Will you have a kimono in my size in Asakusa?

Sizing is the first thing people worry about with a rented kimono, so here is the answer up front. We keep a wide range of sizes. If you are over 180cm tall, or unsure whether a set will fit you, please talk to us before you book.

Can I wear one if I am over 180cm?

Ask us first — that is the honest answer. We do keep a wide range, but the taller you are, the smaller the pool of sets that work. Tell us before booking and we can check what is likely to be ready for your date.

Mentioning it at the counter on the day and mentioning it when you book are the same amount of effort, but they give you very different numbers of options.

What actually determines kimono size?

Two measurements. Yuki is the length from the centre of your back to your wrist. Mitake is the length from shoulder to hem.

Mitake has some give: the fabric is folded over at the waist in a tuck called ohashori, which absorbs a few centimetres either way. Yuki has no equivalent: dressing adds no length there. So for anyone with long arms or broad shoulders, yuki, not height, is the measurement that decides things.

Width around the body matters less than you would expect. A kimono wraps at the front, so a range of body shapes is absorbed by how deeply the panels overlap.

What if I am worried about my body shape?

A kimono is designed to play down curves rather than follow them. During dressing, towels are used to smooth the waist and bust into a straighter line. Quite often the thing people are self-conscious about in western clothes simply stops being visible in a kimono.

If you are still unsure, send your height and whatever you are concerned about when you book. Knowing it in advance changes which set we pull out for you.

How does sizing work for men?

Men’s kimono has no ohashori tuck. The length is worn as it was tailored, so mitake becomes the finished length directly — which makes height matter more than it does for women’s sets.

Men’s kimono starts at ¥8,000. If you are tall, this is exactly the case where asking before you book pays off, because whether the yuki reaches your wrist is best confirmed against a real set rather than a size chart.

How do I choose for a child?

Children’s kimono sizing is the most specific of all. Send us the child’s gender and height before booking. Kids’ sets start at ¥5,500.

For a child who is growing quickly, use a height measured recently rather than one from a few months ago — that gap is often several centimetres.

Can you hold a particular kimono for me?

Only sets paid in full can be held, and we cannot change your choice once you arrive.

Because of that, if your size might be borderline, we sometimes suggest skipping the hold entirely and choosing on the day with the set actually on you. Ennichi has over 500 kimonos, so deciding in the shop still leaves you plenty to pick from.

Three things worth telling us before you book

Your height, whatever you are unsure about with fit, and — if a child is coming — their gender and height. Sending those three in the first message removes the part of the day that is otherwise spent searching at the counter.