Can I rent a kimono in Asakusa today without a booking?

You are standing under Kaminarimon, it is already today, and you want to know whether you can be in a kimono within the hour. The short answer is yes — we take same-day guests. The day just runs differently from a booked day, and these are the parts worth knowing before you walk over.

Can I walk in today without a booking?

Yes. Same-day visits are accepted. Guests with a booking are dressed first, though, so depending on how busy the shop is you may be asked to wait. Weekends fill up from the morning slots down.

Bookings are taken through the website or by contacting customer support, and a booking is confirmed once the reservation deposit is paid — ¥1,000 for one to four guests, ¥2,000 for five to eight. If you have even a short window before you set off, that route removes the waiting question entirely.

How late can I arrive and still make the day work?

The earlier the better. Same-day returns close at 17:00. Start changing at 09:00 and you have close to eight hours, but allow about 60 minutes for dressing and hair and about 10 minutes to change back at the end. The realistic amount of time you spend out in the kimono runs from roughly an hour after you arrive until 17:00.

If it is going to be well past midday by the time you get there, plan around the next-day extension from the start — ¥1,100 per person, with the set back by 14:00 the following day — rather than deciding at dusk. Ask for the extension at the counter. The finer points of returning are on the return time page.

There is no published cut-off time for turning up, because how long you wait depends on how busy the shop happens to be when you arrive. The fixed point sits at the other end of the day, at 17:00, and everything else is arithmetic backwards from it.

What can and cannot be added on the day?

The one thing you can add on the spot is the elaborate hair set, ¥1,700 per person. The basic hair set is already part of the rental price, so what you are adding on the day is the tier above it.

Photo sessions and make-up must be booked in advance and cannot be added on the day. If you want a photographer with you, or make-up done as well, that is a day to book rather than a day to walk in. This is the real dividing line between “today is fine” and “book tomorrow instead”.

What should I have ready if I walk in?

The security deposit taken when you head out is ¥10,000 per person, or ¥20,000 for furisode. It is returned in full when the kimono comes back, so it is not money spent, but it is money you need on hand today.

The other thing is luggage. We cannot store large suitcases. Use a station coin locker, or find a nearby drop-off through the ecbocloak app, and come over travelling light. The clothes you change out of are stored free of charge while you are out.

Beyond that there is not much to prepare. The kimono and its underlayers, the sandals, the bag and the basic hair set are all part of the rental price, so a walk-in guest turns up with the deposits sorted and a locker key, and nothing else.

Should I go today, or book for tomorrow?

If you are a group of one to four, the kimono and the basic hair set are all you want, and you can get moving before midday — come over today. That leaves plenty of time for Sensoji, Nakamise and a walk along the Sumida.

If instead you want a photo session or make-up, there are five or more of you, or you will not arrive until early evening, booking a later day will give you a much better day out. Free cancellation and date changes run until 20:00 the day before, so you can watch the forecast and still hold a slot for tomorrow. One caveat if you do switch to a booking: if you arrive more than 30 minutes late we may not be able to dress you, and that payment is not refunded — so leave yourself a margin on the arrival time.