Kyoto Dry Cleaning Japantown

I know that to have any silk haori or kimono cleaned correctly, you can't just trust it to any dry cleaner out there. They won't know how to press it or care for the fabric, especially vintage silk. They won't touch shibori, which is a handmade, highly textured silk fabric. If you have these kind of Japanese garments or highly delicate items, trust Kyoto Cleaners to do them justice.

Case in point, I picked up a lovely vintage shibori haori as a gift for someone and needed it cleaned. I looked around Japantown to see if there was a good cleaner and found Kyoto. I dropped it off and it took about a week to do, mostly because shibori is harder to clean and takes special pressing. I picked it up today and it looks amazing! I can't say if the prices are "cheap", because this was a special case, but I would definitely say that I would trust the wonderful lady to dry clean anything I have if this is how she cares for things.

She even took the time to remove a few hand stitches that were coming loose before cleaning my haori...she seems very knowledgeable about cultural garments and their quality.

All in all, I'm thrilled with the job she's done. I'll definitely be back, and will probably bring my mother in law's other kimono to her if she needs them cleaned, as she lives in Sacto and has a hard time finding a cleaner who can treat them correctly.

Thank you so much! See you soon!

TIP:
* If you go, there's plenty of street parking or take the #2 or #3 muni to Buchanan. (It's half a block up on your right in a little shop-you'll see the sign.

* CASH or CHECK only! There is no ATM nearby, you'll have to go a few blocks to Fillmore to find your bank...so bring cash. No cards, no Apple pay, sorry.

I've been struggling to find a dry cleaner whom I can trust with my kimono and obi... Look no further -- I've found Kyoto Dry Cleaning!! I'm a huge fan. I've inherited some kimonos/obis that were stored with intense moth repellent material. Luckily when they return from Kyoto DC, they're no longer giving off those intense smells. I highly recommend their service!

Dry cleaned all my shirts no problem and had a turnaround of a couple days. Super friendly owner too! I'd recommend this place to anyone look for a dry cleaner in the city.

A wonderful shop that can be found tucked into a building on Buchanan in Japantown, Kyoto cleaners gets the job done in a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. Though they only take cash or checks, it's nice to have mom and pop shops like this in the city. If you live in the neighborhood, try their dry cleaning or sewing services.

This place is great, my cashmere sweaters were all cleaned thoroughly and gently. Sally is kind and responsive, I'm definitely going to come back!

This place is AMAZING! From a very specialized perspective, it is difficult to find a professional cleaner in the United States who can clean and repair Kimonos and Haori. Traditional Japanese clothing takes a great deal of time and patience to care for. They should not be tossed in a laundry and thrown on a press. I have Haori that are more than 60 years old - one was so old that the seams were disintegrating. I brought it in and Kyoto cleaners carefully dismantled it, removed all the rotting thread, carefully cleaned the silk panels and then reassembled the garment using a newer, stronger thread that matched the fabric exactly. It literally looks brand new.

I'm so glad to find a dry cleaner who I can trust with my treasured haori. The lady who works here is extremely knowledgeable in traditional Japanese textiles and has done a superb job each time I've visited.

Very reasonable and great service. Had two pants altered and they were done quickly and professionally. Owner is very personable.

Great denim repair and general alterations. My friend recommended for saving my favorite jeans I've had forever and can't give up. She reinforced all the areas that were nearly shredded and it looks great. Came back with several more pairs-- some for reinforcing, covering holes that got too big, and for shortening hems too. I set up a date and time for pick up and had no issues. Owner is super friendly.

I want to like this place; I really do. It's a block away, the owner is friendly, it looks nice enough. But they just hit 3 strikes in my 2 visits.

Strike 1: On my first visit here everything seemed pretty routine, then I got my clothes back. Besides the prices seeming on the expensive side, the clothes didn't look all that great. A shirt still had some pretty obvious wrinkles.

Strike 2: Okay, I'll give 'em another shot. The store opens at 9am on weekdays. A couple days ago I arrived at 9:10am to drop off some clothes. The store was empty, a couple minutes later the lady operating the shop arrives to open for business.

Strike 3: Today I stopped by to pick up my clothes. I got there around 9:15...the shop was dark. Hmm, okay, another late day? Ten minutes later she arrives to open up the shop. 25 minutes past 9am. It's not the biggest deal that a Mom and Pop shop owner opens a bit late, but come on, twice in a week? If you can't commit to opening at 9am then set a later time.

So, in my experience, this store is expensive, opens late, and is lacking in quality. I see some others have had better luck with this place, and that's great. But I figure I can do better, so I'll check out another cleaners.