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Purchasing a kimono

This kimono buying guide is aimed at the average traveller in Japan looking to purchase a kimono as a gift, a souvenir, or as something to wear occasionally. It is aimed mainly at budget travellers looking to purchase a kimono and accessories for the first time. For this reason, we're going to focus on buying second-hand kimono.

Understand
First off, a clarification on what a kimono is and what a kimono isn't. A kimono (着物) is a wrapped-front, T-shaped garment. When wearing a kimono, it is typically worn with an underkimono known as a juban, which look slightly different to outer kimono. Kimono vary in size, shape, and season. Originally, the kimono was strongly influenced by the clothing styles that were popular in China during the Tang Dynasty (roughly corresponding to the Nara period in Japanese history), but since then has evolved in its own uniquely Japanese way.

A kimono is usually worn with a number of accessories used to hold it together or accessorise it. It's a mostly flat garment with minimal shaping, and folds down into a small, flat rectangle for storage.

Kimono vary based on occasion, but there's a kimono for every situation – see this chart for help. Kimono are also seasonal, varying in pattern, color and fabric based on the time of year. Take note of what's seasonably and formally appropriate when you're going to buy or wear a kimono. Some kimono can be dressed up in formality, but they generally can't be dressed down.

In the modern day, you're most likely to see people wearing kimono to special occasions or summer festivals; they're not commonly worn as everyday clothing. However, some people do wear them frequently as regular clothes, such as sumo wrestlers, geisha, and kimono enthusiasts. There are very few occasions at which you'd be required to wear a kimono – except, of course, to a meeting of kimono enthusiasts.

What are kimono?
Kimono are made in a number of different materials. Contrary to belief, not all kimono are silk – and not all silk kimono are the same.
 * Tsumugi is a slub-weave silk, used for informal kimono and obi. It can be very expensive; though it's informal, it's highly-prized. One variety known as Amami Ōshima is particularly expensive – though be warned, not everything advertised as amami ōshima tsumugi is the real thing.
 * Asa refers to hemp and linen fabrics, mainly hemp. Hemp kimono are usually crisp and lightweight, typically standing away from the body, and tend not to be lined. They make excellent summer-weight kimono in hot weather.
 * Wool: some kimono (usually older, pre-1960 pieces) are made of wool. At one time, it was an extremely common fabric for informal kimono. Wool kimono can be lined or unlined.
 * Chirimen and kinsha are two different types of crepe. Chirimen is a textured crepe, whereas kinsha is a smooth crepe. For occasions like tea ceremonies and for more formal kimono, textured crepe fabrics either aren't allowed or aren't usually worn. Formal kimono made of chirimen tend to be modern ones.
 * Ro and sha are two open-weave silk fabrics worn in summer. Ro is a plain weave fabric with horizontal (or rarely, vertical) stripes of leno-weave; sha is an entirely leno-woven fabric, and tends to be stiffer than ro.
 * Jinken is the name for rayon in Japanese. During World War II, rayon kimono were produced en-masse with printed designs. Modern rayon kimono are much better quality than vintage ones; take note that rayon becomes brittle over time, so vintage rayon kimono may be delicate.
 * Polyester: Polyester kimono aren't fake, and modern polyester kimono are generally very comfortable. They're easier to care for, can be hand-washed, and won't stain from exposure to water. Polyester isn't generally used for more formal types of kimono, and isn't used at all for the most formal types, such as kurotomesode (for women) and kuromontsuki (for men).

Kimono also have a variety of sleeve lengths. Though men's and women's kimono have visually similar sleeve lengths, this wasn't always the case. Pre-World War II women's "short" kimono sleeves are noticeably longer than their modern-day counterparts.

Going back to the Edo period, there were also more varieties of kimono sleeve for both men and women; some had entirely rounded edges and were connected wholly to the body, whereas others were almost tubular, and featured a triangular gusset under the arm. Many of these older kimono sleeve types were developed for practicality, and would be worn by men and women who worked practical jobs. In the earlier Edo period, young boys and girls alike wore long, furisode-length kimono sleeves, as longer sleeves were a sign of youth. These sleeves would be shortened as they came of age. Extant examples of war-time kimono, some modern children's kimono, and the kimono worn by laborers and farmers still show the much shorter, at times tube-like sleeves worn in previous centuries for practicality or cost.

Kimono are different for men and women. Men's sleeves are a bit shorter, sewn mostly to the body, with a square edge. The bit of sleeve not sewn to the body is sewn shut. Women's sleeves are only attached to the body at the shoulder, are open down the rest of their length at the back, and have a rounded edge. Women's kimono should be as tall as the person wearing them; men's kimono should be as tall as the shoulder to ankle measurement.

