Just another reason to visit Japan this summer – enjoy travelling around Kyoto like a local resident, with your own customized summer kimono, on the Kyoto Summer Experience organized by the Ritz-Carlton
Aside from being one of the most luxurious places to stay when you visit Kyoto, the Ritz-Carlton in the city has another treat in mind for visitors. They have put together a stunning program for guests, where they can rent a ‘yukata’, a traditional summer kimono that has been customized to fit them, and wear it as they explore this fascinating city.
Aside from learning all about this culturally important garment, and wearing it, you can also enjoy the experience of summer in one of Japan’s most exciting cities.
Kyoto is the cultural and spiritual heart of Japan, and when the weather is warm, residents put on their very finest ‘yukata’ and take to the streets to enjoy the city’s fabulous summer festivals, and dine at one of the many ‘kawa-yuka’ restaurants, with balconies overlooking the river.
Guests at the Ritz-Carlton Kyoto will be able to join the locals whilst wearing their own customized ‘yukata’. First they will consult with a special ‘yukata’ advisor, who will custom-fit them with an authentic garment, and show them how it’s worn traditionally. They will then spend the day strolling through the city and exploring its many magnificent temples, shrines and lush gardens, and be accepted as a local in one of the city restaurants where the locals meet for meals.
This innovative concept enables guests of Kyoto to walk the streets the way the locals do, and enjoy a privileged view of the city, a window into the lives of the local residents and their time-honored traditions. Guests will also be photographed in their traditional ‘yukata’ garments as a memento of their exclusive experience.
The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto itself offers a comprehensive look into the city’s rich culture and history. The hotel, which opened in February 2014, and is the city’s first and only international luxury resort, has been designed to combine Japanese tradition with every modern luxury. There are over 409 exquisite works of art that tell the story of the classic Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji, and guests will have the opportunity to examine these and learn about the story, too. They will also enjoy the amenity of the original Japanese fan, the special ‘uchiwa’ in their rooms.
In the hotel’s bar, called The Bar, guests will savor a delightful traditional Ennnichi cocktail to celebrate summer. This light, fruity drink is a refreshing combination of tonic water, fresh summer berries, sake and Saint Germain. Its name ‘Ennnichi’ is the Japanese word for ‘summer festival’.
Those visitors wishing to continue the traditional Japanese method of exploring the city can also rent a ‘jinrikishaman’, a rickshaw, in which they can travel in style while exploring the city. The hotel will also ensure that visitors get to explore all of Kyoto’s best sights during their stay.
Visitors to Kyoto wishing to enjoy The Dressed in Traditional Yukata Kyoto Summer Experience must be staying at the hotel between June 26 and August 31, 2015. The Experience takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and includes overnight accommodation, one in-room uchiwa (fan) amenity per person per stay, a photo and frame per room, daily half buffet breakfast, one kimono rental and fitting per person and one Ennnichi cocktail per stay.