Discover the Essence of the Kimono at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo – Full Kimono Dressing and Photoshoot in the Japanese Garden

Zangetsu, a Tranquil Tea Ceremony House in Chinzanso’s Urban Oasis Garden

The Chinzanso estate (currently operating as Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo) was opened in 1952. Its name, literally translating to “Camellia Mountain Estate,” comes from its historic association with camellia flowers, which are known to have grown wild here since at least the 14th century. Despite being in the heart of the ultramodern metropolis, it is one of the city’s best luxury hotels and boasts a vast traditional garden brimming with the natural beauty of the four seasons – kissed by cherry blossoms in spring, the magical dance of fireflies above streams in early summer, striking bursts of russet and ochre in autumn,  and a solemn crisp chill with blooming camellia flowers in winter. 

The entrance to the Zangetsu tea ceremony house, where a historic building and traditional garden form a striking atmospheric harmony

This garden is home to the main venue of the experience, the Zangetsu tea ceremony house. Modeled after the “Zangetsu Hall” in the estate of preeminent historical tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu, Zangetsu was designated a precious national tangible cultural property in 2004. Enjoy the opportunity to access this usually off-limits space exclusively, dressing in a high-quality kimono and learning all about kimono culture and ways of moving while wearing it to experience a quintessentially Japanese aesthetic.

Relish the gorgeous natural scenery of the garden from the tea room

A Lesson in Japanese Aesthetics from Kimono Stylist and Model Hitomi Ito

Hitomi Ito serves as your instructor for this experience. A kimono stylist and model who has appeared in a variety of media outlets, Ito has the unusual background of being born in a 650-year-old Zen temple in the historic neighborhood of Gion, Kyoto. At one time, her career path had nothing to do with kimono culture, but the scene encountered during a memorial service for her grandfather at her family home became a major catalyst for a change in her life.

Kimono stylist Hitomi Ito welcomes visitors with a kimono dyed in the ancient sumi-nagashi technique, capturing color floating on the surface of the water (kimono selection will vary with the season)

“The robes of the monks and their colors,” recalls Ito of that moment, “the scent of sandalwood, the sound of sutra chanting and their time kept with the drumming of the mokugyo (fish-shaped wooden drums) – all of it felt like exactly the beauty I had been looking for in my life. It felt like I had suddenly discovered myself and my roots.”

Today, Ito runs a private salon known as “enso” (stylized with no capital letter, from a Zen term that can refer to both the halo surrounding the Buddha in a mandala, or the perfect circle of enlightenment). Through it, she pursues a philosophy of carrying “Japanese aesthetics into the future,” and unraveling and sharing the concepts of these aesthetics with the world through kimonos.

The powerful, moving moment you come face to face with the kimono you will don (kimono selection will vary with the season)

The kimonos in this plan are all coordinated by Ito for participants to suit the season. Color and pattern are not confirmed before the day of the experience.

An Essence that Can Only Be Conveyed by Wearing

The experience begins with a short talk on kimonos from Ito. Learn deeply about the traditional Japanese design and production techniques, as well as the unique traditional patterns that express hopes and wishes, through an up-close look at a real kimono. When the talk is done, it is time to don the finery yourself. Putting on a kimono is quite a bit more complicated than some might expect, but even absolute beginners can dress with confidence, thanks to the expert hands of Ito, who will handle every step for you.

The obi sash ties in the back, so the actual wearer is unable to see the process of how it is tied – making it all the more impressive to suddenly see the finished work in the mirror or a photo

After you have dressed in the kimono, Ito will take you through the unique graceful movements that complete the look.

“The long sleeves of a kimono might seem cumbersome at first,” says Ito, “but learning to effortlessly harness and integrate these restrictions on movement is precisely what creates the elegant mannerisms associated with the garb.” She wishes people to discover this beauty for themselves in the only way that really conveys it: by actually wearing a kimono. It might take some effort to learn the art, but you can follow Ito’s demonstration and practice by imitating her graceful movements.

An elegant attentiveness to the way the sleeves drape and fall with each movement becomes an expression of thoughtfulness for your present company

A Shoot with a Professional Photographer in the Gorgeous Japanese Garden

The finale of this experience is a full-fledged photoshoot in Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo’s legendary Japanese garden, with the professional photographer who handles the hotel’s wedding shoots. Get shots at spots of your choosing, such as in the quaint pathways, against a backdrop of seasonal flowers in bloom, or atop the red bridges spanning the garden’s streams. Pose for your shoot with the absolute confidence of having a top-tier professional stylist and model – Ito – just out of frame to advise you. You are sure to go home with memories and a keepsake unlike any you will find elsewhere.

When the photoshoot is complete, feel free to use the remaining time to snap a few shots with your camera or phone

After the experience, why not spend a little time taking in the vast garden for which Chinzanso is famous, an oasis of greenery and seasonal beauty in the middle of the metropolis? On site, you’ll find a sacred tree approximately five centuries old, and the Entsuu-kaku, a three-story pagoda designated as a national tangible cultural property. The garden is full of seasonal highlights and beauty unique to Japan – such as the “sea of clouds” fog – making it the perfect place to bask in the afterglow of a day of memories.

If your timing is lucky, you can even enjoy the spectacular “sea of clouds” fog in the garden

True Japanese Aesthetics, Felt through Traditional Kimono Fashion

Ito hopes that kimonos can be a gateway through which people discover the traditional aesthetic sensibilities of Japan, and become more keyed into the diverse forms of beauty all around them. This plan ties this dignified dream together with the serenity of a tea room and the natural beauty of Japan’s seasons for a heady, condensed experience chock full of the country’s aesthetic traditions. Immersed in this exemplary Japanese beauty, you are sure to remember your special time in the Chinzanso garden.

Simply dressing in a kimono invites calm and peace of mind