Mara Ellis
How much is a kimono in Japan? Anywhere from under $10 for a second-hand piece at a flea market to more than $6,500 for a hand-dyed formal silk kimono. Most travelers land in the middle: $40 to $200 for a new yukata set, $65 to $300 for a washable ready-to-wear kimono, or $20 to $40 to rent one for a day.
I'm Mara, and the price gap confuses almost everyone the first time they walk into a kimono shop in Kyoto. The same word covers a cotton robe and a piece of textile art that took a year to make. This guide gives real price ranges in US dollars, explains what you are paying for at each level, and helps you decide between buying, renting and ordering one from home.
- Second-hand kimono: from under $10. The cheapest way to own a kimono in Japan.
- New yukata set with sash and sandals: $40 to $200.
- New washable kimono: $65 to $300.
- Tailored silk kimono: from about $1,300, and far more for hand-dyed formal pieces.
- Renting for a day in Kyoto or Tokyo: $20 to $40, dressing included.
Kimono prices in Japan at a glance
Kimono prices in Japan follow three things: the fabric, the amount of handwork, and whether the piece is new, used or rented. The table below shows the ranges you will see in shops, markets and rental studios. Prices are typical ranges in US dollars. They move with the exchange rate, so treat them as a guide.
| What you buy | Typical price | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Second-hand kimono | Under $10 to $200 | Flea markets, recycle shops, online resale |
| Yukata set (robe, sash, sandals) | $40 to $200 | Department stores, chain shops, summer pop-ups |
| New washable kimono (polyester, cotton, wool) | $65 to $300 | Casual kimono shops, online |
| New silk kimono, tailored | $1,300 to $13,000 | Specialty kimono shops |
| Hand-dyed formal kimono | $2,500 to $6,500 and up | Specialty shops, department stores |
| One-day rental with dressing | $20 to $40 | Kyoto, Asakusa and other tourist districts |
Notice the jump between the third and fourth rows. Below it you are buying a garment. Above it you are commissioning one: the silk is chosen as a bolt, dyed or woven by specialists, and sewn by hand to your measurements. Department stores sit at the top of the range, with formal pieces that can pass $30,000.
Always ask if the price is for the kimono alone or for the full set. In Japan the obi sash, the under-robe, the cords, the socks and the sandals are usually sold separately, and for a formal outfit the obi can cost as much as the kimono.
Why a traditional kimono costs so much
A traditional silk kimono starts as a single bolt of cloth about 12 meters long and less than 40 centimeters wide. Nothing is cut to waste: the whole bolt becomes one kimono, sewn with straight seams so it can be taken apart, cleaned and sewn again. That bolt may be dyed by hand with rice-paste resist in the yuzen method, or woven from threads dyed in advance, the way tsumugi and Oshima silk are. It passes through several workshops before it reaches a shop, and each one adds weeks of skilled labor.
Then comes tailoring. A kimono bought from the bolt is stitched by hand to the height and arm length of the wearer, which adds a sewing fee on top of the cloth. A formal obi from the Nishijin weavers of Kyoto is priced like a second kimono. Families accept these prices because a good kimono is bought once, worn for decades and handed down, often with the family crest on the back. So are kimonos expensive in Japan? New formal silk ones are. Everything else in the table above is within reach.
How much does a silk kimono cost?
New and tailored, from about $1,300, and $2,500 to $5,000 once hand dyeing is involved. Second-hand silk is the bargain: $20 to $200 buys a piece that cost many times more when it was new. If you love the prints and the drape and want to wear them this weekend, our silk kimono collection puts both into robes you can tie with one belt.
Long Silk Robe
Floor-length, pink and white, printed with classic fans and blossoms. One size, straight cut, wide sleeves.
Shop now · $99.99The affordable end: yukata, washable kimono and second-hand
The cheapest new option is a yukata, the unlined cotton kimono of summer. From June, department stores and chain shops sell full sets, robe, sash and wooden sandals, from about $40, and designer prints run to $200. So how much does a yukata cost in Japan? Less than a nice dinner in Tokyo, if you pick a basic set. If you are not sure which of the two you are looking at on the rack, my guide to yukata vs kimono shows how to tell in a few seconds.
One step up are washable kimono in polyester, cotton or wool, made for people who wear kimono often and do not want a cleaning bill every time. Expect $65 to $300 for a simple set. And then there is second-hand, the real secret of kimono shopping in Japan. Temple flea markets in Kyoto and Tokyo, recycle shops and resale sites sell used kimono from under $10, because supply is huge: closets full of them are passed down to families who no longer wear them.
What to check on a second-hand kimono
Length first, since older kimono were cut for shorter wearers. Then stains at the collar and hem, the smell of the fabric, and the strength of the seams.
Yukata Women
Royal blue with a floral, scenic print and a matching obi. Light, quick to dry, ankle length. One size.
