Kimono Rental near Kaminarimon — Ennichi Kaminarimon Store

The Kaminarimon store is the closer of our two Asakusa shops to the Kaminarimon side. It is three minutes on foot from exit A4 of Asakusa Station on the Asakusa Line, and four minutes from exit 1 on the Ginza Line. Our main store is eight minutes from that same A4 exit, so if you arrive on either of these two lines, this shop saves you about five minutes each way.

Which station should I use?

Two lines reach us.

From Haneda Airport or the Oshiage side, take the Asakusa Line to Asakusa Station and leave by exit A4: three minutes on foot. From Ginza, Ueno or Shibuya, take the Ginza Line to Asakusa Station and leave by exit 1: four minutes. Either way you are dressed and walking within a few minutes of the station.

One warning. Several stations in Asakusa share the name, on different lines, and they are not the same building. The Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station is somewhere else entirely — if you are arriving on that line, our main store is closer.

How long is the walk to Kaminarimon and Nakamise?

About two minutes to the gate itself. Of our two shops, this is the one nearest Kaminarimon. Step through and the Nakamise arcade begins immediately: a straight run of souvenir stalls leading to the Hozomon gate, with the main hall of Senso-ji beyond it, roughly seven minutes from our door.

Almost none of your day is spent getting from the mirror to the first photograph, and that is what this address buys you. Where to stand and which hours stay uncrowded are covered in our guide to photo spots in Asakusa.

How do I reach the river and the Skytree view?

Follow the street in front of Kaminarimon eastward and Azumabashi bridge is about four minutes away. Tokyo Skytree stands across the Sumida from the bridge, and turning north along the water brings you into Sumida Park, around six minutes from us.

Asakusa divides into a temple side and a river side, and this shop sits right at the fork. That makes it easy to give the morning to one and the afternoon to the other. Dividing up the hours themselves is the subject of our one-day Asakusa itinerary.

In what order do people visit Senso-ji?

Through Kaminarimon, along Nakamise, under the Hozomon gate, and the main hall is in front of you. Just before it stands the water pavilion, where visitors rinse their hands and mouth. Past that is the great bronze incense burner: the custom is to waft the rising smoke over yourself before climbing the steps.

At the hall people drop a coin in the offertory box, ring the bell and press their palms together. Senso-ji is a Buddhist temple dedicated to Kannon, so there is no clapping as there would be at a Shinto shrine — just quiet hands. Fortune slips are sold to either side of the hall; Senso-ji is famous for how often they come out unlucky, and the custom is to tie those to the rack in the grounds and leave them behind.

You will be walking flagstones and steps in zori sandals, so a shorter stride around the temple grounds saves your feet.

Which of the two stores should I book?

Decide by the line you arrive on and by where you want to be once you are dressed.

If you are coming in on the Asakusa Line or the Ginza Line and want to be walking towards Kaminarimon and Nakamise straight after your fitting, book here. If you are coming in on the Tsukuba Express, or you want to take your time over a formal set, the main store is reached by three lines and suits you better.

Whichever you pick, the clothes you change out of and your day bag are kept at the shop free of charge while you are out, so you only carry what you want in your hands. Large suitcases are the exception — those go in a coin locker or an ecbocloak drop-off before you arrive.

What can I rent here?

Ennichi rents ten styles in all and the prices are the same at both Asakusa stores. Komon starts at ¥6,000, a lace kimono or a short-sleeve furisode at ¥7,000, men’s kimono at ¥8,000 and children’s kimono at ¥5,500. Among the formal sets, furisode starts at ¥25,000, homongi and colour or black tomesode at ¥16,000, and iromuji at ¥13,000.

Each price covers the kimono, a bag, shoes and basic hair styling. Make-up can be added for ¥4,500 per person and has to be booked in advance.

What kind of day does this store suit?

If Asakusa is only getting a few hours of your trip, the distance from this shop is what counts. Two minutes to Kaminarimon means you step out of the mirror and onto the temple approach. A komon or a lace kimono over a half-width obi is the lightest thing to walk in; men’s kimono move easily too.

Coming as a pair, you can hold two bolts of cloth side by side at the rail and decide whether to match or deliberately clash. Nakamise, the main hall and Azumabashi then join up into one continuous stroll.

If a photographer is joining you, an outdoor location shoot overlaps with exactly this ground: the gate, the arcade, the hall. Photography and hair and make-up are both by advance booking.

What happens once I arrive at the Kaminarimon store?

Check in, choose the kimono, then dressing and hair styling. The clothes you came in and your day bag are handed over at that point. As you set off we take a security deposit of ¥10,000 per person, or ¥20,000 for a premium furisode, held rather than charged and returned in full when the kimono comes back.

Here, two minutes after you step outside you are standing at the gate. A last look in the long mirror at your collar and the set of your obi is what makes the first photograph work.

Booking, the day itself and the return are laid out end to end in our guide to the rental process. This section covers only what happens between arriving and setting off.

How do bookings and cancellations work?

Guests with reservations are dressed first. Walk-ins are usually possible, but on a Saturday morning they can mean a wait.

The reservation deposit is ¥1,000 for one to four guests and ¥2,000 for five to eight; the booking is confirmed once it is paid. Cancellations and date changes are free until 20:00 the day before your visit. Arriving more than 30 minutes after your slot may mean we cannot dress you.

Same-day returns close at 17:00.

What if I only have a short time in Asakusa?

Arrive for the 09:00 opening and there are roughly eight hours before the 17:00 same-day return. Half a day, or an afternoon only, fits comfortably inside that window.

The shorter your stay, the more those two minutes to Kaminarimon are worth. With so little of the time going on transit, the approach, the main hall and — if there is room — Azumabashi make a realistic plan.