About ochicochiya
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- About ochicochiya
The Secret Story Behind Our Store and Its Name
What does “ochi-cochi” mean?
In classical Japanese, “ochi-cochi” means “here and there”. At our store, we have gathered both kimono and customers from near and far in order to bring together the past, present, and future of Japanese clothing.
The tickling feeling that I would get when my mother and grandmother would put me in kimono as a child and tell me I looked cute. New Year’s cheer and the excitement of a summer festival. Watching my grandmother working in the kitchen, wearing her apron…to me, kimono are wonderful clothes meant to be worn every day, not just on special occasions. When I fold them up and put them back in my bureau, I get the feeling that I’m handling something precious.
Things that are precious to us…we take part in nature, and give nature our thanks. We are grateful for things, and we feel regret when those things are wasted. I started a store for everyday kimono because I wanted to show people the “Japanese spirit” that we were all so familiar with up until the last half-century.
I want people to take part in the world of kimono.
Many people seem to think that kimono are difficult to get into, but the truth is that they are very free and flexible. They’re good for your body and good for the environment.
The daily lives of Japanese people changed greatly in the postwar period, and as a part of that, they stopped wearing kimono on a daily basis. However, our staff love kimono, and we offer wearing instructions and maintenance with a smile, because we want future generations to enjoy these wonderful clothes that suit Japan and its people so well.
We offer suggestions from the user’s perspective
ochicochiya is a store for kimono users.
We offer advice on everything from coordination to wearing and maintaining kimono from a user’s perspective. There are many simple and easy tricks to wearing kimono, since people used to wear them every day! We are reviving these tricks to encourage modern people to make use of kimono in their daily lives.
Kimono are Japan’s most sustainable and eco-friendly clothing!
Kimono are made from nature’s blessings by the hands of many people; the cloth envelops your body tenderly, as if it is alive, and then it returns to the earth.
Thus, we should devote ourselves to reducing waste for the sake of the environment by following the 3Rs (recycle, reuse, reduce) after we are done enjoying kimono as fashionable everyday items.
Until recently, kimono were passed down across generations, and my hope is that we can begin this practice anew. I want to spread a “kimono lifestyle” that suits the way we live now, so that men, women, and children can wear kimono in their daily lives with ease.
Wouldn’t it be great to wake up and casually decide that you want to wear a kimono that day?
30 years later, 1 out of 5 people walking down the street are wearing kimono…every day, I open up my store amidst the sight of people wearing Western clothing and Japanese clothing shopping, going to cafes, riding their bikes, and coexisting.
ochicochiya – Kyoko Tanaka
ochicochiya’s Journey
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Selected as an Authorized Business by the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Kyoto Business Model Promotion Center |
| 2006 | Kyoto City “Meguru-kun’s Shop” Authorized |
| 2006 | “ochicochiya” registered as Business Trademark with the Patent Office (Reg. No. 4949782) |
| 2007 | “Kyo Momen Otsu” registered as Business Trademark with the Patent Office (Reg. No. 5053874) |
| 2008 | Won the Kyoto Credit Union Prize in the 1st Kyoto Prefecture Culture Venture Competition |
| 2009 | Won the Kyoto Industry 21 Prize in the 2nd Kyoto Prefecture Culture Venture Competition |
| 2009 | Selected as a “Kyoto Prefecture Revitalization Aid Fund” Support Business |
| 2010 | Patent Office “Japanese/Western Dual-Use Clothing” |
A Guide to Our Shop
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A corner where you can purchase fabric scraps for 300 yen per 100 grams!
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Please take a look at the accessories we’ve made using old scraps of fabric.
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Our store is located in Bukkoji-doori, Yanagi-no-banba Higashiiru.
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Items from our original kimono brand “Otsu”, which can be semi-customized.
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You can also look at items from the popular “Towaeru” line.
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We also have retro sewing machines.
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Sometimes, there are unexpected treasures buried deep…!
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We also have recycled cloth, unraveled and washed cloth, scraps, and old fabrics.
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You can enjoy trying various combinations.
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This floor is also popular with students who need costumes for their club activities.
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We have full sets complete with sash, footwear, and cords.
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Please feel free to try them on.
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The attic ceiling is low, so please watch your head!!
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This floor has many old magazines about kimono, as well as books about woven and dyed kimono patterns, all collected by the owner.
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This is also our event space.
Basic Information
| Store Name | ochicochiya |
|---|---|
| Address | Kyoto, Shimogyou-ku, Bukkoji-doori, Yanagi-no-banba Higashiiru Bukkoji Higashimachi 112-1 |
| Tel. No. | 075-344-4566 |
| Business Hours | 11 AM ～ 6 PM |
| Closed On | Every Monday/2nd Tuesday of the month |
| Representative | Kyoko Tanaka |
| URL | |
| Description of Business | Purchase and sale of antique and recycled kimono Design and sale of original kimono line “Kyo Momen Otsu” using domestic cotton Holding classes on refurbishing and wearing kimono ※Fashion + sustainability = Kyoto-style Re-Kimono! We also provide people with the information they need to enjoy kimono culture and wear kimono in their everyday lives. |
MAP
Accessing Our Shop
City Bus・・・8 min. walk from Shijo Takakura
Subway・・・Shijo
Hankyu・・・Karasuma
10 min. walk from Exit 12 of the Tozai We-Road
There is a 100-yen parking lot nearby for customer who arrive by car.