Kimono are typically made to measure – and so aren't one size fits all. Vintage kimono are especially small, though looking at vintage photos of people wearing kimono, you soon realise that it's okay if it doesn't fit exactly – many photos show sleeves that don't even go to the wrist in length. Some adjustments are possible when dressing in a kimono, even for shorter pieces; some women wear vintage or otherwise too-short pieces without the horizontal hip fold known as the ohashori, which is otherwise required for women's kimono.

However, some kimono can be bought ready to wear – and it's not a new concept, either. Ready-to-wear kimono first became popular following the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923, in which so many people lost their possessions that off-the-rack kimono made of meisen (literally, "common silk stuff" – woven from machine-spun, partially degummed silk thread otherwise unusable for fine kimono) became immediately popular, particularly those dyed and woven in the Art Deco or Taishō Roman style. Ready-to-wear kimono have existed ever since, and are still sold to this day, though formal kimono are still made to a person's measurements when bought new.

Some kimono have wider collars, which are known as hiro-eri ("unfolded collar"), as opposed to bachi-eri ("folded collar"). These collars are designed to be folded in half lengthwise before being worn. You can, for convenience, just sew them down before dressing – though note that the collar is not evenly folded in half all the way along its length. It's generally wider towards the ends, though not by much.

Not every kimono is lined, and not every lining is silk. Unlined kimono are known as hitoe kimono, and lined kimono are called awase kimono. Casual kimono made of fabrics like tsumugi, wool, and cotton might also be lined in cotton or wool, sometimes both. You can identify a pre-1960 kimono by its red silk lining: the fabric is called momi, which literally means 'red silk'; typically dyed with safflower (benibana) dye, it's identifiable for its orangey-red tones.

Types of kimono

The blanket term used to describe all types of traditional Japanese clothing is wafuku (和服). You also might hear someone referring to "kitsuke", particularly amongst Western kimono enthusiasts – literally meaning "dressing", this term is used to describe how someone wears their kimono. "Her kitsuke was so perfect" would be a compliment, while "His kitsuke was very sloppy. Did he get dressed in the dark?" obviously would not.

There are several different types of kimono; some are usually only worn by women, but as trans, nonbinary and gender nonconforming people exist in Japan as well as the rest of the world, once you know the ropes well, it wouldn't be frowned upon to wear whatever kimono took your fancy, regardless of gender.

Before you buy, be warned that you should consider how you're going to care for your kimono before you buy it; some kimono require a lot of care, vintage pieces especially. If you don't look after it, you'll have wasted your money – so be sure to look at the Care section of this article before you spend your cash.

 * Yukata (浴衣) – The cheapest and least formal type of kimono. A one-layer, unlined cotton kimono, it's traditionally worn in summer with a hanhaba obi (for women) or a kaku obi (for men). Yukata are often worn by both men and women at summer festivals, and as a bathrobe in onsen resorts.
 * Yukata with shorter, more tube-shaped sleeves aren't yukata; they're nemaki, combination bathrobe and sleepwear worn by guests at hotels and inns. They're typically unisex, distinguished only by the color (pinkish tones for women, and blueish patterns for men). These aren't worn outside the house unless you're a guest at a hotel or inn in a resort village, in which case you can wear it while you explore town.
 * Yukata with indigo-and-white patterns are more of an informal bathrobe or house outfit, though can still be worn outside. However, yukata with an indigo-and-white design done in shibori (tie-dyeing) are quite prized and perfectly suitable for outdoor use.
 * Yukata with bright colors and large motifs are intended to be worn outside in the summer – to festivals and around town.
 * Yukata that are pricier and more subtle can be dressed up as a very informal komon kimono.
 * Komon – A type of kimono with an all-over pattern on it. These informal kimono are (or were) everyday wear. They can be made of a number of different fabrics.
 * Komon with much smaller repeating patterns, usually done in white on a colored background, are known as edo-komon. As they look like the more formal solid-color kimono from a distance, they're a bit more formal than the average komon, though they can still be worn as everyday wear.
 * Iromuji – A solid-color kimono, usually made of silk or a nice synthetic material. Though some iromuji might have a patterned weave or a gradient background, they are designed for tea ceremony, so they're meant to be inconspicuous patterns that aren't distracting.
 * Tsukesage and hōmongi – Formal kimono with a design over part of the sleeves, part of the shoulders, and part of the hem. In tsukesage the patterns don't cross the seam lines, and the patterns also tend to be smaller. Hōmongi look similar, but their designs are larger, and the patterns are matched across seams.
 * Irotomesode and kurotomesode – A formal kimono with a solid-color background (irotomesode) or black background (kurotomesode) and a design along the hem.
 * Furisode – A long-sleeved kimono designed for young women. As such, they have large, bright patterns all over them.
 * Hikizuri/susohiki – Look like either a regular kimono or a furisode, but much longer. This type of kimono is designed to be worn on stage or by maiko or geisha. Though beautiful, it's the hardest type of kimono to wear. The collar is set back further, and the sleeves are offset to help this. Sometimes, an okiya (geisha house) that has shut down will sell on its old clothing – as though geisha will mostly own their own kimono, maiko tend not to.
 * Maiko susohiki are recognizable for their furisode-style sleeves, with tucks in both the shoulders and the sleeves.
 * Be warned that both maiko and geisha susohiki, though available second-hand, are commonly worn until they literally start to fall apart before being sold on. Though they're exciting to wear, be careful you're not spending money on something that can't actually be worn due to fragility, stains, and mold.
 * Uchikake – A wedding over-kimono. It's designed to be worn without an obi over the top; as such, its designs cover the entire back. They are usually extremely heavy and have a padded hem.
 * Shiromuku – Another type of wedding kimono, a solid-white, often-silk (though not always) kimono with furisode-style sleeves. These also have a padded hem.

