Sweets and Studios in Kyoto As the kimono fell out of style, so too did Nishijin, the historic textile district in northwestern Kyoto. These days, the neighborhood's narrow, quiet lanes north of Imadegawa and west of Horikawa have fallen off the tourist map. But in recent years, local artists and artisans have opened small shops and studios in the neighborhood, many in the traditional wooden houses called machiya, spurring a revival. Here, time-honored Japanese traditions get a modern spin - from hand-printed paper (like at Kamisoe, left) to classic confections - with nary a souvenir chopstick in sight.