Kimono used to be the everyday dress for women in Japan, but today it’s often only worn for special occasions, like weddings or funerals. Yukata are slightly lighter, and both men and women wear them. You’ll see them worn during summer festivals as casual wear. Kimono and yukata are both possible to rent. Wear one around the town or city for a few hours and get a sense for Japan’s traditional sartorial style.
We specifically design this page so you, as an agent, could have all the necessary point of views to make your Group Tour and FIT experience arrangement memorable. Make sure you check this page again later, we will update it regularly!
What you will find on this page:
About Kimono
What is Kimono
The kimono (着物) is a traditional Japanese dress. In modern day, it is worn only sparingly or during special occasions such as weddings, tea ceremonies, formal traditional events and funerals. An appropriate style and color of kimono is to be worn depending on the occasion and the person’s age and marital status. In recent years, kimono rental services for tourists have become very popular.
Men’s kimono usually have more subdued colors and are made typically from matte fabrics. Partly for this reason, it is the women’s kimono that generate more interest because their beautiful designs make them art pieces as much as they are garments. The women’s kimono is traditionally made of silk, but these days they are also made of polyester. Decoration techniques include embroidery, yuzen painting and dyeing.
The price of a kimono can range from around 10,000 yen for a simple set made of cheap fabric to millions of yen for a luxurious silk outfit with intricate embroidery or yuzen designs. The outfit is accompanied by traditional footwear and a small handbag for women. One price level lower are yukata, a casual version of the kimono popularly worn at ryokan and during summer festivals.
Most Popular Types Of Kimono
1. Furisode
Furisode is the Kimono style designed for unmarried women. Girls often wear Furisode on formal occasions such as wedding, tea ceremony or the coming of age ceremony. This kimono type is made of high-quality silks with bright colors. One special point of the design is the very long and large sleeves that cover the hands. In Japanese culture, that girls wear Furisode means they are ready to get married.
2. Tomesode
Unlike Furisode, Tomesode is the type of Kimono for married women whether they divorced or not. This Kimono style is specialized by short and narrow sleeves and simple-but-elegant patterns at the end of the lap. The traditional design is often black and embroidered family token on it. Women only wear Tomesode on the important occasion of family or relatives such as wedding.
3. Houmongi
In Japanese, “houmon” means visiting. Houmongi is worn by women (often unmarried women) in formal occasions such as wedding ( often friends of the brides) and tea ceremony or other formal parties. The kimono body is in plain color with the same patterns in the shoulders, sleeves and lower lap of kimono. Japanese parents often buy houmongi as a gift for their daughters before they get married.
4. Tsukesage
Tsukesage is the type of Kimono that is worn on tea ceremonies, flower arrangement meetings and friend’s wedding. The design of Tsukesage bears a huge resemblance to that of Houmongi The difference is that the patterns of Tsukesage are more modest and cover a smaller area than Houmongi’s.
5. Iromuji
Probably the easiest type of kimono to wear, although it may be less mentioned in kimono introductions. As its name suggests, it has only one color, no other patterns except submerged woven pattern on the fabric if sewn from rinzu, so it is less popular than other patterned and colorful kimonos.
6. Komon
Komon, which literally means small pattern, has repeated patterns throughout the garment. This kimono style is more casual and may be worn around town. The fabric is very diverse, ranging from silk, wool, polyester to rayon. This was the most common dress in Japan before Western clothes became popular in Japan.
7. Mofuku
This type of Kimono is solid black, and all the accessories are also in black. Mofuku is formal mourning dress for men or women. The completely black mourning ensemble is usually reserved for family and others who are close to the deceased.
8. Uchikake
Uchikake is a very formal kimono worn by brides or stage performers. It is worn outside the actual kimono, so it is never tied with an obi. The Uchikake design (mainly bridal costume) use red or white as the base colors. This dress is longer than other types of Kimono, often trails the floor.
10. Susohiki/ Hikizuri
The susohiki is usually worn by geisha or by stage performers of the traditional Japanese dance. Like Shiromuku, the dress is very long, up to 2m (about 6.6 ft), and trails the floor. However, the design of Susohiki is different from others’. Normally, the kimono collar is a fist-size down from the nape of the neck, but Susohiki’s is even lower than this. In order not to show the pulled-down collar, the seam between the shoulders and sleeves are longer in the front than in the back.
11. Juunihitoe
Juunihitoe is an extremely elegant and highly complex type of kimono that was only worn by Japanese court-ladies. The Juunihitoe consist of various layers which are silk garments, with the innermost garment being made of white silk. This Kimono type is among the most expensive Japanese clothings. Today, Juunihitoe can only be seen in movies, museums, festivals or in some important events of the Imperial Household.
