The 7th TOKYO KIMONO WEEK 2013 - Kimono, Wa, Nihonbashi - is an event to rediscover new possibilities for kimono and the value of Japanese culture, and will be held in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo from October 17th to 29th.

A number of events have been planned. On October 27th, the Nihonbashi Bridge will be closed to traffic for the annual Kimono Group Photo Shoot, where a group photo will be taken. The event is open to the public, and last year around 200 people took part. In addition, on the same day, a Kimono Photo Session will be held at Coredo Nihonbashi Annex Plaza, where professional photographers will take photos of people wearing kimono. Participation in both events is free.

Also, as a special program being held for the first time this year, on the 23rd, Ichikawa Ebizo, the 11th head of the Narita-ya family, which has ties to Nihonbashi, will be invited to the "Ichikawa Ebizo Special Program: The World of Wa" for a talk show, video screenings, and a demonstration by Ikenobo, the head of the flower arrangement school. On the 24th, Ogawa Yoko, mother of actor Nakamura Shido, will give a lecture titled "Learn the Art of Japanese Relationships from the Pear World," on etiquette for greetings, gift-giving, and letter-writing. Nakamura Shido will also be participating as a special guest. Other planned events include a screening of "Murasaki," a documentary film by dyeing historian Yoshioka Yukio, the Tokyo Kimono Queen 2014 Contest, Kimono Salone in Nihonbashi, and a stamp rally. For full event details, please see the official website.

In addition, if you wear a kimono during the period and visit a store in the Nihonbashi area that has the "Kimono Benefit Participating Store" mark, you will be able to receive various benefits such as a free tenugui towel, a complimentary aperitif, and a discount on the bill.