Transforming Kimonos Sleeping in Closets into 'Circulation' that Colors the Future. Grand Opening of a Hub for Kimono Circulation and Cultural Inheritance in Central Oita City
Craftsmanship Co., Ltd. has opened 'KIMONO CLOSET' in central Oita City. By utilizing vacant stores, it offers a new circular service that professionally stores unused kimonos and shares them through rentals, providing a third option to 'selling' or 'throwing away'.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 03:23
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 19:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 16:07 (117h 5m after Collected)
Craftsmanship Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Beppu City, Oita Prefecture; CEO: Natsuko Livia Shimizu), which advocates for 'Zero sleeping kimonos across Japan' and inherits kimono culture for the next generation, is rethinking how people interact with kimonos amidst diversifying lifestyles. To solve the question of 'What should we do with the kimonos at home?', we will work on creating a sustainable kimono circulation system based in the local region.
The bright interior based on white is designed as a suitable place for 'kimono care,' distinguishing itself from closed warehouse storage.
Creating a 'third option' other than 'selling' or 'throwing away'
Although many people worry about 'what to do with the kimonos at home,' the current reality is that solutions have been limited to either 'selling' or 'throwing away.' What KIMONO CLOSET proposes at Funai 5-ban Gai is neither of those, but a completely new experience of the 'joy of utilizing.' We propose a new cycle combining appropriate 'storage' of kimonos with 'utilization' through rental.
By freeing customers from the burden of managing kimonos and making the entrusted kimonos shine again on a grand stage, we create the 'peace of mind in utilizing' and 'joy' instead of letting them go. Through this mechanism where the 'owner,' 'wearer,' and 'our company' interact to add new scenery to kimonos, we will connect everyone's precious kimonos and sentiments to the future.
Background of opening a store in Funai 5-ban Gai Shopping Street
◾️Why an 'empty store' in a historic shopping street?
As the number of kimonos stored online grew dramatically, securing storage space was a long-standing issue. Among many options such as building from scratch, utilizing closed schools in the suburbs, or expanding to the Tokyo metropolitan area, we chose an 'empty store' in Funai 5-ban Gai in central Oita City.
Underlying this choice is our philosophy of 'turning idle assets into new value.' We, who utilize kimonos sleeping in dressers, regenerate the asset of an empty store sleeping in the city to create a flow of people once again. This is because we believe a shopping street deeply involved with the city's history and people's lives is the most suitable place as a base to inherit the 'sentiments' of kimonos to the next generation.
1. 'Care' that stays close to memories by exclusive concierges
In KIMONO CLOSET's storage service, every kimono is kept not merely as 'luggage' but as the customer's 'precious memory.' We propose a new form of storage that completely differs from the 'closed warehouse storage' often seen in delivery storage services, where items are just locked in boxes and stacked.
■ Professionals handle all troublesome maintenance on your behalf
For customers who 'love kimonos but don't know how to care for them' or find 'seasonal airing out to be a heavy burden,' our concierges handle all maintenance. We completely take over essential tasks like 'airing out' the kimonos, condition checks by skilled eyes and hands, and optimal cleaning proposals. We free customers from the invisible pressure of 'kimono management.'
■ Creating physical and mental space
The more precious a kimono is, the more space it takes to store. By entrusting the kimonos that occupied your home dressers and closets to a professional environment, you can regain physical space in your room and a light, spacious feeling in your heart.
■ A form of 'care' that takes them out of the box and lets them breathe
At KIMONO CLOSET, entrusted kimonos are never left in dark cardboard boxes. Each piece is taken out of the box and managed as if letting it breathe. We stay close to invisible stories, such as the joy the customer felt when holding that kimono, or the feelings when inheriting it from family. We thoroughly provide 'care' to connect them to the future in the best condition, as if cherishing our own children.
2. A one-of-a-kind 'sharing service' that layers stories
What KIMONO CLOSET delivers is not just kimono rental. It is a form of circulation that adds new stories to the precious memories the owners have walked alongside their kimonos.
