Biei Yukata Photoshoot & Japanese Sweets Cafe Time
At a local salon in Biei, a "Biei mother" will dress you in yukata, traditional Japanese summer wear. After a photoshoot in our yukata at Biei shrine, let's enjoy Japanese sweets at a nearby cafe!
JR Biei Station
1 Jun ~ 15 Sep
09:00 / 14:00 (~5 Hrs)
※Duration depends on number of participants and optional hairstyling.
A yukata is traditional Japanese summer wear. Made from a light cotton and worn as a single layer, they are a more casual alternative to the heavy, multi-layered kimono. While the kimono is usually only reserved for special occasions these days, yukata remain very much in style in the summer months. They are worn by young and old for festivals, firework displays, barbecues and many other social events. In this special women’s only experience, you’ll get to choose your favourite yukata from my personal collection to wear for a few hours around town!
After meeting at Biei Station, we’ll head to a local salon where you’ll be dressed by a Biei mother who has mastered the art of “kitsuke”, kimono dressing. As for your hair, you can do your own up-do yourself and pick an accessory you like for free, or you can have the salon’s talented stylist give you a Japanese up-do of your choice for an additional fee (pay on the day).
Once you’re all dressed up, we’ll head to Biei Shrine. After paying our respects to the town’s gods by making an offering, we’ll enjoy a short, commemorative photoshoot on the shrine’s grounds. Afterwards, we will head to a local cafe to enjoy Japanese sweets. The cafe also serves various green-tea inspired beverages, so feel free to enjoy one of these too, if you wish!
We’ll then head back to the salon so you can change back into your regular clothes and the tour will disband.
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This experience is for women aged 16+ only. We regret that we do not stock yukata for men or children.
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Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or food allergies.
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We will ask for your weight and height at the time of booking. Please note that if you are very tall or quite full-bodied, we may not have a yukata large enough to accommodate you (though inclusivity is important to us here at Dohoku Local - so we hope to get some in stock soon!)
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The hair styling fee will depend on the style of your request. Please be aware that the stylist may refuse your request due to time limitations.
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On the cafe's closure days, you will be given a choice of another date or other cafes to visit. Please note that they may not offer Japanese sweets.
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If the salon is not available on your chosen date, you will be given the choice of another date.
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We can provide you with yukata, obi (Japanese belt) and hair & obi accessories as part of this experience. We cannot provide footwear for hygiene reasons.
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Yukata are somewhat translucent. We recommend that you wear flesh-coloured underwear for this experience. Dark, vibrant or high-contrast patterns may show through your yukata!
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The experience will take place on cloudy days or in light rain. Please see T&Cs for heavy rain or bad weather options.
Price (Per Person)
¥9,000
*Maximum 3 People, Minimum Age 16
Included
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Services of your Dohoku Local
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Yukata, obi & accessories rental
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30 min Photoshoot at Biei Shrine & photo data
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Japanese sweets
*Footwear rental is not provided. We recommend preparing your favourite sandals, sliders or pumps to wear on the day!
Not Included
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Hair styling services (optional)
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Offering for Biei Shrine
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Drinks or additional food at the cafe
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Pick-up / drop-off at hotels or stations outside of Biei (e.g. Furano, Asahikawa etc)
Terms & Conditions
We know, it's boring.
But if you'd like to join an experience, there are some particulars.
We appreciate your taking the time to read this before booking!
1. The minimum age for this experience is 16 years due to the size of available yukata. 2. This experience is not available for men or children as there are no men's or children's yukata in stock. 3. At Biei Shrine, you are expected to make a small offering before the photoshoot begins. Just one coin in Japanese yen of any amount will be perfectly fine. 4. Bookings are accepted a minimum of 3 days in advance. 5. If the cafe is unavailable for your dates (e.g. closure days Wednesday or Thursday, temporary closure etc) then you will be given the choice of an alternate cafe or another date. 6. If the salon is unavailable for your dates, you will be offered an alternative date. 7. In the event of heavy rain or extreme weather (e.g. typhoon, thunderstorm) the experience will be cancelled free of charge. 8. Photoshoot data will be sent to you as JPG data about 1-2 weeks after the experience. Raw photo data is not available. 9. The photos will be lightly edited (e.g. light and contrast) and there will be some touch-ups to your skin, but we regret that we cannot offer heavy editing (e.g. erasing wrinkles, changing skies from cloudy to sunny, etc). 10. The yukata will be washed after your experience so don't worry if they get a bit dusty or dirty! However, if the yukata, obi or accessories are ripped, stained or otherwise damaged by your own negligence or carelessness, you will be asked to pay for its replacement as follows: - Yukata: 15,000yen p/ item - Obi: 4,000yen p/ item - Accessories: 1,500yen p/ item 11. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements or allergies in advance of this experience. Please also inform us of any health or mobility issues that may affect you. 12. Aggressive or threatening behaviour towards your Dohoku Local or Biei townspeople will not be tolerated. 13. The participant accepts that they bear responsibility for any accident or injury, except for those caused by negligence or poor behaviour on the part of their Dohoku Local. 14. We reserve the right to cancel the reservation on the spot with no refund given if any of the T&C are breached. 15. Cancellation Policy: Full refund if cancelled by you, the participant, more than 24 hours before the experience. 100% cancellation fee if cancelled within 24 hours of the experience. Unfortunately we do not accept illness or injury as mitigating circumstances. If we have to cancel the experience due to unforeseen circumstances on Dohoku Local's end, a full refund will be given.