Most&nbsp;people&nbsp;who&nbsp;rent&nbsp;a&nbsp;kimono&nbsp;in&nbsp;Kyoto&nbsp;end&nbsp;up&nbsp;shuffling&nbsp;through&nbsp;crowds&nbsp;in&nbsp;unfamiliar&nbsp;sandals,&nbsp;taking&nbsp;selfies&nbsp;and&nbsp;walking&nbsp;past&nbsp;shrines&nbsp;without&nbsp;knowing&nbsp;what&nbsp;they&#39;re&nbsp;looking&nbsp;at.&nbsp;This&nbsp;morning&nbsp;goes&nbsp;differently.&nbsp;At&nbsp;09:00&nbsp;you&nbsp;step&nbsp;into&nbsp;a&nbsp;kimono&nbsp;boutique,&nbsp;where&nbsp;staff&nbsp;help&nbsp;you&nbsp;choose&nbsp;your&nbsp;kimono,&nbsp;obi&nbsp;belt&nbsp;and&nbsp;accessories.&nbsp;Then&nbsp;they&nbsp;fit&nbsp;everything&nbsp;properly&nbsp;and&nbsp;style&nbsp;your&nbsp;hair&nbsp;to&nbsp;match.&nbsp;By&nbsp;10:00&nbsp;you&#39;re&nbsp;out&nbsp;on&nbsp;Higashiyama&#39;s&nbsp;stone&nbsp;lanes&nbsp;with&nbsp;your&nbsp;private&nbsp;local&nbsp;guide.&nbsp;You&#39;ll&nbsp;get&nbsp;there&nbsp;before&nbsp;the&nbsp;midday&nbsp;tour&nbsp;buses&nbsp;do.&nbsp;First&nbsp;comes&nbsp;Yasaka&nbsp;Pagoda,&nbsp;the&nbsp;five-story&nbsp;timber&nbsp;tower&nbsp;rising&nbsp;above&nbsp;the&nbsp;slope.&nbsp;It&#39;s&nbsp;the&nbsp;classic&nbsp;Kyoto&nbsp;kimono&nbsp;shot&nbsp;that&nbsp;fills&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;feeds,&nbsp;and&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;morning&nbsp;you&nbsp;can&nbsp;actually&nbsp;get&nbsp;it&nbsp;without&nbsp;a&nbsp;crowd&nbsp;behind&nbsp;you.&nbsp;From&nbsp;there&nbsp;you&nbsp;wander&nbsp;down&nbsp;Ninenzaka,&nbsp;where&nbsp;wooden&nbsp;machiya&nbsp;townhouses&nbsp;and&nbsp;old&nbsp;teahouses&nbsp;line&nbsp;the&nbsp;stone&nbsp;steps.&nbsp;Your&nbsp;guide&nbsp;explains&nbsp;how&nbsp;this&nbsp;merchant&nbsp;quarter&nbsp;grew&nbsp;up&nbsp;around&nbsp;the&nbsp;pilgrim&nbsp;routes&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;temples.&nbsp;Next&nbsp;you&nbsp;step&nbsp;inside&nbsp;Kodai-ji.&nbsp;Nene,&nbsp;the&nbsp;widow&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;warlord&nbsp;Toyotomi&nbsp;Hideyoshi,&nbsp;founded&nbsp;this&nbsp;Zen&nbsp;temple&nbsp;in&nbsp;1606&nbsp;in&nbsp;his&nbsp;memory.&nbsp;You&#39;ll&nbsp;explore&nbsp;its&nbsp;raked&nbsp;gravel&nbsp;gardens,&nbsp;maple&nbsp;valley&nbsp;and&nbsp;a&nbsp;bamboo&nbsp;grove&nbsp;far&nbsp;quieter&nbsp;than&nbsp;Arashiyama&#39;s.&nbsp;Outside,&nbsp;you&nbsp;stroll&nbsp;Nene-no-Michi,&nbsp;the&nbsp;stone&nbsp;path&nbsp;named&nbsp;after&nbsp;her,&nbsp;then&nbsp;pass&nbsp;through&nbsp;Maruyama&nbsp;Park&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;vermilion&nbsp;gates&nbsp;of&nbsp;Yasaka&nbsp;Shrine.The&nbsp;tour&nbsp;finishes&nbsp;around&nbsp;12:00&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;edge&nbsp;of&nbsp;Gion&#39;s&nbsp;lantern-lined&nbsp;lanes.&nbsp;You&#39;re&nbsp;free&nbsp;to&nbsp;head&nbsp;off&nbsp;to&nbsp;lunch&nbsp;in&nbsp;your&nbsp;kimono&nbsp;or&nbsp;return&nbsp;it&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;shop&nbsp;whenever&nbsp;you&#39;re&nbsp;ready.&nbsp;The&nbsp;route&nbsp;stays&nbsp;gentle&nbsp;and&nbsp;mostly&nbsp;downhill&nbsp;the&nbsp;whole&nbsp;way,&nbsp;because&nbsp;we&nbsp;planned&nbsp;it&nbsp;for&nbsp;people&nbsp;walking&nbsp;in&nbsp;wooden&nbsp;sandals&nbsp;rather&nbsp;than&nbsp;sneakers.