Kyoaruki Kyoto Gion store — Local services in Kyoto

We walked in to this kimono rental place because it looked large from the outside being 2 floors. The signs also said walk ins accepted and we didn’t have a reservation.

When we walked in, it was empty and we were not greeted. We asked the lady how much it cost to hire a kimono and she just rudely pointed to the price sign and walked away without offering to help us choose a kimono or tell us how the process worked or tell us about the price packages. Since she didn’t want to serve us, we thought it was okay to have a browse of the kimonos available.

Interestingly, another customer who was Chinese came in and she seemed to serve them quite enthusiastically, speaking Chinese. Once I found a kimono I was interested in, I held it up and asked her how could we hire it and she looked at us in disgust and said we didn’t have a reservation and that we needed to wait for 30 minutes. We didn’t mind waiting but her poor behaviour and facial expression really turned us off so we left.

Reading other reviews it seems that some other foreigners have had bad experiences as well and a lot of the good reviews are from Chinese customers. This is the only bad review we’ve left during our stay in Japan and it left such a...

I just walked in this afternoon without an appointment because their location is very close to temples, shrines and Gion's historic streets. The staff were very helpful and caring. Prices were clearly labelled everywhere. I chose the high-end kimono package which includes accessories and hairdo. They don't offer makeup here, which is the only drawback. The two ladies helped me dress and do my hair with a lot of care. I felt very well looked after. They were kind to offer to take photos of me with my partner in the shop. Overall, it was a wonderful experience to be a Japanese...

Had my first kimono experience in kyoaruki Kyoto gion store today and it was so special! The staff helped me choose a beautiful design and dressed me with such care. Walking through the old streets in a kimono really made me feel part of the culture such a unique and memorable experience....