About MACHIKO KIMONO

 

Introducing a New Way to Wear Kimono

Hello! I’m Machiko, the founder of Machiko Kimono, based in the beautiful countryside of Yamagata, Japan.

My mission is to reimagine how kimonos—especially haori, the kimono jacket—can be worn in modern life.
I believe kimonos should not be limited to traditional ceremonies. They can be expressive, comfortable, and worn every day—styled freely along with Western clothing.

On my Instagram account @machiko_shime with over 50,000 followers, I share styling ideas that combine vintage kimonos with contemporary fashion.
This unique approach has inspired many people around the world to embrace kimonos as part of their daily wardrobes.

 

Breathing New Life into Forgotten Beauty

In rural Japan, depopulation and aging communities have led to the abandonment of countless beautiful kimonos.
To revive and preserve these cultural treasures, I created an upcycled line called Ichiyou Raifuku (一陽来福), meaning “good fortune that comes after hardship.”

ichiyouraifuku

Every vintage kimono and haori I offer is professionally dry-cleaned to ensure cleanliness and care.
For my upcycled pieces, I go a step further—carefully reconstructing them into modern, wearable designs that suit modern lifestyles while honoring their original beauty.

Each item is one-of-a-kind and is a story of craftsmanship, resilience, and revival.


Thoughtful, Honest, and Sustainable

As a licensed antique art dealer and upcycling artist, I take pride in transparency and thoughtful judgment.
Vintage kimonos typically do not include material labels, and it is often difficult to determine exact fabric composition without laboratory testing.

Using my experience, I conduct careful assessments through feel, visual inspection.
If I’m confident in my evaluation, I label a piece as 100% silk.
If there is any uncertainty, I label it clearly as “silk & more.”

If precise fabric identification is important to you, I recommend contacting a laboratory textile testing service.


More Than a Garment—A Story You Can Wear

At Machiko Kimono, you’re purchasing not just a garment—you’re becoming part of a movement that connects cultures, generations, and styles.

Whether you’re new to kimonos or already a lover of Japanese fashion, I hope my creations will inspire you to explore new expressions of beauty and identity.

Thank you for being here. Let’s celebrate kimonos in a whole new way.

With love and gratitude,
Machiko Shime

Vintage and upcycled Japanese kimono Ichiyou Raifuku (一陽来福)
Upcycle artist / Videographer / Vintage kimono seller  (Linkedin profile here)

Machiko Shime

 

machiko shime

 

 

ART WORK

一陽来福 ichiyouraifuku INSTAGRAM
Past works (produced in 2021-2022)
JAPANESE SITE https://ichiyouraifu.fashionstore.jp



ichiyouraifuku

 

We have three product lineups: 

 
1.        VINTAGE

We carefully hand select each of our genuine Japanese vintage kimonos. These kimonos are cleaned by professional dry-cleaners before being delivered to our customers. The composition of these kimonos is generally silk. Please check  this page for more information on our method for determining composition. After purchase, we recommend dry-cleaning as the cleaning method of choice.

 
2.     UPCYCLED

These pieces are made by upcycling vintage kimonos. My sewing team and I create each piece in Yamagata, Japan. Like our Vintage line, each Upcycled piece is constructed out of hand-selected, genuine Japanese vintage kimonos, kimonos which are cleaned by a professional dry-cleaner before being delivered to the customer. Please see the tthis page for more information on our approach to determining composition of vintage fabrics. After purchase, we recommend dry-cleaning as the cleaning method of choice.

 
 
3.     NEW CREATION

Please check the product page for the composition of each piece.

These are original pieces created by us and represent our vision of a new, modern form of kimono.
Each original piece has its own story. We put a bit of ourselves into every step of the process, from fabric selection to whom we collaborate with and where we create it. We hope you like it!

Our Reels on Instagram illustrate different stages of the process. Please check them out as well!

 

一陽来福 ichiyouraifuku MEMBERS

 

Collaborators / Japanese tailoring: 
Kimono Creation, Yamagata
Emiko Hishinuma
Nationally certified Ikkyu Wasashi kimono maker (一級和裁士)
(1st Grade Japanese Kimono Dressmaker)

Collaborators / Western tailoring: 
S-Labo, Yamagata

 

 

Sewing support:  Yoko Saito-Sensei Sewing Team and

Yachi Saikyo Madam Sewing Team


Deconstruction support : Mrs. Kyoko Ito

 

古物商許可証について

About Secondhand Goods Dealer Permit

(Based on Article 8-2, Paragraph 1 of the Secondhand Articles Dealer Act)
Name (Representative): Machiko Shime
Name of Public Safety Commission where permission was obtained: Yamagata Prefectural Public Safety Commission
Permit number: Secondhand dealer permit number: 241010003245

(古物営業法第8条の2第1項に基づく)
・氏名(代表者):七五三真千子
・許可を得た公安委員会名:山形県公安委員会
・許可証番号:古物商許可証番号:241010003245

 shimemachiko kobutsu

 

(国税庁インボイス制度適格請求書発行事業者登録番号 T1810519698430)

私共は、古着(ヴィンテージ)着物を使用したリメイク作品の制作にあたり、不正競争防止法、著作権法、商標法などの関連法規に抵触しないよう、細心の注意を払っております。必要に応じて弁護士に相談のうえ、適法性を確認しながら作品づくりを行っております。

また、既存ブランドのロゴを無断で使用することは一切行っておりません。商標権のあるデザインや文様、生地については、法令に基づいた適切な取り扱いを心がけております。著作権を有する作品やデザインを模倣することなく、オリジナル性を重視した創作活動を行っております。

Wholesale Information – For Professional Buyers / 卸売のご案内 – 業者様向け販売について