You can use this chart here as a quick reference for what is and isn't acceptable in terms of formality.

Yukata make good souvenirs and gifts because they are cheap, easy to wear, and easy to buy brand-new in different sizes, including larger sizes. You can also find second-hand yukata – be sure to look out for second-hand shibori yukata, as they're less commonly sold second-hand, and are highly prized.

Though most kimono are very expensive brand-new, you can pick up second-hand ones very reasonably for around ¥15,000. Though museum-quality examples of kimono from certain decades can go for upwards of US$7000, most second-hand pieces are, if bought from the right places, quite cheap and entirely affordable. (The problem is not buying too many of them!)

Kimono-adjacent garments
There are also garments related to the kimono that might make good souvenirs and/or gifts.

 * Haori (羽織) – A kimono jacket, usually made of silk, which looks a little like a kimono cut off at the waist. Haori, however, don't cross over at the front. Haori are usually worn with kimono, and come in a number of different styles and formalities, with men's haori commonly featuring a design only on the inside, not including any family crests (kamon) that were worn on the back and the front of the haori. They're commonly available second-hand, and they make excellent jackets to wear with regular clothing. Be sure to look out for shibori-dyed haori – they have a beautiful texture and can be very cheap in comparison to how much work went into making them.
 * Happi – Coats which look a little like haori, but have tube-shaped sleeves and bright designs. They're usually worn to festivals, particularly by people working at the festival.
 * Michiyuki – Also a kimono jacket. It looks like a haori that closes at the front. They're less commonly seen, but only because they're not always considered the most fashionable of items.
 * Hanten – Another kimono jacket, hanten are casual padded winterwear jackets with generally tube-shaped sleeves. Though not something you'd generally wear in public, they are extremely comfortable and charming.
 * Jinbei – It almost looks like a two-piece kimono: a top and some shorts. They're worn as pajamas or casual working clothing, particularly in summer.
 * Monpe (or mompe) – Trousers designed to be worn over the top of kimono. They were a very common sight during World War II, as they were made from old kimono to be working clothing.

What aren't kimono?
Here's some tips on what kimono aren't, and how to avoid fake kimono:

 * Kimono aren't "one size fits all" – it's a common misconception, but not every kimono will fit you. Some kimono will be too short, others will be too long, many won't have a large enough wingspan, and vintage kimono in particular are unlikely to fit many people today. Some may also be too large around the waist, or too narrow – and all of these things affect how kimono are worn.
 * Kimono don't have matching belts – a kimono with a belt in the exact same fabric is not a real kimono.
 * Kimono have a centre back seam – a kimono without a seam running straight down the back is either a very small child's kimono, or a fake kimono.
 * Kimono don't have shoulder seams – the front and back body pieces are one long, continuous length of fabric.
 * Kimono have an extra panel at the front – the overlapping front panel, known as the okumi, is narrower than the body panels.
 * (Some underkimono don't have an okumi – these, alongside some small children's kimono, are the only exception to this rule.)
 * Kimono sleeves are sewn shut past the wrist opening – the outer edge of the sleeve is sewn mostly shut for both men and women.
 * (Some small children's kimono may be open down the entire outer edge – this style is known as hirosode.)
 * Kimono aren't made of Chinese-design satin – ever see a kimono in fuchsia or bright blue satin, with gold dragons all over it? Either you've found a very nice stage costume, or it's not a real kimono.

