Short & Sweet! Asakusa Kimono Rental with a Quick Sightseeing Route
If you choose to walk as your mode of transportation, you can input multiple waypoints on Google Maps, allowing you to rearrange the order efficiently to visit the places you’re interested in. To minimize wasted time, it’s ideal to plan a route where you can visit multiple spots in a loop, just like drawing a single line.
When you’re on a short-time course, you can even gather the latest information from the staff while you’re getting your hair and makeup done. You might discover unexpected hidden gems, so be sure to ask for recommendations!
Reserve a Kimono Rental Shop during Off-Peak Hours
Another crucial point is the reservation time at the kimono rental shop. Depending on the time of day, there can be crowds, and you wouldn’t want to waste time waiting for the dressing process after arriving early.
To avoid such situations, it’s essential to check if the shop has availability during off-peak hours. For instance, at Rikawafuku Kimono Asakusa, the period from 13:00 onwards is recommended since it tends to be less crowded.
Keep in mind that availability can vary depending on the season, such as during cherry blossom viewing, fireworks festivals, or autumn leaves. Therefore, it’s reassuring to call the shop in advance and inquire about their schedule.
Opt for Light Meals or Food Tasting
The third point to consider when exploring for a short time is mealtime. If you don’t plan to eat or drink at all during your stroll, you may not need to worry about it. However, wouldn’t you like to savor the local cuisine?
But ordering dishes that require a long time to prepare or consume might result in unexpected time loss during your exploration.
Fortunately, Asakusa offers a variety of light snacks and street foods that are perfect for food tasting while on the go. Additionally, you can enjoy delicious sweets during a short break at cafes. It’s highly recommended!
If you choose to travel on foot, you can input multiple waypoints on Google Maps, allowing you to efficiently rearrange the order of visiting places of interest. To minimize wasted time, it’s ideal to plan a route where you can visit multiple spots in a loop, much like drawing a single continuous line.
Especially for short-duration tours, you can receive the latest information from staff while getting your hair and makeup done. You may come across unexpected hidden gems, so be sure to ask for recommendations!
Make Reservations at Kimono Rental Shops during Off-Peak Hours
Next, an important point to consider is the reservation time at the kimono rental shop.
Depending on the time of day, there may be crowds, and it would be disappointing if you arrived early but had to wait a long time for the dressing process, reducing your exploration time.
To avoid this situation, it’s crucial to check if the shop has available slots during off-peak hours. For instance, at Rikawafuku Kimono Asakusa, it’s recommended to book a slot starting from 13:00 as it’s typically less crowded.
Keep in mind that availability can vary depending on the season, such as during cherry blossom viewing, fireworks festivals, or autumn leaves. Therefore, it’s a good idea to call the shop in advance and inquire about their schedule.
Opt for Light Meals or Food Tasting
The third point to consider when exploring for a short time is mealtime. If you don’t plan to eat or drink at all during your stroll, you may not need to worry about it. However, wouldn’t you like to savor the local cuisine?
But ordering dishes that require a long time to prepare or consume might result in unexpected time loss during your exploration.
Fortunately, Asakusa offers a variety of light snacks and street foods that are perfect for food tasting while on the go. Additionally, you can enjoy delicious sweets during a short break at cafes. It’s highly recommended!
Recommended Short-duration Model Courses for Those Who Rent Kimonos in Asakusa
Now that you have grasped the key points and the process of kimono rental, let’s move on to three recommended model courses for those who want to enjoy sightseeing in a short time. If you’re unsure where to go or find it difficult to plan your own route, please consider these suggestions.
Asakusa Temple ~ Nakamise Shopping Street ~ Kaminarimon Short-duration Course
The first recommended short-duration model course is “Asakusa Temple ~ Nakamise Shopping Street ~ Kaminarimon.”
This course is packed with must-visit spots for Asakusa sightseeing, making it particularly suitable for those new to kimono rentals and visiting Asakusa for the first time.
From Rikawafuku Kimono Asakusa, it’s just a 3-minute walk to Asakusa Temple, which you can reach quickly.
Asakusa Temple, with its historical charm, is a perfect match for kimono rentals, so be sure to take photos as a memento.
In Nakamise Shopping Street, which is right near Asakusa Temple, you can enjoy plenty of souvenirs and local cuisine, making it perfect for shopping enthusiasts.
As you continue through the shopping street, you’ll soon see the famous Kaminarimon gate, so be sure to take commemorative photos here as well.
