Market Overview

The kimono retail market size for 2023 by retail value is estimated as 224,000 million yen, 101.4% of the previous year. The market has recovered in 2021 to 211,000 million yen, 109.6% of 2020 when an enormous decline occurred. The market has shown continuous growth in 2022 and 2023.  

While the kimono market has long been in the declining trend, companies centered on major kimono retailers have developed original services, in addition to kimono sales, to acquire customers, such as holding events and promoting casual kimono that can be worn in daily life.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the market has endured the murky situations, but after the latter half of 2022 behavior restrictions were gradually lifted as vaccinations for coronaviruses provided to the nation. This has resumed events and exhibitions that had been suspended or postponed, which showed a sign of market recovery. In 2023, COVID-19 has been downgraded to class5 under the Infectious Disease Control Law, which has increased customer turnout to shops and stores, and has encouraged many department stores to hold kimono events to have increased customer visits at kimono sales floors but have been failing to lead to purchase yet.   

Noteworthy Topics

Sales by Sales Channel

2023 saw increase in “Sales by general kimono stores”, “Sales by kimono-specialty chains”, “Mail order sales”, “Recycled kimono sales”, and “Others”. However, the growth at “Sales by general kimono stores” and “Sales by kimono-specialty chains” remained at small increase of around 1%.

​Although the kimono retail market size grew in 2023, the statuses differed by sales channel. “Sales by department stores” and “Sales at events/door-to-door sales” went through negative growth.

Future Outlook

The kimono retail market size for 2024 by the retail value is projected to decline slightly to 223,000 million yen, down to 99.6% on YoY.

Now that the economic activities have back to the pre-COVID level with expectation rises for the market recovery, it is projected to level off or decline slightly. The entire kimono market is likely to be affected by how each of companies explore and focus on kimono demands that match the current times.

Research Outline