12. Yukata
Last but not least, Yukata may be the most well-known type of Kimono to foreigners. It is a type of kimono made of ordinary cotton, used in summer. Compared to Furisode, Yukata are much simpler. As a result, Japanese women know how to wear it without help just after learning for several times. In ancient times, Yukata was only used at home as bathing wear, but today, Yukata is often worn by both men and women on Bon-Odori day (Japanese traditional dance festival in summer) and other summer festivals.
Source: questionjapan.com
Where to rent Kimono
Dressing up in kimono and other traditional clothing has become a popular attraction in Kyoto and many other tourist destinations across Japan, including Nara, Kanazawa, Kawagoe, Kitsuki, Kamakura and Miyajima. It is also popularly offered at history-themed amusement parks, such as Toei Eigamura in Kyoto, Nikko Edomura and so on. Kindly contact us for more spesific location.
Kimono Wearing Experience
Kimono selection (time required about 20-30 minutes)
Choose a pattern you want. There are so many types of kimono! Usually coordination of the obi is also free. There are also plenty of men's kimonos.- Dressing (time required about 20 minutes).
You can enjoy walking and dining with comfortable and comfortable dressing. You don't have to worry about losing your clothes due to your usual activities. Change of clothes is completed in no time! Tabi will be a new gift. - Optional: Hair Set (time required about 20 minutes)
8 style hair sets to choose from, custom hair sets, Japanese hair style hair sets are available!
- Optional: Make Up (time required about 30 minutes
We will make the makeup that suits you from the base makeup. You can also try makeup with a different impression than usual!
Departure time!
When you're ready, start right away. Please enjoy strolling around with the real Japanese traditional dress!
Typical fees for a basic kimono or yukata start from around 3000-5000 yen and include the obi belt, sandals, and accessories. Yukata rental price is cheaper than Kimono price. They usually choose Yukata because it is easier to use and does not take a long time to wear. More formal or intricate styles, such as dressing like a geisha or samurai, usually cost around 10,000-13,000 yen. Hair-styling and makeup services, as well as studio and outdoor photography sessions, may also be available for an additional fee. Once dressed, you are usually able to go sightseeing in your dress.
From Kimono selection and dressing, the time required about 30-60 minutes. If you add some options such as hair styling and make-up, more time required, around 60 minutes additional.
Kindly note, the time required depends on the store's capacity and how many people are in your group.
For small group arrangements usually will be arranged at the stores (nearby the history-themed amusement parks). But for a big group arrangement (more than 100pax), an additional venue is needed. We suggest you arrange this experience in the hotel. Usually, it can be arranged for a special dinner too.
Kindly contact us for more detailed information.
We can help you to arrange this experience from the small groups until big groups around 500 pax! You can also enjoy this experience with a special dinner at the hotel. Just contact us for more information!
Strolling around and take photos as much as you like. Capture the moment when dressing like the real Japanese!
About measures against new coronavirus infection
In order to prevent the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and prevent the spread of infection, some stores consider the health and safety of their customers and staff, and take the following measures so that their customers can use their services with peace of mind.
The new corona infection countermeasures comply with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism "Guidelines for Experience, Tour, and Activity Liaison Committee".
[Employees and store initiatives]
- Disinfectants are installed on each floor of the store.
- They are strengthening regular cleaning and disinfection.
- It is mandatory to measure the temperature before and when commuting. Staff who have contact with positive people or have a fever are suspended from work.
- All staff will wear masks to serve customers. (*Dressing staff also wear face shields)
- Vinyl curtains are installed at the cashiers and other places facing each other to prevent droplets from splashing when serving customers.
- The inside of the store is always ventilated.
- Admission may be restricted if the store is crowded.
- They will lay out so that the distance between customers can be kept constant.
[Request to customers]
- Please wear a mask.
- Please cooperate with the temperature measurement for customers when entering the store. If a fever of 37.5 ° C or higher is confirmed, we will refuse to enter the store.
- Please cooperate with hand sanitizer when entering the store. A disinfectant solution is available in the building.
- If you have symptoms such as fever or cough, please refrain from visiting the store.
- Please cooperate with cough etiquette.
- Regardless of the above description, the staff may contact the customer depending on the situation. In that case, please follow the staff's instructions.
Optional
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***Optional option may be different depending on the stores
Group tour & FIT Arrangements
What to expect by wearing kimono together:
- Dressing together and take a lot of group photos. It will be one of the memorable moments.
- You can also customize this experience for MICE arrangements. Such as a special or gala dinner with a Kimono experience. And also add some Japanese traditional performances.
- Each person can choose a different color of Kimonos, so it will be more colorful if they gather together.
- Please note, for group arrangement you need to spare more time for this experience because per person need 30-60 minutes to dressing, but do not worry, some stores offer a lot of staff to serve your group. Please contact us for more detailed information.
What to expect by trying this experience for FIT visitor:
Trying this experience alone, couple, or with family, will give you more time to preparing and dressing.
For a couple, this experience also can be suggested for the pre-wedding session
For a family, not only for adults kimono also available for children. Make sure you suggest the family group try this experience.
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