Trang Shop Kyoto-Kimono Rental-着物レンタル — Local services in Kyoto

Wanted to rent kimono early to beat the crowds and this was one of the only shops open really early in the morning.

Arrived around 7:15am with no reservation and were met with very little instruction and interaction. There were 2 groups (one group of 3 and another group of 2 ahead of us) and they were treated so much better than my friend and I. They kept speaking in Vietnamese, which is totally ok, but almost never directed us or communicated with us.

By the time we were ready to put on the under layer, we were given the piece of clothing and told to change in the hallway outside of the bathroom since the changing room was full of the 3 women in the first group finishing up their kimono looks.

Overall we spent an hour waiting only to leave because we had breakfast reservations.

Left feeling like we were ignored and had a really negative experience.

UPDATE TO RESPOND TO THE OWNER: I understand that there was a current reservation when we walked in, and another group who came in just before us. I wasn't expecting to be serviced right away by any means. However, we were not turned away due to capacity, given an estimated wait time, or even a single update/acknowledgement throughout the process. No one said it would be an hour wait time. In fact, the staff only asked if we could wait and we ignorantly said yes because we didn't know how long the process would take. Between the time we were asked to wait and the time we told the staff we had to leave due to our reservation, we were given no update on how much longer the wait would be. We stood and held our chosen kimonos for over an hour before being given any instruction or having the clothing hung for us. This also does not take away from the fact that we most definitely were told to change in the hallway outside of the bathroom, in full view of the business. The staff did not tell us to wait until the other group was done with the changing area, and to be clear, the group ahead of us had all already changed and were now being styled, so no one was currently changing in the room but we were still the ones sent out to the hall. The staff explicitly pointed to the hallway while handing us the robes to change into, while they continued to style the other group in the room. This may be a miscommunication issue and I'm of course willing to be understanding and accept my part in a miscommunication, but at no point were we given instruction or guidance on what the staff expected us to do, other than being handed robes and pointed to a hall way by the bathroom (which is a single toilet and not a changing area). I don't blame the staff for not being able to speak English well, and that was never the issue. Not attempting to try and engage with us for over an hour while we stood waiting was what I had the problem with. I fully understand that I was in a different country and I didn't know how to speak the local language, but to be completely ignored for most of the process was my main concern. I told 2 of the staff members we were leaving because we had breakfast reservations we couldn't miss at 8:30am. They responded "Okay" and continued styling the other group, so we went back to the hallway and changed into our own clothes again. The fact that the owner calls the under layer robe we were finally instructed to put on "kimono underwear" and that we "threw it on the floor" is a bold and completely false accusation as we took off the robes and respectfully asked where to put them, and were pointed to a bin that was meant for used robes. We even tried to tell the staff again when we handed the robes off that we had to leave, but were ignored. All this being said, I get that the business was busy, but they should try to do better to either say that they cannot take anymore walk in's at that time or give an estimate so you know what to expect and can make other plans if needed. At the very least, don't lie and accuse them of throwing things on the floor and ignoring the staff when that couldn't be further...

0 STAR!!! Worst place!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Incredibly rude to everyone. Super rough when doing my hair and makeup… ( tugging and pulling ) I asked her to be gentle and she asked if I want to do it myself… if I had known the end result I would have done it myself. She only half did my hair…. I had to finish braiding the rest because she was over booked and said she needed to attend to others. She over charged us because we ‘took too long’ deciding, we only took 10 minutes going through the rack of clothes…. This place is owned by Vietnamese people who does not know the Japanese culture. When we returned she did not acknowledge us, she was glued to her phone. I asked her to help take out my hair accessories, she completely ignored me. Her husband took them out which I was grateful for, he clearly did not know how to which lead to him pulling my hair. Her husband also helped undress me… accidentally touching me inappropriately. There’s also cameras in the change rooms… and they give you no privacy whilst getting change. This left such a sour taste and ruined what was supposed to be a wonderful experience. There’s so many authentic rental stores along that strip, save your money and go to...

We had an amazing experience at Trang kimono rental! While most other places close by 7 PM, they are one of the very few open until 10 PM—which was a lifesaver for us, especially with our tight schedule.

The service was beyond expectations. Not only did they provide a beautiful selection of kimonos and professional hair styling, but they also went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. Even though it was late, the husband and wife team were helping us without rushing or cutting corners. It was clear they hadn’t even had time to eat dinner, yet they still welcomed us with warm smiles and incredible hospitality.

We felt genuinely cared for, and the effort they put into every detail—from choosing the right kimono to matching accessories and styling—was heartfelt and professional.

Highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a kimono experience with a personal touch and unmatched dedication. A truly memorable part...