Food Tasting + Stylish Café-focused Short-duration Course
The second short-duration sightseeing course we recommend is the “Nakamise Shopping Street ~ Stylish Cafés” course.
As mentioned earlier, Nakamise Shopping Street offers a wide variety of food, making it perfect for those who want to enjoy local cuisine!
Furthermore, Asakusa has seen the opening of many stylish cafes that are sure to be Instagram-worthy. Be sure to take photos while wearing your rental kimono.
Stylish cafes perfect for a short visit are listed below, all within a 10-minute walk from Nakamise Shopping Street.
- ・ Stylish Café with Antique Atmosphere: “Cafe Otonova”
- ・ Cute Strawberry Sweets: “Mori no Ichigo Zona”
- ・ Recommended for Japanese Tea and Matcha Lovers: “Yanagi Chaya”
- ・ Retro Café with a View of the Sumida River: “Café Mulsow”
Short-duration Course with Goldfish Scooping Activity
The third recommended short-duration sightseeing course is “Asakusa Temple ~ Asakusa Goldfish ~ Hanatsuki-Do Main Store.”
Asakusa Goldfish, located just a 1-minute walk from Asakusa Temple, is a highly popular spot among kimono rental customers as it offers goldfish scooping all year round.
It’s also a perfect match for kimonos, and in addition to goldfish scooping, you can enjoy shopping for cute miscellaneous goods.
Furthermore, Hanatsuki-Do Main Store, located a 1-minute walk from Asakusa Goldfish, offers its famous giant melon bread. The windmill on the store’s wall is also a popular Instagram-worthy spot, so be sure to take a commemorative photo here as well.
In addition to sightseeing and tasting, Asakusa offers various hands-on activities such as traditional craftsmanship experiences, so consider exploring other options besides goldfish scooping.
The hands-on experience spots within a 10-minute walk from Asakusa Temple are as follows:
- ・ “Glass Factory Soki,” where you can experience Edo Kiriko glass cutting
- ・ “Raiden 5656 Kaikan,” where you can make thundercloud-shaped sweets (requires reservation)
- ・ “Asakusa Tumbler Workshop,” where you can create glass dragonflies (requires reservation)
Simple Steps for Kimono Rental
As mentioned above, once you have these three points in mind, the next step is kimono rental. If it’s your first time visiting the shop, you might be a little unsure about how things work from the moment you enter the shop. Therefore, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process in advance!
The simple steps for kimono rental are as follows:
- 1. Visit the shop.
- 2. Complete the reception and choose your kimono.
- 3. Get dressed in the kimono (if you’ve chosen a hairstyle set plan, you’ll also have your hair done here).
- 4. Store your belongings and set off.
The time required for dressing is approximately 15-20 minutes, and the hairstyle set takes about 15 minutes. So, you can be ready to go in about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. It’s a smooth process if you decide on the kimono design you want in advance.
You can find a detailed explanation of the kimono rental process with videos here:
＞Kimono Rental Process
On the Rikawafuku Kimono website, you’ll find photos of customers who have rented kimonos, so if you see a design you like, don’t hesitate to show it to the staff.
Enjoy Short-duration Kimono Rental in Asakusa
Asakusa offers plenty of attractions that can be enjoyed even in a short amount of time, so don’t worry if you have limited time for sightseeing. Planning your route in advance and deciding on the color and pattern of the kimono you want will help you make the most of your time.
Rikawafuku Kimono’s website also provides recommendations for other courses and a gallery of kimonos, so be sure to check it out for reference.
Additionally, there are other popular tourist spots nearby, such as Skytree. Even if you’re exploring other places and suddenly feel like renting a kimono, you can easily enjoy yourself in Asakusa.
Rikawafuku Kimono Asakusa Store accepts same-day reservations, so feel free to drop by without any worries. They have everything you need at the shop, so there’s no need to prepare anything in advance, making it a convenient and enjoyable experience.
Whether you’re someone who can only spend a short time in a kimono or someone who finds themselves with extra time after visiting other tourist spots, be sure to give it a try in Asakusa!
Author of this article
Kimono rental Rikawafuku Asakusa store
(Operating company: TripFarm Co., Ltd.)
By 2023, more than 230,000 people will be wearing kimonos in a year
2-16-9 HULIC & New Kaminarimon 6F, Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0034
3 minutes walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
1 minute walk to Kaminarimon
Click here for the website of our sister store, Kano-Wafuku（浅草の着物レンタル 花乃和服）.
