Note, just about everything in Japan requires a reservation so make sure to book your experience.

What drew me to this kimono rental was the location near the temple and the fact that they offered tall and larger size kimonos! This is important if you’re a size 10 and up or over 5’7″ 🙂 We paid about $45 USD per person for the rentals.

We made an appointment for 9am and from start to finish it took about an hour. First, we picked out our kimono, belt, and purse and, since we opted for a hairstyle, we picked from one of about six styles. Trust me, pay for the hairstyle, it’s so cute and really completes the outfit.

After we had all the components for the kimono we went to the building next door to be dressed. In the entrance of the building we removed our shoes and were given a large tote bag. We then walked upstairs to a ladies only community dressing area.

We had worn a thin t-shirt layer which we left on under our kimono and we left our pants on until they got the first skirt layer on us which means we were never naked while being dressed by strangers. Because of the dressing situation we were not allowed to take any photos or videos so hopefully we can aptly describe the process.

As we were being dressed we put our clothes and purse (after removing important items) in the tote bag which was secured in a safe place until our return. The ladies that help you get your kimono on don’t speak much English, but they have translation cards that they show you if they need to share information with you. Honestly, the ladies are so efficient while getting you in the kimono but be prepared that there are many layers to the kimono and they cinch it tight! I kept on joking with my mom that corsets have nothing on Kimonos. About halfway through the kimono dressing we stopped to have our hair done.

Once our hair was styled all fancy, they finished getting the rest of the kimono components on us. The last step is to find a pair of sandals(flip flop style) that fit. We have large feet (size 9/10) so the sandals mostly fit but were a bit short, we made it work.

I can’t recommend this place enough! The ladies working there were so nice and helpful.

This location is so very close to the temple. It was simply a matter of walking down the alleyway to the main street then hanging a left. We then walked, uphill, less than a city block.

There are lots of places to take photos around the temple and we were fortunate to be there during the fall color change to have that added pop of colors. We didn’t walk all the way to the top of the temple because our shoes were not easy to walk in. We decided to play it safe and take photos at the base of the temple and not tempt the gods with the potential for a twisted ankle.

After we were done exploring the temple, we went in search of the matcha cloud cakes I kept on hearing about. As fate, or Japan, would have it, the cloud cakes were located half way down a very steep hill with, guess what, stairs. There is just no escaping the stairs in Japan so the best thing to do is embrace it with good shoes on or, in our case, Zori sandals.

Seating is a bit limited at kumonochi but we made our way up a narrow, steep staircase to the upstairs seating where we enjoyed a tasty cake, matcha tea, and a refreshing fruit drink.

After our matcha break it was back up the hill to the kimono rental to change back into our street clothes. Technically, we had until 6pm before we had to return our Kimonos but between the tightly cinched clothing and the uncomfortable shoes we decided our curiosity about what it’s like to wear a kimono was appeased. 

Update 2025- 

So we are getting ready for another trip to Japan this July and as I was researching what we wanted to do, I stumbled across this Kimono Shop in Kyoto that I thought I would share. 

Rikawafuku has multiple locations in Kyoto, one being in the Kiyomizu area. This shop has gorgeous kimonos to choose from. They can fit up to a 41 inch waist and about 5’.6” height. They do say if you are taller no worries the hem and sleeves just might be a little shorter. 

If you have other questions you want answered here are their FQA

When you first enter the museum head up to the desk and buy your tickets (we didn’t need to make a reservation, we walked right in, but you’ll want to confirm before your visit). The entrance fee was around $4 USD to visit and included a keepsake sake cup and 3 coins to use in the sake tasting room. I honestly can’t remember if we paid with a card or cash but I want to say they took both.

The first room you make your way through goes over the history of Sake, where it was started for them and what types of Sakes they used to make and do make. It’s really interesting to see how it first began and to where it is now. They do have little info plaques next to items in the case and some of them have English translation. But I think you still get the story without it being in English!

One of the rooms you walk through shows you the process that goes into make Sake and the type of equipment they used historically and use today. They also had videos playing to show you the process.

After you make your way through the museum the last room you will go though is the sake tasting room. Your entrance ticket comes with 3 tastings but if you want to try more after those 3 you can buy more tokens. At the tables they have a sheet with all the Sakes you can try to help you to decide what Sake you want to try first.

