Maiko Antiques Kyoto — Local services in Kyoto

Some shops are bad, some are good, but the rare shop is magical, transporting its customer to a new, fully-realised world. Maiko Antiques is such a place. When in 2023 my wife and I visited Kyoto, a city with no shortage of captivating sites, nowhere arrested our attention more than this improbably-dense shop, which literally bursts onto the sidewalk with its myriad treasures. Of course, behind rows of antique toys and ephemera I found books I’d spent years looking for, or beautiful votive figures, or unbelievably charming mechanical folk art, and so on. This all aided by friendly, welcoming staff, who were able to offer illuminating information on even the smallest little thing in the shop. In a footprint no larger than a small cafe stood a veritable museum of a country’s artistic output, thoughtfully assembled, and available to any customer.

After three visits to Maiko in as many days, we left Kyoto with suitcases bulging with treasures, but given the tragic circumstances of recent events we can only regret not collecting more. For the time being, we have the luxury of looking through corners of our apartment and seeing the marvelous things that we had the benefit of encountering at Maiko Antiques. These objects make our daily lives better, not just for their intrinsic qualities, but also because they remind us of a very special shop. I hope that Maiko Antiques is able to rebuild, and I hope to be able to visit again soon. Thank you for making the world a...

Quite enjoyed visiting this shop. Can definitely back up that the pricing is very reasonable. Well worth going to especially for collectors of vintage and antique advertising and propaganda. There are many metal-enamel signs to select from, ranging from 1920s-1960s as well as many antique and vintage items still in their original packaging. Similarly, there are many small figurines for sale if that is what you are after. Another positive is that the shop typically sells items which are easily transportable in luggage which is great for anyone else (like myself) who is from overseas. The shopkeeper on the day had great background knowledge of the items on display, well worth having a chat with him if you are interested in a specific Japanese collectibles. Much to my delight, I even managed to score some Japanese Second World War propaganda. Take your time and search through it all, I am sure there are many more little treasures hidden...

Cute little shop. Had some quirky items. We came to the area especially for that store as I was aiming to bring home a unique gift for a family member who would appreciate something antique.. we arrived after checking the store was open before making our way there to find a closed sign up, but the store had all sorts of items outside set up and was clearly open. We waited nearly an hour and watched as the owner swept every crevice of the floor and blatantly ignored confused customers who could also clearly see the store was open, but this man had decided to close until the floor was swept. He didn't offer any explanation as to why the store was momentarily closed, or how long it would be closed for, and when he finally took the closed sign away he didn't say a word to us as we were finally able to enter after a prolonged wait time. I purchased something and even then, not a word. Not worth the effort...