If you're still unsure, and feel like you'd be unable to tell the difference between a real or a fake kimono – you're best off going to shops that aren't aimed at tourists. That's the easiest way to avoid fake kimono.

What you need to wear different types of kimono
A kimono can be an elaborate outfit, consisting of a number of elements, to the point where it's actively easier to have someone else dress you rather than try to dress yourself; or, it can be simple enough that you only need a handful of items to have a finished outfit. When you are wearing a kimono, be sure to always wrap it left over right; doing it the other way round is a major faux pas as that is only done when dressing the dead.

(Once in a blue moon, two genuine kimono or obi that look the exact same do come along – these aren't fakes! The most common obi "twins" seem to be fukuro obi. These "twin" kimono or obi may appear identical, or with the same design, but in different colors – these are either widely-produced pieces, or ones commissioned by someone in two different colors at the same time.)

Men and women will need different things in order to dress themselves; unfortunately, men have it far, far easier. (Unless you believe gender is a construct. Then go wild. Non-binary people exist in Japan as well.)

The basic elements you'll need, no matter what type of kimono you're wearing, or what your gender identity happens to be, are:

Things you'll need, regardless of gender

 * Koshihimo – literally meaning "hip tie", these long cotton strips are the thing that actually holds the kimono together. They're usually sold in packs of three, which is a good number to have, but six is better. Who knows what's going to wander off and hide in your suitcase?
 * Datejime – A wide undersash used to flatten and smooth out the kimono once it's been tied together with the koshihimo. Though usually made out of a type of silk known as hakata ori, you can also find elasticated ones that velcro together.
 * Probably some tabi socks, if you're wearing either zōri or geta shoes. You can find traditional ones that hook together at the side, but you can also find ones made of knitted material that you can pull over the foot. The non-stretchy kind is more formal.
 * A juban of some sort – unless you're wearing a yukata. Confusingly, there are two types of juban. The nagajuban resembles a normal kimono (though sometimes comes in two pieces, does not have an okumi, and/or features sleeves where the wrist opening is tacked in place and the rest of the front of the sleeve is left open), and is – save for wearing yukata – not optional. The hadajuban resembles a two-piece, tube-sleeved kimono, is worn underneath the nagajuban, and is optional – it can be substituted out for a tank top and leggings. You will mostly see nagajuban advertised as simply juban – nagajuban are underkimono, but hadajuban are underwear.
 * An obi of some sort – the obi doesn't keep the kimono tied together, but you still need one!

Types of obi for women
Do you have an obi that's a plain, solid black, with no design other than a woven pattern? That is what's called mofuku – mourning clothes. Lucky you, these obi are easy to turn into ones wearable everywhere with a bit of fabric paint or embroidery, but if you're in Japan, it's best not to wear solid-black obi unless you really, truly know what you're doing.
 * Heko obi – a soft, sashlike obi. Worn by men, women, children, it's one of the simplest obi to tie, and one of the most casual, meaning it can't be worn with anything above a yukata or the most informal of komon. They can also be worn over the top of hanhaba obi with a yukata for a fun and fashionable look.
 * Hanhaba obi – literally, "half-width obi", hanhaba obi come in thin, one-layer styles worn with yukata, and thicker, two-layer styles that can be worn with a more casual komon.
 * Odori obi look like hanhaba obi, but with large designs of gold and silver on a brightly-colored background. These are worn for dance performances – hence the name odori (literally, "dance"), and though very attractive, should generally only be worn with a similarly brightly-colored yukata.
 * Sakiori obi also resemble one-layer hanhaba obi, but are rag-woven with strips of old fabric in a multi-coloured fashion. Though born of necessity, sakiori obi are highly prized for how time-consuming they are to weave, and most examples are vintage pieces.
 * Nagoya obi – the most common type of obi for women, most nagoya obi are wider at one end than the other, save for some vintage pieces that might be just one width.
 * Chūya obi – translating as literally "day and night" obi, these mostly-vintage obi have different designs on each side, commonly a colorful "day" design and a plain black shusu (satin) silk underside. Chūya obi are highly sought-after, and are roughly of the same formality as nagoya obi. Some are roughly the width of a hanhaba obi, but others are full width, and most are very soft and "floppy", making them easy to wear.
 * Fukuro obi – the most formal type of obi worn today, 30 cm wide and roughly 3.5-4.5 m long. They are instantly recognisable, with the front of most fukuro obi being brocade. Some fukuro obi are patterned on both sides (known as zentsu), some are only patterned for 60% of the total length, and some are only patterned where the pattern is likely to show. Fukuro obi that have a pattern appearing to be upside-down near the end where the knot is formed are known as hikinuki fukuro obi.
 * Hassun or fukuro nagoya obi are fukuro obi where the only part of the obi made of two layers of fabric is the section where the knot would be tied. It's used for tying the nijuudaiko obi knot, which looks like a taiko obi knot, but more formal.
 * Kyōbukuro obi look like fukuro obi, but are as short as a nagoya obi.
 * Maru obi – the most most formal type of obi, the maru obi is not worn today. They are roughly the same width and length as a fukuro obi, but they are made of cloth roughly 68cm wide – meaning they're folded over and sewn along one edge. This makes them quite bulky and heavy, and also – since no-one wears them – at times, quite cheap.
 * Darari obi– literallg, "dangling obi", these obi are worn by maiko, and are the same width as a fukuro obi – but 6 metres long! You can buy these second-hand, but be warned – many available to buy have been worn to death, as they are so expensive to buy brand new. You may be taking on a problem child if you buy one.

