Must-see for summer fireworks festivals: Japan’s top 3 hotels that give away free yukata

Reported by Reporter You... / Comprehensive Report

As Japan enters the season of celebrating traditional festivals and hosting grand fireworks displays, wearing a Japanese yukata and gazing up at the night sky filled with fireworks has become one of the most popular travel experiences in Japan. In fact, there are several hotels in Japan that offer complimentary yukata to guests, allowing them to enjoy wearing one upon check-in. Rakuten Travel has released a list of 3 "Japanese Yukata Gift Hotels" where guests receive a free yukata upon check-in, providing useful information for interested travelers.

The Japanese "yukata" is a lightweight version of a "kimono-like" casual garment, which was commonly used as a bathrobe among the upper class in Japan a thousand years ago to keep the body cool and comfortable. With its simple and convenient design and lightweight material, it has become a fashionable summer casual wear. The yukata also symbolizes Japanese traditional culture. Demand for yukata in Japan generally peaks in the summer months (June to September), but remains popular even after the festival season in July and August, mainly because the yukata is also worn after a hot spring bath, which is very popular in September and October.

▲ Wearing a Japanese yukata to experience the festive atmosphere is seen by foreign tourists as a uniquely supreme experience. (Photo provided by Rakuten Travel)

Kyoto City Gion Shinmonso
Gion Shinmonso is located in Higashiyama, a 20-minute drive from Kyoto Station, in Kyoto’s famous temple and shrine district, near the picturesque Gion area. As a small and cozy traditional Japanese inn, Gion Shinmonso is dedicated to providing guests with a traditional, tranquil, and harmonious environment infused with the peaceful ambiance of Gion. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed by kimono-clad female staff at the entrance. The inn offers only 21 rooms, all decorated in a modern Japanese style, and includes Wi-Fi, allowing foreign guests to feel right at home within a traditional Japanese atmosphere. Female guests can additionally enjoy a complimentary yukata and sample refined Kyoto-style sweets.

Toyooka City Kinosaki Onsen Nishimuraya Honkan
Kinosaki Onsen Nishimuraya Honkan was built in the Edo period in the Kinosaki Onsen area. For centuries, Kinosaki has been a renowned hot spring town in Japan, and wearing a yukata to soak in the onsen remains an enduring tradition. Guests staying at Nishimuraya Honkan can enjoy free access to all public hot spring baths in Kinosaki and take in the beautiful views in the inn’s garden. From tatami flooring and paper sliding doors to wooden window sills offering garden views, the room designs at Kinosaki Onsen Nishimuraya Honkan highlight the beauty of Kyoto’s four seasons, with thoughtful details throughout. To enhance the guest experience, the inn also provides complimentary yukata for female guests.

Saga Prefecture Shouen
Located in Saga Prefecture, Shouen is situated next to the Kiharu River and is a nostalgic inn that evokes the warmth of a grandmother’s welcoming home. To allow guests to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of outdoor spaces, the inn features an open-air hot spring bath supplied with water from the Kiharu River. Additionally, the inn offers exclusive benefits for female guests, who can choose their favorite yukata style upon check-in to wear during their stay, and even take the yukata home. Shouen will take beautiful photos of you in your yukata, creating everlasting memories.