Shop now · $99.99Renting a kimono in Japan
If you want the photos and the experience and not the luggage, rent. In the Gion and Higashiyama districts of Kyoto and around Sensoji temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, rental studios dress you in a kimono or yukata, tie the obi, and send you out for the day. Standard plans cost $20 to $40 and include the under-layers, sandals and a small bag.
Price rises with the kimono. Plans for the long-sleeved furisode, the formal style for young women, start around $50 at tourist studios. Premium silk, antique kimono and couple plans cost more, and a full coming-of-age package with studio photos runs far higher. Plans for men are usually priced the same as plans for women, or slightly less. Most studios ask you to return the kimono by early evening on the same day.
Rent or buy?
Rent for one special day in Japan. Buy if you will wear it more than twice, because two rentals already cost about as much as a simple kimono of your own.
How much is a men's kimono?
A men's kimono usually costs a little less than a women's kimono of the same quality. The colors are plain, the dyeing is simpler and the obi is narrow, so there is less handwork in the outfit. A new washable set with kimono and sash runs about $65 to $250. A yukata set for men starts around $40, the same as for women.
Formal wear is another story. The black crested kimono with haori jacket and pleated hakama that a groom wears is almost always rented, because a tailored silk set costs several thousand dollars. For everyday style most men in Japan buy a casual kimono or a yukata, add a haori in the cooler months, and build from there.
The starter outfit
One dark kimono, one narrow sash, sandals. It is the simplest kimono wardrobe there is.
Japanese Kimono Men
Charcoal gray with a textured, matte finish, cut long and straight to the ankle. Sizes M and L.
Shop now · $99.99Buying a kimono without flying to Tokyo
You do not need a plane ticket to own one. Ready-to-wear kimono and kimono robes are sold online at prices close to the casual end of the Japanese market: about $45 to $100 at Zen Kimono, belt included. They arrive ready to put on, they are sized in the letters you already know, and you do not need a dresser to tie them.
What you get for that money is the look and the comfort, made for daily life: the T shape, the wide sleeves, and the cranes, fans and blossoms that kimono dyers have used for centuries, in fabrics made for sofas, mornings and summer evenings. Our Japanese kimono collection gathers the long, traditional cuts for women and men.
A good first piece
A long kimono in a dark color with one classic motif. It works at home, over a slip dress, or at a themed dinner.
Japanese Kimono Female
Deep navy with white cranes, a motif that stands for peace and a long life. Comes with a matching belt. One size.
Shop now · $99.99Which budget fits your plan
Match the spend to how often you will wear it. These five cases cover almost everyone.
- One day of photos in Kyoto: rent. $20 to $40.
- A summer festival, or a souvenir you will wear: a yukata set. $40 to $200.
- A silk kimono from Japan on a budget: second-hand, from $20, checked carefully.
- Wearing the style at home every week: a ready-to-wear kimono or robe, $45 to $100.
- A wedding, tea practice or a family heirloom: tailored silk, from $1,300.
Protecting what you paid for
A kimono holds its value only if it is stored and cleaned well. These habits apply to a $20 market find and to a tailored silk piece alike.
- Air it after wearing: hang it in the shade for a few hours before folding. Never in direct sun.
- Fold, do not hang, for storage: silk kimono are folded flat along their seams and wrapped in paper.
- Keep moisture out: use a dry closet and air stored kimono once or twice a year.
- Clean rarely and gently: silk goes to a specialist cleaner. Washable kimono and robes follow the label, cold and gentle.
- Protect the collar: an under-layer keeps makeup and skin oils off the part that stains first.
At a flea market, look at a second-hand silk kimono in daylight before you pay. Brown spots, a musty smell and thin, brittle patches along the folds rarely come out, and a repair by a specialist can cost more than the kimono did.
Buy with open eyes and a kimono from Japan will outlast most things in your closet.
Frequently asked questions
Under $200 second-hand, $40 to $200 for a new yukata set, $65 to $300 for a new washable kimono, and from $1,300 for a tailored silk kimono.
Formal silk kimono are, because of the hand dyeing, weaving and tailoring. Casual kimono, yukata and second-hand pieces are affordable.
New and tailored, usually $1,300 to $13,000 at a specialty shop, and more for hand-painted work. Second-hand silk kimono sell from about $20.
A basic set with the robe, a sash and sandals starts around $40. Mid-range and designer yukata cost $65 to $200.
For second-hand kimono and yukata, yes, and the choice is far wider. Visitors can also shop tax free at participating stores by showing a passport. New silk kimono are expensive everywhere.
Usually less than people hope. Most used kimono resell for under $65 because so many are on the market and older ones run small. Unworn formal pieces, signed work and rare weaves are the exceptions.
So how much is a kimono in Japan? As little as a coffee-shop lunch or as much as a new car. Decide how often you will wear it, pick the row of the table that fits, and spend the rest of the budget on the trip.
Wear it your way. Mara
