから、すごく長い間頑張ったということでしょう。

Of course you find some expected stuff like clothes, paintings and jewelry, but there’s also a bunch of off the wall stuff like a rubber band gatling gun, handmade leather shoes, and riding goggles. Regardless of what you’re looking though, it’s nice to be able to directly talk to the person who made it, and you feel good supporting them in stuff they love.

もちろん洋服や絵、ジュエリーなどがありますが、輪ゴムガトリング包や手作り革靴、ゴーグルなどちょっとかわったものも発見しました。でも、どんなものを見つけても、作った人と直接話せるのが面白くて、好きなことをしている人を支援したい気持ちになります。

To get to the Chion Temple market, head to Demachiyanagi station and go out the southern most exit, then turn left onto Imadegawa road and keep walking straight until you see the entrance on your left. Or you can just follow the crowds of people. The market is held on the 15th of every month and usually runs from about 8 to 4 in the afternoon.

知恩寺手作り市に行きたいなら、京阪出町柳駅の南出口から今出川通りを左にまがって、まっすぐに進めば左に知恩寺が見えます。それか、大勢の人について行きます。手作り市は毎月の１５日に開催され、午前８時から午後４時までです。