Kyoto Itinerary Wedding Photoshoot: How to Plan a 3-5 Day Trip

This guide is for couples planning a Kyoto trip of three to five days who want wedding photos in kimono or a wedding dress along the way. You will learn which day to choose, what the photo day looks like hour by hour, and how to plan sightseeing before and after. It is written by Bridal Salon Pure, a bridal photo salon inside The Westin Miyako Kyoto in Higashiyama.

Which day of a 3-5 day Kyoto trip should you choose for wedding photos?

Avoid your arrival day and your departure day. Travel days are tiring, and a long flight or train ride does not help hair and makeup. A middle day gives you time to settle in, see the city once, and arrive at the salon relaxed. It also leaves room on later days if a rain forecast means you want to move the shoot.

If your dates are flexible, a weekday helps in two ways: there is no weekend surcharge, and popular streets and temples in Kyoto are often calmer than on weekends.

What does the photo day look like? Pure’s 10:00-15:00 schedule

Here is the example schedule for a location shoot, as shown on Pure’s website. The day starts and ends at the salon inside The Westin Miyako Kyoto.

Studio shoots follow a similar rhythm: arrival at 10:00, shooting from 11:30, a change into the second outfit around 12:30, and finishing around 15:00. Most studio plans take place at Pure’s Nijo Castle studio in Kyoto city, so check the meeting place for your plan when you book.

Why stay in Higashiyama on your photo day?

Pure is inside The Westin Miyako Kyoto in Higashiyama, one of Kyoto’s most loved historic districts. Staying in this area means a calm morning before your 10:00 start, and an easy evening after you finish. Higashiyama, around Nene-no-michi (a historic stone-paved lane) and Ninenzaka (a slope lined with old shops), is also one of Pure’s location options, with stone-paved lanes and wooden townhouses that suit both kimono and a wedding dress. You can see real shoots there in our Higashiyama photo gallery (the page text is in Japanese, but the photos speak for themselves).

Sightseeing before and after the shoot

• Before: keep the morning light. Have breakfast and a short walk, and arrive at the salon on time without rushing.
• After: from around 15:00 you are back in your own clothes, so the late afternoon and evening are yours. A stroll through Higashiyama or dinner in the area is an easy way to end the day.
• The day after: plan your busiest sightseeing here, such as Arashiyama or temples farther away, once the shoot is behind you.

Which plan fits a short trip? Prices from ¥121,000

All prices are tax included. Location costs may differ depending on the location, and weekend and Japanese national holiday shoots add ¥33,000 (tax included).

For a tight itinerary, the Kimono Studio Plan and the Western Dress Studio Plan are the shortest, at three hours each. If you want Kyoto streets in your photos, a location plan fits the 10:00-15:00 schedule above. See every plan with English prices on our English page for international guests, or read our full Kyoto pre-wedding photoshoot price guide.

Kimono, seasons and etiquette: what to know before your Kyoto shoot

In a Japanese wedding, the bride traditionally wears a shiromuku, an all-white kimono often said to symbolize purity and a fresh start. An iro-uchikake is a colorful, richly patterned outer kimono, often worn for a bright, celebratory look. The groom wears montsuki, a formal black kimono with family crests, usually with hakama trousers. With the kimono, both wear tabi, split-toe white socks.

Kyoto by season

If you are planning an autumn trip, our guide to Kyoto autumn wedding photos covers which locations turn red.

Small etiquette tips

• Keep your voice low at temples and shrines, and follow any signs about where photos are allowed.
• On narrow old streets, step aside so other visitors and residents can pass.
• Some locations may require shooting permission, so please confirm your preferred place when you book.

Planning from abroad: booking, rain and what to bring

• Booking: you can consult online or send a message through our contact form, which accepts messages in English. Many couples book one to two months ahead, and bookings are possible up to 180 days in advance.
• Payment: payment is made by the day before the shoot, by credit card only (VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX, DINERS).
• Rain: for location shoots, postponing because of a rain or storm forecast costs nothing if decided up to two days before. Your preferred new date may not always be available, so a spare day in your itinerary helps.
• What to bring: tabi, a kimono undergarment and towels, plus your own mascara and eyeliner. These can also be prepared by the salon for a fee.
• Photos: your photos are uploaded to an online gallery about two to three weeks after the shoot, as JPEG files you can download from anywhere.