I Have a Thing for Black Kimono

I love wearing black and have always wanted to try a black kimono. I find them quite unusual and elegant. When you walk around Kyoto, you’ll see lots of people wearing beautiful kimono in different colors, but I rarely see anyone wearing black.

During two different visits to Japan, I had the chance to wear black kimono for photoshoots with completely different concepts. One was more edgy, while the other was elegant and feminine. It was interesting to see how different the same color could look depending on the kimono and how it was styled.

Japonisme by Studio Esperanto

Studio Esperanto is a photography studio in Kyoto where you can completely transform yourself through makeup, styling, costumes, and Japanese-inspired sets. It’s popular with both Japanese and international visitors. I’d always been interested in their Oiran transformation photoshoots, but when I finally decided to book one, I wanted to try something different and chose their Japonisme concept instead.

Japonisme takes inspiration from traditional Japanese elements and gives them a much more dramatic and artistic twist. It’s not meant to recreate an authentic traditional look, but rather a creative interpretation of Japanese aesthetics Instead of going for the more sensual Oiran transformation, I wanted something artistic, bold, and a little unusual, so I chose a black kimono for my Japonisme look. I paid around ¥25,000, booked directly through their website.

I also happened to do the photoshoot one day before my birthday, and the staff were incredibly sweet. They printed one of my photos for me and wrote birthday wishes on the back. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and it made the whole experience feel even more special. Overall, I was incredibly happy with the results!

Black Homoungi by Andot Kyoto

I adore Andot Kyoto’s kimono collection. Since I wore a furisode the year before, this time I decided to try a hōmongi (訪問着), a semi-formal kimono traditionally worn for special occasions. What makes hōmongi special is how the patterns often continue across the seams, creating one continuous design.

I chose this gorgeous black hōmongi with a green floral pattern. I love how classy and elegant the whole look turned out, while still being quite different from the black kimono I wore at Studio Esperanto.

Andot Kyoto is a Japanese-owned shop. The owner is super bubbly and friendly, and I loved how she hyped me up once my kimono and hair were all done. Making a reservation was really easy too. I booked through their website, chose my preferred time, and paid at the shop. I also booked a 30-minute photography session. Shout-out to my photographer, Asta!

I always try to support local businesses when I travel. It’s easy to get caught up in places that are viral on social media, but sometimes the smaller local shops are the ones that make a trip feel a little more special.

So, which black kimono would you pick: bold and edgy, or classic and elegant?