Types of obi for men

 * Heko obi – a soft, sashlike obi. Worn by men, women, children, it's one of the simplest obi to tie, and one of the most casual, meaning it can't be worn with anything above a yukata or the most informal of komon. Men's heko obi tend to be black, brown or dark blue, usually with a design done in shibori at the ends.
 * Kaku obi – the other type of men's obi, kaku obi are worn to events of every formality. Though they can be very inexpensive, kaku obi can equally be as pricey as anything else – especially if it's from a well-known designer!

Kimono dressing aids for women

 * You might need some padding around the waist – the ideal look for women's kimono is more of a tube than it was historically, and as such, padding helps the obi lie nice and flat.
 * An obi makura – literally, "obi pillow". If you're tying your obi in the taiko musubi style, you'll need this. Some are just a pillow with ties attached at the ends, and some are more complex, designed to help the entire obi stay upright.
 * An obi-ita – a flat board that helps the obi lie smoothly. It doesn't matter what type of obi you're wearing, an obi-ita is a must-have.
 * A kantan han-eri (literallg, "easy half-collar") might help you – it's a half-collar (worn attached to the juban collar) with a long tab hanging down at the back, to which ties are attached, that then tie around the body. This can be very useful to ensure your collar stays in the right place.
 * If you struggle with dressing yourself, or just want an easier time of things, a tsuke or tsukiri obi might help you – they're pre-tied obi that look indistinguishable to a normal obi when worn.

Kimono dressing aids for men
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your gender identity and kimono choices), men don't need the same number of kimono dressing aids as women. And by this, it's meant that they don't need any kimono dressing aids, above a couple of koshihimo and an obi.

Accessories for men

 * Netsuke are little charms designed as something of a cordlock to keep a small purse or pouch – known as an inrō – hanging beneath the obi. The charm hooks over the top, and the cord to the pouch goes underneath the obi.
 * Setta – these woven bamboo-topped zōri are commonly just vinyl made to look like bamboo. Zōri that actually have a woven bamboo layer on top are usually very expensive. To get the perfect fit, your heel needs to hang slightly off the back of the shoe.
 * Geta – both men and women wear geta for informal situations. Men's geta have squared edges, instead of rounded ones. To get the perfect fit, your heel needs to hang slightly off the back of the shoe.

Accessories for women

 * Obiage – worn over the top of a nagoya obi (and the formalities of obi above this), the obiage can be made of silk crepe, shibori-dyed silk, or a number of other materials, with a number of ways for it to be tied at the front. Worn with a nagoya obi, it covers up the obi makura at the back.
 * Obijime – a cord worn around the middle of the obi itself, it can hold the obi knot in place, but sometimes is simply there for decoration. Most obijime are woven cords, though some – known as maruguke – resemble padded tubes, and are worn with more formal kimono outfits.
 * Obidome – a brooch worn on the obijime, the obidome can be one of the most expensive parts of the kimono outfit. Materials like coral and ivory used to be common, but in the present day, substitutes are used instead.
 * Geta – both men and women wear geta for informal situations. Women's geta have rounded edges, instead of squared ones. To get the perfect fit, your heel needs to hang slightly off the back of the shoe.
 * Okobo are a type of geta sometimes worn with furisode, and commonly worn by maiko in some areas of Japan. They are roughly 10–13cm high and appear wedge-shaped when viewed from the side. Though the okobo that maiko wear are either plain paulownia wood or are lacquered black, the more commercially available okobo are usually lacquered in a number of different colours and designs.
 * Zōri are a flatter, more ornate and formal type of traditional footwear worn with kimono. They come in a number of different materials and colors, and can be worn with anything above a yukata in formality.
 * The straps used for both geta and zōri are called hanao. These are threaded through small holes in the sole of the shoe, and tied underneath; for zōri, the knots may be hidden by a rubber sole, but are typically accessible through small flaps cut into the material. You can buy replacement hanao if yours wear out; retailer karankoron sells replacements, as well as a number of other geta and geta accessories. Failing that, it's possible to make some yourself.