There are also Sake professionals in the room that will talk to you about Sake, the flavor profiles, what order to try in and provide suggestions. Our pro was a wealth of information and so interesting to learn from.

Once you’ve decided on your Sakes, go up to the machine, put your coin in, press the button, and fill your cup up.

When you are done sampling the Sake you can stop at the gift shop to pick up your favorite bottles of Sake to take home with you. We bought a few bottles and I appreciated that they had some of the Sake in smaller bottles because its just me drinking it lol.

Tip: We brought wine bottle travel bags to Japan with us and used them for Sake and other fragile items that we brought home. The bags take very little space on way to Japan. To use, simply insert the bottle in the bag and use the hand pump to inflate with air. Our Sake and other fragile items arrived home perfectly safe!

I would definitely recommend coming to this Sake museum if you have time. We spent about an hour here and that wasn’t rushing.

When you’re done at Gekkeikan Okura if you have time make sure to explore the immediate area. There are a couple Shrine/Temples to visit. We visited the Benzaiten Chokenji Temple before we went to the museum, we did some fortunes as well as getting a goshin for our book. You can also take sightseeing boat tours along the canal that are right by the museum.

This might just be one of the best FREE tours you can take on your trip to Japan. Located in Chofu, Japan about 40 minutes away from Shibuya you’ll find Mayo Terrace. Any and all Mayo lovers should definitely make time for this free Kewpie Mayo Tour!

Once you arrive at Mayo Terrace, after getting a lanyard guest pass from security, you check in at the reception desk and then wait for your tour time to start. Some helpful things to know are that they do have lockers where you can store your items and there are also restrooms available.

Collecting Stamps at the Kyoto Botanical Gardens

When you exit at the Kitayama train station the garden is right at the top of the exit so you don’t have to walk but a couple steps. On arrival, you’ll purchase your tickets through a vending machine system that is pretty easy to use. However, if you have any issues there is usually an employee nearby that can help. To participate in the layered stamp you can purchase the stamp card at the window that is just beyond the gate. I don’t remember the exact price but I believe it was between 300 – 500 yen per card. When you receive the card they will give you a map with the locations of the stamps to make the stamp locations easier to find.

The Kyoto Botanical Garden was so beautiful even though it was late fall so not as much was in bloom. It was so relaxing to walk around and it offers many places to explore, the Ginkgo trees were so beautiful with their golden color! If you want to take a snack break there is a little cafe that you can get food at as well as coffee.

Collecting Stamps at the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens

Exit at Korakuen Station and take a short walk to the back entrance of the gardens. You’ll purchase your entry tickets and then start working on your layered stamp! The stamp cards are located under a tent towards the front of the gardens or by the back entrance. If you start at the back you’ll be doing the stamps in reverse which we tested out and the stamp came out great regardless of where you started. We didn’t notice any real difference from doing it in the correct order or in the reverse. There is a sign, located near the stamping stations, for all the locations of the stamps to help you find them.

Like the Kyoto Gardens there is so much to explore here even if you go in the off season!

Of course, you can spend as much time as you’d like at the gardens and I’m going to say longer is better so that you have time to thoroughly enjoy all that they have to offer. However, if you are on a time constraint, I’d plan on each layered stamp card taking between 45-60 minutes. That is entering the gardens and focus only on getting each of the stamps and getting out.

We traveled by train for about 90 minutes and then figured out how to hail a taxi once we arrived in town. From the train station to La Collina it was maybe a 10 minute taxi ride away. You could walk there if you wanted or perhaps find a nearby bike rental, but we chose to make life easy and get a taxi since we planed to walk to and around the town after visiting La Collina.

When you arrive and start walking up the path to the building you are immersed in all the greenery that surrounds La Collina.

What To Do At La Collina?

There is so much to see and do when you visit La Collina, you can honestly spend a couple hours or half a day here. In the center of the grounds there is a central location with a panoramic view of La Collina, an Earth Tower created by Terunobu Fujimori, Rice Terraces, and 3 buildings to explore.

All the buildings have so many baked goods to try that I was in heaven. When we started planning our trip to Japan I straight out told my mom I want to try as much baked goods as I could. I honestly prefer baked goods and sweets from Japan over anything from the U.S. Getting back on topic there were 3 different buildings that had baked goods and desserts you could buy. They also had an outdoor food garage area to enjoy seasonal sweets, snacks and drinks and multiple other places to dine.

