京都・東山「ウェスティン都ホテル」内の和装・洋装ブライダル撮影、前撮り・フォトウェディングサロン
2026.11.03
What to Bring to a Kimono Photoshoot in Kyoto: 12-Item Checklist
This guide is for couples traveling to Kyoto who will wear a kimono for their wedding photos. Most of what you need is provided on the day, but a few small personal items are your job, and they are easy to forget when you pack for a trip abroad. Below is a 12-item checklist from Bridal Salon Pure, inside The Westin Miyako Kyoto in Higashiyama, plus what is already included so you can pack light.
Quick answer
- Bring tabi (split-toe socks), a kimono undergarment and towels. If that is hard while traveling, Pure can prepare them for a fee. Please tell your staff contact in advance.
- Makeup is provided by the salon. Bring your own mascara and eyeliner (anything that touches the eyes) or buy them at the salon, and bring any other makeup you prefer to use.
- The kimono, the groom’s black montsuki, costume accessories and the bride’s hair and makeup are included in every kimono plan, starting from ¥121,000 (tax included).
- Bring a credit card. The plan is paid by the day before the shoot (VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX or DINERS). Extras on the day, such as taxis, can be paid at the salon by card, QR payment or cash.
- Rings, keepsakes and reference photos are welcome. Props are fine in the studio. For locations, and especially temples and shrines, please check when you book.
What should you bring to a kimono photoshoot? The full checklist
Use this table when you pack your suitcase. Items marked "optional" depend on what you want in your photos.
| Item | Who | Bring or arrange | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Tabi (split-toe socks) | Bride | Bring, or Pure prepares it for a fee | Tell your staff contact in advance |
| 2. Kimono undergarment | Bride | Bring, or Pure prepares it for a fee | Worn under the kimono during dressing |
| 3. Towels | Bride | Bring, or Pure prepares them for a fee | Used during kimono dressing |
| 4. Mascara and eyeliner | Bride | Bring, or buy at the salon | Items that touch the eyes are personal |
| 5. Your own makeup | Bride | Optional | The salon provides makeup as standard |
| 6. Groom’s dressing items | Groom | Please ask us | The black montsuki itself is included |
| 7. Wedding rings | Both | Optional | For close-up shots |
| 8. Props and keepsakes | Both | Optional | Check location and temple rules when booking |
| 9. Reference photos | Both | Optional | Email them to the salon before the day |
| 10. Credit card | Both | Bring | For payment and any extras on the day |
| 11. Clothes to change back into | Both | Bring (what you arrive in) | You change back at the end of the day |
| 12. A warm layer | Both | Optional | Useful in late autumn and winter |
Tabi, undergarments and towels: bring them or let us prepare them
Tabi are traditional Japanese socks with a separate big toe, worn with kimono. The undergarment is worn under the kimono, and towels are used during dressing. Pure asks you to bring these three items on the day.
Packing light, or arriving from a long flight? Pure can prepare them for you for a fee. Please talk to your staff contact before the shoot so everything is ready when you arrive. Please ask us about the cost when you contact us.
Makeup: what the salon provides and what to bring
The bride’s hair and makeup are included in every plan, and the salon prepares makeup products as standard. There are two exceptions to plan for.
- Mascara, eyeliner and other products that touch the eyes: bring your own, or buy them at the salon.
- Products you love or need: if you prefer your own foundation or lip color, bring them with you when you come to the salon.
If you will wear a shiromuku (the all-white bridal kimono) or a colorful kimono and want a specific look, send a few reference photos to the salon by email before the day.
Planning wedding photos in Kyoto?
Tell us your travel dates and the photos you have in mind. Our staff will reply by email.
What should the groom bring?
The groom has the shortest list. His montsuki, the black crested kimono worn with hakama trousers, is included in every kimono plan, along with costume accessories. His hair is styled when he arrives. For tabi and undergarments, please confirm with us which items the groom needs, so you can pack both sets together.
Can you bring rings, props and reference photos?
Yes. Photo requests, keepsakes and small props are welcome: wedding rings, a message board, or something from home.
- Studio shoots: you may bring props.
- Location shoots, especially temples and shrines: please check when you book.
- There is one photographer, so the staff cannot look after your belongings. Please keep track of them yourselves.
- Specific poses or images: send example photos to the salon by email in advance.
What is already included, so you can pack light?
Every kimono plan includes kimono dressing for both of you, a shiromuku, iro-uchikake (a colorful outer bridal robe) or hiki-furisode (a long-sleeved bridal kimono with a trailing hem), the groom’s black montsuki, the bride’s hair and makeup, and costume accessories. You choose your outfits at a meeting before the shoot, and they are reserved for you. Browse all plans on our English page with prices.
| Plan | Price | Time | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimono Studio Plan | ¥121,000 (tax included) | 3 hours | 150 or more |
| Kimono Location Plan | ¥154,000 (tax included) | 5 hours | 150 or more |
| Kyoto Townhouse (Kyo-machiya) with Garden Plan | ¥154,000 (tax included) | 5 hours | 150 or more |
| Kimono & Dress Location Plan | ¥253,000 (tax included) | 5 hours | 250 or more |
Location costs may differ depending on the location. The townhouse plan includes the location fee and entrance fee. Shoots on weekends and Japanese national holidays have a surcharge of ¥33,000 (tax included). Not sure which to choose? Read Shiromuku vs Iro-Uchikake: How to Choose.
How does the photo day fit into your Kyoto trip?
On a location shoot, the bride arrives at 10:00 and the groom at 11:00, though you may also come together. You leave for the location around 11:30 and start shooting around 12:00. Around 15:00 you return to the salon, change into your own clothes, get a light hair touch-up, and you are done. This leaves your evening open for dinner in Gion or along the Kamo River. For help choosing which day, see how to plan a 3-5 day Kyoto trip with a photoshoot.
Season changes what you pack. The timing of Kyoto’s autumn leaves changes each year, and late autumn and winter mornings can be cold, so a warm layer helps between locations. At temples and old streets, speak quietly, keep paths clear and follow posted signs. Our Kyoto temple photo etiquette guide has more tips.
Yes. Pure can prepare them for a fee. Please tell your staff contact in advance so they are ready on the day.
Many couples book about 1 to 2 months before their shoot date. You can request a date as soon as one week ahead, but in busy seasons a photographer may not be available. Bookings are possible up to 180 days ahead.
If rain or a storm is forecast, you can postpone at no charge if you decide by two days before the shoot. You can also go ahead with umbrellas if you ask to and the photographer judges it possible. A new date may be limited, or the photographer may change.
The plan is paid by credit card (VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX or DINERS) by the day before the shoot. Changing the date costs nothing 4 or more days before, ¥3,300 (tax included) from 3 days before to the day before, and ¥5,500 (tax included) on the day.
Photos are uploaded to an online gallery within about 2 to 3 weeks of the shoot. You get the URL and login by email, and you can view and download the JPEG files.
Yes, family members are welcome to attend the shoot.
Ready to plan your kimono photos in Kyoto? Send us your travel dates and the look you have in mind through our contact form (English is fine). We will help you choose a plan and tell you exactly what to pack.
Planning wedding photos in Kyoto?
Tell us your travel dates and the photos you have in mind. Our staff will reply by email.
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