There are of course a multitude of other accessories you can buy – from bags, to the fur stoles that young girls wear around their necks for Coming of Age day, to hairpins (known as kanzashi), underwear and others.

Buy
Some good news. You can pick up a 100% authentic kimono, including all of these elements, quite cheaply – for less than ¥10,000 by frequenting second hand stores. If you're going for the cheap option, here's a rough budget:

 * Juban – about ¥1500
 * Kimono – about ¥2000
 * Zōri – Can be a bit more expensive to find one that fits. Anything around ¥2500 is bearable though
 * Tabi – ¥300, try and score a pair at a ¥100 shop; knitted tabi (like Western socks) are much cheaper than the traditional tabi sewn from woven fabric, with hook closures, though knitted tabi: aren't suitable for formal occasions
 * Obiage – ¥1500, it's a bit difficult to get these cheap; the cheaper versions are often poor quality. You can always dye them a darker colour if you don't like the color, and in a pinch, a nice scarf will likely do the same job.
 * Obijime – cheap versions from about ¥500
 * Obi – from about ¥1000

Total: about ¥6000.

For anything but tea ceremony and the more formal occasions, you aren't honour-bound to wear geta or zōri – a smart boot or shoe will work just fine.

If this is your first time purchasing kimono, it's a good idea not to go above ¥20,000 in total; if you end up collecting kimono, your tastes will change, and if you don't, you still may want to sell what you bought on one day. There's also some things you will need to keep in mind when scouring for your first, or otherwise, kimono purchase:

 * Many start by buying a furisode – but struggle to sell them on. Some kimono designs are a dime a dozen, and furisode are the main culprit in this area. Just because it's beautiful – doesn't mean it's rare. If you're planning on buying a furisode, be as stingy as you can, and try your hardest not to go above US$130–150. Remember, they're also difficult to wear – and there are precious few occasions you'll be able to wear one to.
 * Sheer vintage kimono will break very easily. Though there are countless examples of beautiful summertime kimono from days gone by, many of these are very fragile, more so for their sheer and see-through nature.
 * Vintage silk has a tendency to shatter. This is a problem seen in vintage clothing in general – silk is a hair fibre, and eventually, it'll get brittle enough to break down entirely on its own. There's no way around this problem, other than avoiding the items with this problem.
 * Vintage rayon/nylon kimono can be lovely – but they may be brittle. Rayon, also known as nylon, became the go-to fibre for kimono produced in WW2 Japan; many vintage rayon kimono are emblematic of this time. However, as a fibre, rayon becomes brittle with age, so these kimono may not be suitable for regular wear.
 * Vintage red fabrics will bleed. Oh boy, will they bleed. Kimono from before 1960 usually have solid red linings – or otherwise, were worn with red silk juban. The type of dyestuff used at this time, derived from the safflower, has a tendency to bleed from the slightest heat and moisture, meaning that wearing a red-lined kimono with your lovely white juban on a hot day... may lead to red stains on said snow-white juban. Proceed with caution.
 * Mothball smells will go – cigarette smoke won't. Many vintage kimono, in particular casual, indigo house clothes, are imbued with the smell of cigarette smoke. What smells like a musty old kimono in the shop may smell like the soul of a thousand ashtrays when exposed to a bit of moisture and warmth – and it is near-impossible to remove. To test something before you buy it, hold a small portion of it pressed between both palms enough to warm it up – if there's cigarette smoke present, you should be able to smell it. Afterwards, get the smell off your hands by submerging them in diluted lemon juice and baking soda.

Places to buy
Broadly speaking, there are three places you can buy kimono from in-person.