If you make it to La Collina absolutely DO NOT LEAVE without buying their baumkuchen. We bought just one to split to try it and regretted not buying more. We eventually found a store in Tokyo Station after some searching and bought a multi-pack to bring back home.

Another item you have to try is their pizza. Once again it was so frickin good!

After we walked around and sampled a variety of treats and watched them make baumkuchen we decided we should probably start the walk back to town. There were still many things to do and, as always, never enough time to do it.

We walked for about 20 minutes down very quiet residential streets, passing a temple, and eventually arriving at the river where many businesses are centered and boat rides are available. We also walked by the cable car that takes you to the top of Mount Hachiman. However, we were visiting during spider season and my mom is a complete arachnophobe and worried about critters being in/on/around the cable car and on the mountain trails. So, we made the hard choice to skip that, and instead, we made our way to the bus and then to the train station to head to Kyoto Botanical Gardens (about a 90 minute train ride). Both La Collina and Omihachiman City are a hidden gem worth visiting during your time in Kyoto. We squeezed the fun into a 1/2 day, but it could easily be a full day trip.

Before going to the park we decided we didn’t want to wait in the long lines for the park to first open so we planned to arrive between 9-10 am. Now, Disney fanatics will tell you that is way too late to arrive at the park, but arriving an hour or two before opening for the chance to snag some standby passes held absolutely zero appeal for us.

With that being said, arriving a bit after opening meant we were unable to get any standby passes and to be honest it was kind of a bummer, but one we quickly got over it since we saved our feet all those standing hours. We did read later that you should check continually throughout the day to see if any standby passes have become available. We did check a few times for tickets, but I guess we should have been checking multiple times an hour.

Take it or leave it but here are some tips to help you with your trip:

Send A Letter Back Home to Yourself

• Send a letter from Disney! You can buy postcards / stamps inside the House of Greetings store in the World Bazaar area. There is a mail box right outside the store that you can drop the postcards in. By doing this, a special commemorative stamp will be used on your postcard! It’s a lot of fun to see it when it arrives in your mail box back at home.

Food

• Pre order your food on the Disney app. It makes it so much easier and you don’t have to wait long times to order or get your food.

• The popcorn lines can get crazy long at the carts so be prepared. We went to the Big Pop to look at all the popcorn buckets and probably waited 30 minutes to get in which I don’t find terrible . When you buy a bucket if you don’t want the bucket filled they will give you a voucher to use at any popcorn stand.

Parades

Don’t be like us and get stuck by the Parade route! We kept on trying to go around it and ended up wasting a good chunk of time. Our plan was to try and hit a couple rides during the parade hoping for a shorter wait time. It didn’t happen.

We found our first free stamp at ITM Osaka Airport and from there it was game on with us always on the hunt for stamps. We’d always try to build in time at the train stations just to have the opportunity to look for them. Sometimes they are easy to spot and other times they are tucked in a corner or even in the manned ticket booth (you can simply say “Eki Stampu” in a questioning tone to ask if there is a train stamp at the station).

In addition to the free stamps we also had fun participating in stamp rallies and layered postcard stamps, and saying a prayer at temples and then receiving a Goushin (which is a specific stamp/calligraphy blessing in a special book to prove that you visited the temple and offered a prayer). Both the stamp rallies, layered postcard stamps, and the Goushin cost a minimal fee from a couple USD dollars for the stamp rallies and postcards and up to 1,000 yen for very specialized and gorgeous Goushin, more on that later.

There are a few different types of free stamps in Japan you can collect:

• Eki/Train Station stamps
• Stores/Museums/Attractions stamps
• Stamp rallies
• Layered postcard stamps

Train Stations, Airports, Stores and More

Layered Postcard Stamps

These might change or be limited time on when they are available. You’ll want to double check if they are still happening before you go. We found layered postcard stamps at the following locations:

• Kyoto Botanical Garden
• Koishikawa Korakuen Garden
• Katsuo-Ji Temple
• Hello Kitty Exhibit at the Fukoku Friendly Forest

Side Quest: If you go to Disney be sure to visit the House of Greetings store and send yourself a postcard from the park, it will be stamped with a special Disney stamp before being mailed.

