Let me set the scene. A stone walkway curves between glowing columns of patterned fabric. There are flowers, curling lines, rich reds and purples—and, on closer inspection, skeletons. Someone has excellent taste.
This is Kimono Forest at Kyoto’s Randen Arashiyama Station, where choosing a favourite pattern can comfortably distract you from whatever you were heading towards. The flowers make a lovely first impression. The skeletons are the ones you want to point out to your travelling companion.
Come closer. There’s quite a wardrobe here.
A Station With an Excellent Wardrobe
Designer Yasumichi Morita brought Kimono Forest to Randen Arashiyama Station in 2013, arranging around 600 textile-covered columns through the station grounds. The patterns accompany you along pathways and beside the platforms, giving the place considerably more colour than most departures require. The installation’s story
It’s a lovely setting for a little distraction: people catching trams, someone stopping to inspect a pattern, their companion taking a few more steps before noticing they’ve lost them. Best establish early whether you’re catching the next tram or admiring the next column.
Flowers, Swirls and the Occasional Skeleton
The columns contain 32 patterns selected from Pagong’s collection, all hand-dyed by craftspeople at Kameda-Tomi Dyeing Factory. Chrysanthemums, cranes, dragons and bold geometric designs arrive in enough colours to make choosing a favourite mildly competitive.
Then one column presents dancing skeletons.
Flowers are charming. Skeletons enjoying themselves among the elegant Kyoto textiles have range.
Then the Lights Come On
By day, the columns show off their colours. In the evening, LEDs illuminate the fabric from within and the walkway turns into the glowing corridor captured in this photograph.
The current schedule runs from evening until 9 p.m., although times can change. After dark, every flower becomes brighter, every dragon looks busier and the skeletons appear entirely pleased with themselves. Current lighting details themselves. Current lighting details
You Can Take the Pattern Home
Since the original post was published, a Pagong shop has opened beside the installation. It carries clothing, bags and small accessories made with the same family of Kyoto patterns.
Useful, should admiring one column develop into a firm belief that it belongs on your wardrobe. The skeleton remains a strong candidate. Kimono Forest Shop
Final Thoughts
Kimono Forest turns a station walkway into an excuse to slow down and look closer. Six hundred columns provide plenty of choice, but one favourite will eventually claim you. Mine has bones and impeccable evening plans.
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