Firstly, there are little antique shops selling old clothing known as furugi. You'll find a number of these in older shopping districts like Shimokitazawa in Tokyo; however, many of them focus on Western vintage clothing as well. Avoid Harajuku; it's a tourist trap, and you won't find any deals there. It's entirely possible to find nice items in these little shops, but it does take some ferreting around, and you really need to know how much to spend so you don't come away bested by an antiques dealer. You're also unlikely to come away with all the things you need for a full outfit.

Secondly, there are established shops in larger cities that cater exclusively to selling second-hand kimono, such as Sakaeya in Tokyo. The advantage of these shops is the visible price on the garments; antiques shops likely won't have this, and will require some haggling. These second-hand shops will likely have all the elements you'll need for a kimono, which is handy if you're not planning on looking forever through every single establishment. You'll find some good second-hand kimono shops in Tokyo, and surprisingly, a weekend-only, family-run stall located on Omotesando in Harajuku, where the staff speak some English and sell kimono on at a reasonable price – ¥2000 is likely enough to net a kimono.

Outside of larger cities, you can reliably find second-hand kimono by going to so-called "recycling" (risaikuru (リサイクル)) shops. One of the larger chains is Hard Off, and they will almost invariably have a section of kimono, often a number of reasonably attractive pieces at a reasonably attractive price. The prices are clearly stated on the garment, and with no haggling allowed, this is an easily accessible option for the average tourist.

You'll soon find that the problem with buying kimono isn't the kimono itself – it's locating everything you need to go with it, and finding a juban that fits is one of the biggest issues you're likely to run into. You may have to try and get one of these from Yahoo Auctions in Japan, or other online retailers. In previous years, one of the best online retailers to find kimono was Ichiroya, run by married couple Ichiro and Yuka Wada; sadly, they closed down in early 2020, though both owners can still be found online in various kimono enthusiast Facebook groups. Their listings, staff and email newsletters were well regarded for the quality and depth of their information on kimono, and many have been archived through the WayBack Machine or archive.today ; though the shop has closed, the archived listings are an excellent resource of knowledge.

Brand-new kimono can be very expensive, requiring multiple fittings from a specialist tailor, and can cost upwards of ¥200,000; more so for kimono made by well known artists, often designated as Living National Treasures. Traditional kimono selling shops are known as gofukuya – and they have a reputation for being difficult to buy from.

Gofukuya sell kimono in fabric-bolt form, after which you pay an extra fee for the kimono to be sewn, and perhaps others for the fabric to be washed and treated; the price tag on the bolt of fabric, therefore, isn't the final cost. Be aware that if you enter a gofukuya, it is considered extremely rude not to buy something – even if it's something very small, such as tabi socks or an obijime.

One famous place to get a brand new kimono is the kimono department of Mitsukoshi's flagship store in Tokyo – other department stores may also feature shops with brand new kimono for sale.

Wear
Okay, you've got all the stuff. If you're going to wear your kimono, you're confident that nothing has been missed off the list; you've checked and double-checked a list to make sure that your outfit's going to be the exact right formality. You've also, hopefully, not thrown yourself in at the deep end with the most formal kimono, expecting you'll get things right the first time.

Now what?

If you want to actually wear the thing, there's a number of challenging things. The most most challenging, straight off the bat, will appear to be tying the obi, but you're also – if you're wearing a kimono with a juban underneath, and not just a yukata – going to have to contend with your juban collar wandering off and getting 'eaten' by your kimono.

The best way to learn is to start simple. Start with any knot tied with a hanhaba obi and pair it with a yukata; though the taiko musubi is more common (musubi meaning 'knot'), it requires more components and is worn with kimono that require a juban, so start small, unlined, and half-width. The absolute simplest knots you can try are likely the karuta musubi (literally, 'playing card knot') and the chocho musubi (literally, 'butterfly knot'). Note that even the nicest hanhaba obi are still informal, so you'll want to stick to informal kimono such as yukata at first; it's necessary to start simple, but you still have to match the formality of your obi and your kimono.

Does my kimono fit me?
It's worth noting that if your kimono doesn't fit, you're going to struggle a lot more to get it to look right when worn. Kimono aren't one size fits all, and a kimono that's too big around the hips, or too long in length, is going to present you with extra problems – though you can find guides on the internet to help with these issues. Chayatsuji Kimono's blog and YouTube channel are not only excellent kimono resources, but also incredibly helpful for taller people attempting to get too-short kimono to work – take a look there if you're struggling. There are also guides for larger people looking to make kimono work for them – so don't assume you can't wear them from the get-go!

Learning to wear kimono
There are a number of different places you can learn about wearing kimono; in the past, this was generally from well-respected books such as Norio Yamanaka's Book of Kimono, but in the present day, with the magic of the internet, your sources are wider, and also English-speaking.

