To enhance my deer-feeding experience at Nara Park, I decided to rent a kimono outfit (yukata) at a stall nearby on the day of my visit. My family made a reservation in advance for the earliest timing and this is highly recommended if you have a tight itinerary to follow! I actually rented a kimono in Kyoto Japan last year and it was one of my favourite activities of the entire trip! Because GIRL HERE LOVES TO DRESS UP.
There were different designs and colours to pick from, but since it was summer time, I wouldn’t want to be drenched in sweat wearing a kimono so I had to pick a yukata this time round. Sadly, there were not many pink or purple designs but I still managed to pick something out pretty quickly. The package is ¥4,400 which includes the yukata, shoes, belt and bag. I made an optional top-up purchase for an extra belt accessory for ¥500 and hair-styling for ¥2,200, as well as insurance for ¥550.
There could be cheaper options (hidden gems) but this was quite easily accessible near the station.
The whole process took about 20-30 minutes including hairdo (I wasn’t really timing it honestly). But if you’re a guy, you definitely get ready a lot quicker. There were about 6 different hairstyles to pick from and I chose a side-braid with a sweet-looking bow. We rented the outfits from 9am-5pm.
You can explore Nara park, and the shrines and museum nearby. Some may find that ¥7000+ for an outfit rental might be too excessive, but since we spent several hours at the area, I thought it was worth the experience! But actually there were not much people wearing the kimono, in fact it felt like we were the only ones doing it!
I’ll highly recommend to top up ¥550 for insurance as the deers can be quite aggressive (if you’re planning on feeding them with the snacks bought from the carts). I got headbutt by the deer thrice and they bite on my outfit multiple times to nudge me for snacks.