■ Layering 'the scenery the kimono sees' and connecting to the future
A kimono is engraved with the life of the person who wore it and the scenery of that moment. While respecting the past scenery the owners have cherished, we aim to layer 'new scenery the kimono encounters' upon it. Instead of stopping time in the dresser, taking the next step connects the kimono's story to the future more richly and vividly.
■ Your very own 'one-and-only coordination'
For customers using the kimono rental, our concierges will propose a unique coordination tailored to the TPO, much like traditional rental shops but completely personalized.
The bright interior based on white is designed as a suitable place for 'kimono care,' distinguishing itself from closed warehouse storage.
Creating a 'third option' other than 'selling' or 'throwing away'
Although many people worry about 'what to do with the kimonos at home,' the current reality is that solutions have been limited to either 'selling' or 'throwing away.' What KIMONO CLOSET proposes at Funai 5-ban Gai is neither of those, but a completely new experience of the 'joy of utilizing.' We propose a new cycle combining appropriate 'storage' of kimonos with 'utilization' through rental.
By freeing customers from the burden of managing kimonos and making the entrusted kimonos shine again on a grand stage, we create the 'peace of mind in utilizing' and 'joy' instead of letting them go. Through this mechanism where the 'owner,' 'wearer,' and 'our company' interact to add new scenery to kimonos, we will connect everyone's precious kimonos and sentiments to the future.
Background of opening a store in Funai 5-ban Gai Shopping Street
◾️Why an 'empty store' in a historic shopping street?
As the number of kimonos stored online grew dramatically, securing storage space was a long-standing issue. Among many options such as building from scratch, utilizing closed schools in the suburbs, or expanding to the Tokyo metropolitan area, we chose an 'empty store' in Funai 5-ban Gai in central Oita City.
Underlying this choice is our philosophy of 'turning idle assets into new value.' We, who utilize kimonos sleeping in dressers, regenerate the asset of an empty store sleeping in the city to create a flow of people once again. This is because we believe a shopping street deeply involved with the city's history and people's lives is the most suitable place as a base to inherit the 'sentiments' of kimonos to the next generation.
1. 'Care' that stays close to memories by exclusive concierges
In KIMONO CLOSET's storage service, every kimono is kept not merely as 'luggage' but as the customer's 'precious memory.' We propose a new form of storage that completely differs from the 'closed warehouse storage' often seen in delivery storage services, where items are just locked in boxes and stacked.
■ Professionals handle all troublesome maintenance on your behalf
For customers who 'love kimonos but don't know how to care for them' or find 'seasonal airing out to be a heavy burden,' our concierges handle all maintenance. We completely take over essential tasks like 'airing out' the kimonos, condition checks by skilled eyes and hands, and optimal cleaning proposals. We free customers from the invisible pressure of 'kimono management.'
■ Creating physical and mental space
The more precious a kimono is, the more space it takes to store. By entrusting the kimonos that occupied your home dressers and closets to a professional environment, you can regain physical space in your room and a light, spacious feeling in your heart.
■ A form of 'care' that takes them out of the box and lets them breathe
At KIMONO CLOSET, entrusted kimonos are never left in dark cardboard boxes. Each piece is taken out of the box and managed as if letting it breathe. We stay close to invisible stories, such as the joy the customer felt when holding that kimono, or the feelings when inheriting it from family. We thoroughly provide 'care' to connect them to the future in the best condition, as if cherishing our own children.
2. A one-of-a-kind 'sharing service' that layers stories
What KIMONO CLOSET delivers is not just kimono rental. It is a form of circulation that adds new stories to the precious memories the owners have walked alongside their kimonos.
■ Layering 'the scenery the kimono sees' and connecting to the future
A kimono is engraved with the life of the person who wore it and the scenery of that moment. While respecting the past scenery the owners have cherished, we aim to layer 'new scenery the kimono encounters' upon it. Instead of stopping time in the dresser, taking the next step connects the kimono's story to the future more richly and vividly.
■ Your very own 'one-and-only coordination'
For customers using the kimono rental, our concierges will propose a unique coordination tailored to the TPO, much like traditional rental shops but completely personalized.