Kyoto Kimono Rental MOCOMOCO Kiyomizu-dera — Attraction in Kyoto

From the first moment me and my boyfriend stepped into the store- it felt super rushed and busy. For context- we have booked this experience for 10am through klook and bought womens and mens kimono packages and 1 hour photography. On klook it stated I can choose from 1000s of different kimonos and nowhere did it state I would have to pay additional cost depending on what kimono I want. It also said the store would have english speakers but when we went no one spoke english.

When they went through the kimono options all they kept saying is how much more I would need to pay to rent a “higher end/better material” kimonos going between 10,000yen to 50,000yen additionally to what I have already paid through klook. In the end I asked the lady which kimonos I dont need to pay additional fees as I was getting frustrated with all the costs being thrown at me. I have then chosen a nice green lace one. My boyfriend was given the same option- either to get a one colour mens kimono or get samurai type kimono with additonal cost which we then paid for as it wad more interesting and only cost about 6,000yen on top.

Once we have chosen our kimonos we were kind of standing in the middle of the store and didnt know what to do, all the workers were running around as well as the customers and it was so hectic to the point i felt like leaving. We then finally got told to choose undergarments and enter the changing rooms where they put the kimono on you. As soon as I walked into the changing rooms I was being told off by the worker saying I need to go to the side and put socks on. At that point I was so startled and confused and didnt know what to do so I started looking at the other girls and what they were doing so I started copying them.

When it was my turn- the lady started putting the kimono on me (with a slight force) and was tightering the corset bit so much it was hard to breath and not once did she check if i was okay- to be fact she didnt even speak or look at me the whole time as she was speaking to he coworker- she then at the end said how beautiful i look which i thought was a bit fake.

I then exited the changing room and went to the hair part of the store- i was given a sheet to choose what heairstyle i wanted. Once it was my turn the worker then stopped me and said to the girl next to me (who was asian) to go first even though i was there first. The lovely girl even said to the worker that I should go as i was there first but she refused which made me and the girl uncomfortable. Once my hair was done and I mamaged to go through this holding tears me and my boyfriend were guided to the front to PAY first before leaving.

I have explained again we have bought everything through klook inc. photography. She then did dome calculations and said I need to pay for my boyfriends kimono and If i want mine for free I need to go on Klook- she started pointing at my phone. Once I was on klook she then took my phone and started putting 5 star reviews for both me and my boyfriends kimono package also saying to write the review. I quickly wrote some gibberish as I wanted to leave the store asap.

There were also issues with getting in touch with the photographer as the put us to one side and then perceeded to forget about us or contacting the photographer but once my boyfriend stood right in the way and revused to move (after 25 minutes) we got there in the end.

The whole experience was hectic and we probably wont do it again and If we do recommend this experience to someone it would definitely not be this hectic unorganised shop.

The only good thing that came out of this was how we enjoyed being in the kimonos after and we did look amazing in the end. Also the photographer was lovely and the photos came out amazing so thank you to the photographer. but this experience can be achived through literely any other store with better...

I found this kimono rental and photoshoot on Klook and booked it based on the many positive reviews. The day before our appointment, I decided to dig a bit deeper and checked Google reviews too — and I’m really glad I did. It gave me a fuller picture of what to expect.

What I Was Looking For:

Lots of reviews to gauge consistency A wide variety of kimono for both men and women Staff who could speak at least some English, since it was our first time doing this

Location Confusion:

One thing to note: the map on Klook led us to the wrong location (the newer store). Luckily, a staff member noticed and kindly guided us to the right one, which was just around the corner (6–7 minute walk). Make sure to double-check the store address before your visit.

The Experience:

After seeing some of the more critical reviews, I came in with adjusted expectations — which helped. A lot of reviews mentioned feeling rushed, and in our case, that did happen.

When I was heading into the changing area, I tried to tell my boyfriend where I was going, but the staff member assisting me seemed impatient and hurried me along, saying I was lucky to get in quickly. My boyfriend (who wears a size small) was only offered one kimono and also rushed through the process. Changing was done in a shared space with other women — something I was okay with, but I can see it being uncomfortable for others. After changing, I was briefly unsure where to go for hair and makeup, but figured it out after looking around (to the right after leaving the changing area).

While waiting for hairstyling, I was asked to grab my bag and shoes, which made me feel like I might lose my spot. But one of the staff acknowledged me and made sure I stayed next in line, which I appreciated.

