Best Indoor Activities in Kyoto for a Rainy Day
- Junna.K
- Jun 15
- 5 min read
Disappointed that rain is ruining your Kyoto sightseeing? Don't worry! Kyoto actually has plenty of fantastic indoor activities perfect for rainy days. We’ve handpicked the best spots you can easily book last-minute or even on the same day. Let's turn your rainy day into an unforgettable adventure!
🗺️ Stay dry even in the rain! Kyoto's three major shopping streets.
1. Nishiki Market - Kyoto's Kitchen
Features: A shopping street in Kyoto that stretches for approximately 400 meters and is the most famous for its food.
The charm of a rainy day: With its colorful glass arcades, the area is bustling with energy even in the rain. Japanese street food, such as seafood on skewers and traditional Japanese sweets, is very popular with tourists. What's also appealing is that even amidst all this, you can still find long-established shops with a 400-year history and traditional greengrocers where restaurant chefs come to buy their produce.
To the east of the market is Nishiki Tenmangu Shrine, and you can enter the Shinkyogoku shopping street directly from there, making it an area where you can enjoy shopping as well.
2. Shinkyogoku Shopping Street~A mecca for souvenirs and culture~
Features: A massive covered shopping arcade, the second oldest in Japan, located at a cross-shaped intersection with the eastern exit of Nishiki Market.
The charm of a rainy day: You can enter directly from Nishiki Market without getting wet at all! With souvenir shops, 100-yen shops, kimono remaking shops, as well as arcades, karaoke, and gachapon specialty stores lined up one after another, it's the perfect spot for foreigners to hunt for "Japanese pop culture" and "Kyoto souvenirs" all in one place.
3. Sanjo Meiten-gai (Sanjo Famous Shopping Street) - Experience the retro-modern charm of Kyoto.
Features: A spacious, open-air arcade shopping street that connects to Shinkyogoku if you walk straight north from there.
The charm of a rainy day: With long-established cutlery shops dating back to the Meiji era (their knives are very popular with foreigners), traditional Japanese confectionery shops, retro cafes, and specialty shops selling ukiyo-e prints, it has a slightly calmer, more "adult Kyoto" atmosphere than Shinkyogoku. It will appeal to tourists who want to take their time looking at traditional Japanese crafts and nice souvenirs.
🎮 2 major cultural spots you can visit even on rainy days
1. Pokémon Center Kyoto (SUINA Muromachi, 2nd floor)
Directly connected underground from Shijo Station on the subway and Karasuma Station on the Hankyu line. The store is incredibly popular for its limited-edition goods that can only be purchased here, such as "Pikachu in the style of a court noble," which is a collaboration with Kyoto's traditional culture.
2. Nintendo Official Store "Nintendo KYOTO" (7th floor, Kyoto Takashimaya S.C. [T8])
This shop offers official merchandise featuring beloved Nintendo characters from around the world, including Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon. Located inside Kyoto Takashimaya, the shop features a giant Mario statue at the entrance, making it a perfect photo spot.
It's directly connected to Hankyu's Kyoto Kawaramachi Station via an underground passage, so you can enter without getting wet in the rain after getting off the train! It's also very close to the Shinkyogoku Shopping Arcade, making it easy to stop by in between exploring the shopping street.
☕ Perfect for sheltering from the rain! Kyoto's Top 3 Cafes
1. Hard Rock Cafe Kyoto https://kyoto.hardrockjapan.com/
Highlights:While Hard Rock Cafes are known for their neon-lit stores, the Kyoto Hard Rock Cafe is actually one of the few in the world that uses a traditional Kyoto townhouse (wooden building) as is, resulting in a modern Japanese-style store.
recommendationpoint:Located in the Gion area, you can enjoy a hearty hamburger while gazing at the rain-soaked Shirakawa River from your window. "Kyoto-exclusive design T-shirts and pin badges" are very popular souvenirs among collectors. There are also burger menus exclusive to the Kyoto store!
2. Starbucks Coffee Kyoto Sanjo Ohashi Store
Highlights:This Starbucks is located right in front of the Kamo River, just after you exit the Sanjo Shopping Arcade. It's also famous for its traditional Kyoto riverside terrace seating called "Noryo-yuka" from May to September.
recommendationpoint:On rainy days, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful Kamo River and Sanjo Bridge shrouded in rain from the large windows inside the shop. With stable Wi-Fi and an English menu, it's the perfect location for foreign tourists to strategize about their next plans because of the rain.
3. Blue Bottle Coffee Kyoto Kiyamachi Cafe
Highlights:It is located on the first floor of a hotel that has been renovated from the former Rissei Elementary School, a historic, retro Western-style building (a Kyoto City designated tangible cultural property) built during the Meiji era.
recommendationPoints:Located just a short walk from Hankyu's Kyoto Kawaramachi Station, along the Takase River, this café is a popular spot for foreign tourists. Its classic, high-ceilinged former school building blends seamlessly with modern design. You can enjoy carefully brewed third-wave coffee while gazing at the rain-soaked greenery of the Takase River. The spacious café also boasts free Wi-Fi.
Kyoto's Traditional Crafts and Handcrafted Experience
This program introduces an experience where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of Japan indoors while listening to the sound of rain.
1. Making Japanese sweets is a great activity for rainy days 🍡
Yatsuhashi-an and Shishuuyakata
"When it comes to souvenirs from Kyoto, everyone immediately thinks of the traditional Japanese confection, 'Raw Yatsuhashi.' And guess what? There's a special place where you can make it yourself, from the dough up!"
At "Yatsuhashi-an Shishuuyakata," you can experience making authentic Japanese sweets, starting from mixing and steaming rice flour, then rolling out the dough yourself and wrapping it around red bean paste. The taste of freshly made yatsuhashi that you make yourself is exceptionally delicious and different from the ones you buy as souvenirs!
Furthermore, the building also houses "Shishu Yakata," a shop showcasing exquisite embroidery art, a traditional Japanese craft. Here, you can immerse yourself in the world of Japanese beauty while listening to the sound of rain.
2. Experience Kyoto's traditions with all five senses: "A Stroll Through Nishiki Market & Authentic Japanese Cuisine."
Sushi Lab. by Sumaya
On rainy days, Nishiki Market, with its covered arcade, is a great option to stay dry. And right nearby, there's a hidden studio where you can experience Kyoto's food culture in its entirety.
Here, you can learn how to make authentic Japanese sushi in a fun way, all in English.
This class is perfect for beginners, families with children, and vegans and vegetarians (vegan-friendly!). Enjoying lunch or dinner with sushi you've beautifully made yourself will be a special time that chases away the blues of a rainy day.
★It's just a 1-minute walk from Nishiki Market, so getting around is a breeze even in the rain!
★sThe entertainment value comes from being able to watch a professional fishmonger fillet a fish right before your eyes.
★Beginners, families with children, and vegans are all welcome! (Vegan-friendly!)
![[British politicians have visited us!] Sushi experience in your own private space.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/aadb12_426f3efdc9994cc198f61c68d9ca87e5~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_735,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/aadb12_426f3efdc9994cc198f61c68d9ca87e5~mv2.jpg)
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