Stamp Rallies

We only did two stamp rallies when we were in Japan. Stamp rallies are where business or locations create a scavenger style hunt to collect stamps across a specific area. Once you collect all the stamps on the sheet you can turn it in to get a prize.

Disney Spark Joy: The Spark Joy Rally you didn’t have to buy the card they had them next to the first stamp and you walked around the mall to collect all 4. This one we didn’t turn in, but there was a prize if you did!

Mario: For the Mario Stamp Rally you did have to pay for your card I believe it was 500 yen and then you went around to all the locations listed to get the stamps (10 stamps total). After you collected all the stamps you could “turn it in” which really you just show a designated person that its completed and they give you a prize! For the Mario one we received stickers and a cool mini folder.

When finding stamp rallies we searched a lot on Instagram and even FB Groups. Be sure to follow Rainbowholic on IG as she was a good resource for all things stamping. I’m sure we missed a lot happening when we were there but I wasn’t too sure where to look so if you have any ideas let me know!

Find more fun in Japan:

Explore Kiyomizu-Dera Temple Area + Kimono Rental Experience

Discover the beauty of Katsuo-Ji Temple in Osaka, Japan

From there we wandered around until a local kindly showed us to the Katsuo-Ji bus stop. Be sure to look for signs on the sidewalk noting the direction to the bus stop as well. We figured that out after the local helped us.

The bus runs a couple times a day from the Senri Chuo station to Katsuo-Ji, but runs more frequently from the Minoh Kayano station (find details here). We had about a 30 minute wait for the bus and the line was long and growing. By the time for the bus arrived there was a significant number of people waiting. By the time we boarded the bus it was already pretty packed but luckily we were able to grab the last two seats. Everyone squished onto the bus and away we went. It’s about a 35 minute ride from Senri Chuo station to Katsuo-ji with one stop at Minoh Kayano station along the way.

A few logistical notes: We downloaded the Suica card to our iPhones and used that to pay for all transportation in the country. You simply tap your phone on the machine when you get on the bus and tap again when you exit the bus. It really is as easy as it sounds. Additionally, we entered from the middle door on the bus and exited at the front. Basically, we just followed the crowd and did what the locals did. Also, we did not find lockers at the Senri Chuo station to store our backpacks so we had to haul them around the temple with us. There are no lockers at the temple itself. If you can, you absolutely want to store your luggage at one of the stations because carrying it around is not any fun!

Once at the Temple, it was a quick wait to pay (500 yen) and receive our post cards to do the layered stamp around the grounds.

Once you are through the ticket area you’ll collect your first stamp immediately outside the doors and then start exploring.

There are lots of steps here and you will walk up and down. That being said it’s a, easy and enjoyable walk. The steps going up with the famous Durama Doll photos can get packed, if you don’t want to wait in the long line of people there is a back side that there are less people and still a great photo opportunity,

As you walk the grounds taking in the beautiful site don’t forget to look for all the Daruma Mikuji dolls placed around, there are so many to be found. You can also place your own. There is a kiosk at the top of the hill to purchase a Kachi-Daruma and also the Daruma Mikuji ( The ones that come with a fortune inside). If it’s a good fortune you take it with you but if it’s a bad fortune you tie it to a structure and leave that bad fortune behind.

Some Helpful Info:

The kiosk with the Kachi-Daruma (you fill in the eyes), the Daruma Mikuji (fortune) and charms are at the top of the grounds across from the Main Hall.

If you are wanting a Goshuin it is also at the top, it’s in the building to the right of the Main Hall its number 21 (Temple Office) on the grounds map. They do have Goushin books in there that you can buy, also remember that Goshuin are not free and usually cost around 500 yen (cash only).

Don’t miss Stamp #5 like us (gahhh ) we walked all the way to the bottom of the grounds just to realize stamp #5 was all the way back up top by the Temple Office ( where you get the Goshuin).

Inside the store where you buy your entrance ticket there are vending machines for drinks. Outside of that building they also had a food stand.

Leaving the Temple the same bus you took up will take you back down but just keep in mind they only depart a few times a day starting at 11am with the last bus departing at 4:18pm. They can also get really crowded so depending on when you are leaving you might have to wait for another bus to come. There are taxis that will take you where you need to go as well. We used the GO taxi app to request a ride when we were ready to go back and took that to the Minoh Kayano station. It was about $20USD for the taxi and well worth it. At Minoh Kayano we found the train