This autumn, "Kimono EXPO 2026" — an event where visitors can casually experience and get hands-on with kimono and Japanese culture — comes to Tokyo and Osaka. The event is hosted by Ginza Ichiri, a casual kimono specialty shop that sources kimono directly from production regions across Japan.
Under the theme "Fall in Love with Kimono," the event brings together everyone from artisans preserving tradition to up-and-coming creators.
Highlights include the "Japanese Culture Workshops," where visitors can casually try traditional techniques, and "EXPO Creators," where they can hear directly from artists and artisans and see their work up close — plenty of content to see, learn about, and experience firsthand.
Other corners for kimono lovers include the "Kimono Clinic," where visitors can get advice on kimono-related questions and concerns, and the "Irodori Market," filled with great deals.
Event Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Event name | Kimono EXPO 2026 |
| Dates & venue (Tokyo) | October 7 (Wed) to 12 (Mon, holiday), 2026 — Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan, 12F Diamond Hall |
| Dates & venue (Osaka) | October 14 (Wed) to 18 (Sun), 2026 — Midosuji Hall Shinsaibashi, 9F Exhibition Hall |
| Admission | Free (a separate experience fee applies for each workshop) |
| Organizer | Ginza Ichiri / Kimono EXPO Executive Committee |
| Official website | ichiri.ne.jp/lp/kimono-expo2026/ |
Event Highlights (Partial List)
Japanese Culture Workshops
- Bingata-dyed haneri (kimono collar)
- Modern kintsugi
- Marugoke obijime (rounded silk cord)
- Kyo-shippo obidome (cloisonné obi clasp)
- Izumi tonbodama glass bead bracelet
- Flower embroidery haneri
- Kimono personal color and face-type diagnosis
- Special maemusubi (front-tying) lecture by an okami [adult hanhaba-obi tying, Ginza-musubi with a fukuro obi]
- And many more
Kimono Creator and Studio Talks: The Craft and Beauty Behind Kimono, Explained by the Makers
- [Hakata-ori] 筑前織物
- [Nishijin-ori] 想屋／西陣まいづる
- [Kyo-yuzen] 岡山工芸
- [Ryukyu Bingata] 西條庵
- [Kyoto Embroidery] 尾峨佐染繍
- [Plant Dyeing and Hand-Tied Shibori] 樋熊元治
- [Oshima Tsumugi] 工房 中賀和
- [Renowned Obi Maker] 扇や
- And more, including pieces from the Ikeda Shigeko Collection
