Wasarasa (和更紗) — EEAT Content
Page / use: About / Owner page & supporting on-page copy for
wasarasa.com Subject: Machiko Tanaka (田中 眞知子) — Kimono dressing, fitting, rental &
hair styling, Sasebo (佐世保市), Nagasaki, Japan Language: English (matches site & target
audience: international visitors and the Sasebo community)
Meta description (≤ 155 characters)
Authentic kimono dressing, rental & hair styling in Sasebo by Machiko Tanaka — a Kyōto-
trained, licensed kimono instructor with nearly 40 years of experience.
Short description (for cards, social bios, directory listings)
Wasarasa (和更紗) is a kimono dressing, rental, hair styling and photoshoot studio in Sasebo,
Nagasaki. Founded and run by Kyōto-trained, licensed kimono instructor Machiko Tanaka,
Wasarasa brings nearly four decades of professional dressing experience to visitors and locals
alike — from coming-of-age and Shichi-Go-San ceremonies to relaxed cherry-blossom
photoshoots. English spoken, transparent pricing, U.S. dollars accepted.
Main EEAT page text
Meet Machiko Tanaka — A Kyōto-Trained Kimono Master in Sasebo
Behind every kimono fitted at Wasarasa stands one person and one promise: that you will not
simply put on a kimono, but be dressed the way it is meant to be worn — with the correct
lines, the right balance, and the quiet confidence that comes from doing something properly.
That person is Machiko Tanaka (田中 眞知子), founder of 和更紗 Wasarasa and a licensed
kimono dressing instructor with nearly 40 years of professional experience in kimono
fitting, dressing, instruction and hair styling.
Trained in Kyōto, the heart of kimono culture
Machiko's path began in Kyōto — the city most closely associated with traditional Japanese
dress and the place where kimono craftsmanship has been refined for centuries. After
graduating from a Kyōto beauty school, she studied bridal technique under a mentor of
the Japan Hair Design Association, mastering the demanding skills required to prepare a
bride from head to hem.
She then earned her formal qualification as a kimono dressing instructor (着付け師) — not
a weekend course, but the recognized credential that allows her to both dress clients to a
professional standard and teach the craft to others. This combination of Kyōto schooling,
association-level bridal training and a teaching licence is what separates an experienced
dresser from someone who has simply learned to tie an obi.
Four decades of real ceremonies, not just rentals
Credentials matter, but experience is what you feel in the result. Over nearly forty years,
Machiko has dressed clients for the moments that matter most in Japanese life:
• Coming-of-Age (成人式 / Seijin-shiki) — the formal furisode dressing that marks the
transition into adulthood, where every fold and the height of the obi knot must be
exact.
• Shichi-Go-San (七五三) — dressing children of three, five and seven for their shrine
visits, which calls for patience and gentleness as much as technique.
• Bridal and formal occasions — the most exacting kimono work there is, drawing
directly on her Kyōto bridal training.
• Everyday cultural experiences — kimono and yukata rentals, fittings and
photoshoots for visitors who simply want to experience the elegance of traditional
dress for an afternoon.
Having relocated this expertise to Sasebo, Machiko now offers the same standard of dressing
to the city's residents, families and international visitors — including the many English-
speaking guests who come through the area.
Dressing and hair — one artist, one coherent look
Many studios dress you in a kimono and stop there. Machiko trained first as a hair stylist,
which means your hairstyle and accessories are designed by the same hands that style your
kimono — so the finished look is complete and coherent, traditional or contemporary, rather
than two separate jobs that don't quite match.
Why visitors and locals trust Wasarasa
• English spoken. You can book, ask questions and be looked after in English
throughout your visit.
• Transparent pricing. Prices are listed on each service page and are inclusive of taxes
— no surprises.
• Clear booking and cancellation terms, provided with every reservation.
• Flexible payment, including cash and U.S. dollars, with international guests in mind.
• A real person, reachable. Wasarasa is not a faceless rental counter — you are in the
hands of the studio's founder, with direct contact by email, phone, WhatsApp,
Instagram and Facebook.
An invitation
Whether you are a visitor hoping to experience authentic Japanese culture for a day, or a local
marking a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony, Wasarasa offers something a quick rental never can:
the care, precision and artistry of a true master with four decades of dedication...