There are many Kimono rental shops recently. But how to choose it?
1. Location
We can rent a kimono for one day and we have to return it. So It’s convenient to choose the place near the last visiting place.
Normally you need to return Kimono between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
2. Kimono textile design
Kimono has different design such as Kawaii(cute) type for young girl or chic type for mature woman.
And also traditional textile design or modern textile design. You should see the samples of rental shop what type of design they have.
3. Kimono types
Furisode type :
Furisode is long sleeve Kimono and only single woman can wear at formal scene like a “20 years old coming age” ceremony or wedding.
(2 Women wear Furisode on the 3rd and 4th from left. I took this Kimono show picture at Nishijin textile center.)
For Kids :
Some Kimono rental shop has a kimono for kids. (Kids kimono are usually Shichi-go-san( *When children become 7, 5 and 3 years old, parents bring their son/daughter to shrine for blessing. And children wear Kimono. ) type. The picture below is Maiko kids version.
Yukata :
Yukata is summer cotton kimono. We wear it only summer season or at Ryokan (Japanese style inn).
Hakama :
Japanese wear Hakama style when we have graduation ceremony of University. Originally girl’s high school uniform around end of 19th century.
When we practice martial arts such as Kendo or Kyudo, we wear Hakama as well but more thick one.
Shrine Priestess and Imperial court maid also wear Hakama style kimono. (This 2 girls are my friends from university on the picture below.)
Maiko :
Maiko is an apprentice of Geiko known as Geisha. If you don’t wish to go around outside, some of rental shop has a service to take photo shooting inside. We use wig for Maiko makeover so if you find a Maiko with wig, she is tourist. Real Maiko hair style is made with real hair. Geiko use wig.
You can find Geiko makeover at Kyoto Toei movie studio park.
Oiran :
You may find the Oiran makeover. Oiran is the queen of Geisha in 19th century in entertainment district.
Have you find what type of Kimono you like? If you are first time, maybe you can just go for normal type. Personally I like Taisho era(early 20th century) textile design Kimono.
This picture below is me, I choose blue chic type and you can see hair accessories on the table. If you oder hair done, you can choose one.
Kimono rental is usually about 2,500yen(25 USD) to 5,000yen and hair done is about 2,000yen. if you pay more, you can choose high quality Kimono such as Furisode type.
Kimono rental shop borrow you a hand bag and shoes. It is not comfortable to walk around actually ….so don’t make a lot of plan to visit. You will be exhausted.
It is not appropriate to wear earrings and watch when we wear Kimono because it might scratch a Kimono. When you attend the tea ceremony, we do same for same reason.
Spring and Autumn are high season in Japan. So I recommend you to book the rental kimono in advance. Japanese likes to do “Rental-Kimono” as well.
SNS pushes their service. Everyone want to be a princes !
The other hand, people stop buying the traditional kimono which is expensive. The traditional Kimono company business is shrink.
This problem is not only for Kimono business. It’s all of hand craft business as well.
I hope all traditional crafts and culture keep forward to future.