Staff & Communication:

The hairstyling was nice and had a decent selection. Afterwards, I wanted to add accessories for my kimono, but noticed it took some effort to get help — especially since we weren’t fluent in Japanese. My boyfriend had to ask a few times before someone helped us, but they eventually did.

Later, I wanted to pay for the accessory (about \$5 CAD), and while the cashier was busy, she was polite and tried her best to assist us despite the language barrier. She even asked another customer to help translate, which we appreciated. She also mentioned I could have the accessory for free in exchange for leaving a review — which I’d seen mentioned in other reviews too. For the record, she never took my phone or forced me, and she was respectful throughout.

When returning the kimono, some items like hair accessories were removed in a shared area, but full undressing was done privately in the dressing room.

The Photoshoot:

This part felt a little informal at first. I wasn’t assigned a photographer ahead of time — someone from the shop simply contacted a photographer through Instagram. It felt a little uncertain, but I went with it, and it actually turned out well.

The photographer was professional and friendly. He guided us on how to pose and took a lot of great shots. I waited to write this review until I received the final edited photos — and they were well done.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I’d describe the experience as average. It’s a fast-paced rental shop, and if you’re not familiar with the language or process, it can feel overwhelming. That said, reading reviews ahead of time really helped me stay calm and navigate the experience better.

If you’re considering this place, I recommend reading both the good and bad reviews carefully. It makes a big difference in knowing what to expect and how to prepare. I would give the place 2.5/5 but honestly, the photographer that we had really helped us have a good...

This is not an English speaking kimono rental. Everyone speaks mandarin. I wouldn’t recommend this place to people who don’t speak Chinese, you won’t be able to ask for help, and you’re left on your own to decide what combination will look nice.

I appreciate the staff for accommodating me and my partner, as we made an appointment for 9am at the Arashiyama MOCOMOCO store, but after what we went through I honestly wished they hadn’t.

Me and my partner were coming straight from Arashiyama bamboo grove in the early morning, I didn’t apply any makeup yet and had planned on doing my own makeup at the kimono rental place. Upon arrival they told us of our plan options, and I asked if they also did makeup. They said yes for +5000 Yen. That’s very expensive, but I reasoned that professionally done makeup is worth it. I asked them if they had a makeup artist, but because of the language barrier they just kept saying, “good makeup, light makeup” I was skeptical but decided if their charging that much for their makeup service it was probably good.

So after choosing our kimono/yukata + 1 Obi-stash, we went upstairs to the changing room and met the dresser who is Japanese. She will really push you to spend more money as there will be a lot of options of lace, frills, and pearl embellishments with each upgrade being +500. Usually I wouldn’t have minded, but because the quality of the kimonos looked and felt cheap, without embellishments the basic ensemble looks below average.

Before makeup, I have to put in my contacts, so I ask for their washroom, they didn’t have any hand soap, their sink was also activated by flushing the toilet, at this point I’m wondering how sanitary the makeup artist can be without a proper hand washing station. For me, I used hand sanitizer to disinfect then rinsed my hands after. No paper towels, luckily I bought my own tissues. I had my partner help me open and hold the contacts for me so I could insert them without contamination.

When that was done, the same lady, who promised me the makeup would be light and good, sat me down facing the window. She started off with foundation, using a tiny sponge, then concealer, where she started using her own fingers to blend it into my skin. Then she did my eyebrows and contour right after, moving on to eyeshadow. At this point I was super concerned, but I still hoped that she knew what she was doing. BUT, after she finished my ‘winged’ eyeliner, I was so shocked by how curved and thick it was that I told her to immediately take it off, she tried to fixed it by removing the wing but even with that the makeup was just awful. At this point, I knew that I needed to do my own makeup and told her, “I’m sorry but I don’t like it and I want to take it off.” Even though she removed the winged liner with a makeup wipe she told me she didn’t have anything to give me to remove the makeup with. I had to hold my tears back from what a disaster this turned out to be. They just looked sympathetically at me and left me alone.

Thankfully my partner ran off and bought me makeup wipe and sunscreen at a nearby family mart, he had bought my makeup bag with him too so I was able to redo my makeup myself. But this whole experience definitely affected us on what was supposed to be a special day.

This place does not care for your experience to be special or memorable, they want your money and thats it. The audacity to charge 5000 yen for that ‘makeup service’, also they only have 5 options for hairstyling with two of them being basically the same thing.

Yes they were nice, but that’s why I’m giving two stars...