Meet Rieko Collins | Owner of Kimono rental and dressing services

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rieko Collins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rieko, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It was 2020, my kids supposed to do Shichigosan celebration ; Shichi-go-san is Japanese tradition to celebrate the growth of children and it’s a big milestone for boys aged three and five, and girls aged three and seven. That’s why it is called shichi-go-san (seven-five-three) in Japan. However Covid pandemic started and we couldn’t go back to Japan. I knew many Japanese friends had same situation in US and I thought that even if I don’t/couldn’t go back to Japan, I want to pass on Japanese culture to children, I want to celebrate kids Shichigosan as Japanese.

Fortunately, my family owns a long-established kimono shop in Japan so my parents has kimono business knowledge and I grew up with kimono, and also I could study dressing kimono from my mother who is a professional kimono dressing teacher.

It’s like I got the pieces of the puzzle, so I decided to start my kimono rental business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Now days even in japan it is difficult to find a good quality of kimono and people don’t know the aucentic traditions, because we can find a similar and cheaper quality stuff from Chinese factories. I think it’s your choice but I am Japanese and I proud of my culture so I’d like to introduce people the real and authentic things.
It is also my mission in my job to deal with Japanese kimono/culture in the foreign country.

I provide real, authentic and high-end kimonos made by Japanese craftsmen.
Kimono industry has a long history so it’s not easy to join but thanks for my family, my kimonos are from a long-established kimono stop in Japan.

Kimono Dressing is also I usually do the traditional way and I tie obi by my hand so you can touch/ feel Japanese culture and history.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Place: Tokyo My best friend: I imagined my husband

Taking a double decker bus tour would be a good nice start. You can see the city of Tokyo … Ginza, Tokyo tower, Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba etc…

Let’s visit Skytree and Asakusa.
Skytree is the 2nd tallest building in the world! We can see the big city of Tokyo from the sky!!
Maybe after lunch, let’s walk around Asakusa-Nakamise and Sensoji. You could enjoy Japanese snacks and find some souvenirs.

Food in Tokyo, we could find everything you want !!! Especially Shushi, Tempura, Soba and Yakitori are amazingly good!!

Drinks, there are many beautiful atmosphere bars in Tokyo..from some rooftop bars you feel breeze and enjoy the view of the city with your drinks.
We also would take a yakatabune boat cruise on Kanda river to Tokyo bay.

If we take trains, we could go to Onsen( hot springs) easily from Tokyo. Staying at Japanese ryokan is the best way to relax yourself and enjoy the delicious meals.

Tokyo is the best place to go shopping ; Ginza, Shibuya and Omotesando…

Tokyo has some big parks like Central Park in NYC. Shinjukugyoen or Meijijingu are one of my favorites.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I woud like the people not only japanese and also people in the world to know about the precious and wonderful Japanese kimono culture.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oc753_premium_kimono

Image Credits
I do dressing kimonos and also do hair sets. My clients can rental kimono and choose the photo session for their memories; – Mini session at my house balcony – Outdoor session – Studio session at Cathy Murai Photography