How can I choose the best kimono for my trip to Kyoto?

When you travel to Japan, wearing a yukata to see the Gion Festival in summer, stepping on clogs to see the maple leaves at Nanzenji Temple in fall, and strolling under the cherry blossom trees in spring is definitely a completely different travel experience, so today we'll be sharing how to choose the right kimono for you.

Difference between Kimono and Yukata

The yukata is a kind of kimono, which is sort of a simplified version of the traditional kimono, and it's also a kind of kimono. It is a simplified version of the kimono. While the kimono is usually worn for more formal occasions, the yukata has slowly evolved from being worn after bathing to being worn for summer festivals, festivals, and fireworks displays.

From the selection of clothing materials, kimono material is mostly high-grade fabrics, yukata clothing material is mostly cotton and linen fabrics, although the style is relatively simple, but most of the summer to go to Japan would recommend choosing a light yukata, after all, more than thirty degrees of the day really can not hold wrapped in a layer of kimono ah.

The small light green maple leaves and lines recall the feeling of the green maples dancing with the breeze in summer at Kiyomizu Temple.

Categorization of kimonos

Kimonos are categorized into kotatsu (small lines), ryori (sleeves), shinsuke (sleeves), kairao chahakama (hakama), and hanamata (flower wedding) garments, and are worn for different occasions. For tourists who want to experience kimono, the two types of kimono they choose are kotatsu and maki-e, and the two types of kimono they choose are kotatsu.

The "kotatsu" is a traditional Japanese kimono that is worn every day, and it's a repetitive pattern that is repeated throughout the body. Although there are many cute and fresh styles, they lack a "high price tag" compared to the traditional kimono.

The "Zen sleeves" is just the Eboshi kimono, also known as the long-sleeved dress, which is actually the kimono worn in the adult style, with bright colors and gorgeous styles, and it looks especially good when worn in portraits, so it is also the most popular among tourists.

Boys also have a lot of good-looking kimono, although the style choice is not so much (anyway, he is just a companion haha), but together to take a group photo is still very good.

How to choose a kimono

When choosing a kimono, just follow your usual style and color, and think about where you're going to be photographed, and try to avoid kimonos that are almost the same color as the main color of the place you're going to be photographed.

Hair must be coiled up, hair is too elegant, and the beauty of the kimono is in the back of the neck, if you have short hair, it is best to braid it. If you have short hair, it's best to braid it too. You should also choose a beautiful head flower, without which your hairstyle will be overshadowed.

After choosing the right clothes, you can match the color of your handbag and clogs with your outfit, and in summer you can also choose beautiful fans and umbrellas, which are practical and good-looking, and they will also be good props for taking pictures.

How to take good-looking kimono photo

If you are traveling to Japan, the most recommended place to experience kimono is Kyoto, because it is really too good to shoot!

Kyoto well preserved the original historical style, there are many old buildings, slanting alleys on both sides, into the eyes of a block of simple houses and hanging Japanese lanterns in the small store, strolling in which is like in a Japanese movie, everywhere a back shot out particularly beautiful.

Wearing a kimono to take pictures is very simple to remember not to look directly at the camera, you can be a little subtle, to walk naturally, without thinking sideways, and occasionally look back with a smile, so that the shot will show a kind of unintentional beauty

With the hands of the small props can be utilized, such as washi paper umbrellas, shrines in the scooping hands of the water spoons, wearing a yukata in the summer if you remember to bring a fan to cover half of the face, sweet and slightly with a fan.

When you are wearing a yukata in the summer, remember to bring a fan to cover half of your face, so that you can be sweet and shy.

When wearing more fancy clothes, you can try to choose the background of a simple environment to shoot, in the temple some people remember to choose the corner of the people less people to take pictures, behind the colorful passers-by is really too much to destroy the beauty of the photo.

Photo courtesy of Izu Kimono Experience Center

Edited by Peach