As well as Chayatsuji Kimono on blogspot, Facebook and YouTube, try looking at Billy Matsunaga's YouTube channel – both are excellent kitsuke (kimono dressing) teachers. In previous years, the go-to recommendation for getting stuck in to kimono would have been the Immortal Geisha website and forums – however, both the forums and website were taken offline in 2014, and exist now only in archived form. Though many of the pages are preserved on archiving websites, don't panic! The group now exists on Facebook – under the name Global Kimono – with just as large and helpful a following of experts and enthusiasts.

There are quite a few guides on the Internet that show you how to put all the other elements together, so they won't be replicated here. You will find it quite difficult at first and your first few attempts may look a bit silly, but you get better with practice. Fitting kimono onto people is actually a recognised skill in Japan and aside from registered fitters or cosmetologists it isn't legal to offer one's services to put on a kimono for financial gain – though obviously, if you've got the skills and are willing to help a friend, they'd almost certainly be infinitely grateful.

Wash
Traditionally, kimono were washed in a process called toki arai – you unstitched all the panels and washed them by hand individually, after which you'd stretch them out on boards to dry, a process known as arai hari. Naturally, this is a pretty expensive process, and isn't available outside of Japan.

The best way to keep a kimono clean is to make the right decisions before wearing it. Here's some questions to ask yourself:

 * What's the weather like today? – if you're planning to wear your kimono outside, be aware of what the weather has planned, too! What seems comfortable and cool when sat down indoors can turn into something very, very warm if you're on the move. There's no shame in wearing an unlined kimono if it's not "exactly" the right month for it, so long as it's the right formality; you don't want to get sweat stains on your kimono. The rules regarding what type of kimono you can wear and in what month have relaxed over time; no-one should begrudge you for making that choice.
 * What event am I wearing this to? – for some occasions, you can cut corners that may help you. If you're around and about, travelling or otherwise doing something casual, synthetic kimono are a good choice, as if they get dirty, they're easy to clean. For other occasions, silk might be necessary, which will stain easily.

Remember to wash your hands before wearing your kimono, and hang it up on a kimono hanger (really just a long pole with a hook in the centre) after wearing it to air it out. Wearing a juban underneath your kimono will keep it nice and clean, and wearing simple clothing underneath that – a tank top and shorts or leggings works well – will also help to keep it clean. You might invest in dress shields, if you know you're going to be doing something strenuous, but they may show under the arm.

If your kimono gets dirty – you can, cautiously, dry-clean it, but make sure before you send it to the dry cleaners' that you're not sending it to its grave. Before you go – call your dry cleaners' and ask them if they do bridalwear. If the answer isn't a confident "yes", move on and find another one. If they can't do bridalwear – the most silk-laden, snow-white outfits of all – they're unlikely to be able to do your kimono any justice.

If a good dry cleaners' isn't available, then there are some kimono that you could, potentially, hand-wash – however, the stitches on hand-sewn kimono are likely to come loose, and there's the possibility that the dye could run and bleed.

Kimono aren't sewn together with tight stitches, and some dyestuffs – even synthetic dyes – bleed easily, with red and indigo dye being the main culprits. Total immersion in water and the agitation from washing could lead to a kimono coming apart, and the colors running over one another – leading to a stained kimono that you can't wear.

Machine-sewn kimono, however, can be hand-washed, but only very gently – and it's far better to try and spot-treat kimono (not with water and a sponge!) than to hand-wash them if they have a number of different colors. For machine-sewn yukata, you can likely throw these in the wash on a delicate cycle with little consequence – so long as it's brand-new or otherwise mass-produced, as these are designed to be more washable. You should be fine, hopefully, but as always, exercise caution. Keep in mind that water stains on silk do not wash out.

Hand-washing anything dyed red is immediately out of the question, especially vintage pieces with red linings, and machine-washing kimono in general, outside of simple pieces that have been machine-sewn, is almost certainly a very bad idea.

You may be able to remove stains with 99% isopropyl alcohol – as it evaporates quickly enough that it will not leave a water stain itself. Using a cotton bud lightly dipped in the alcohol, gently swab away stains, testing first on an area that won't be seen. Be careful of finishes such as fabric paint, gold foil and golden threads – the alcohol may react poorly with these. Never use less than 99%, as percentages like 70% and 50% will likely leave a water stain.

Put away
Don't store your kimono on a hanger in your wardrobe, unless it's folded up on a trouser hanger – and even then, it's not advisable. Yes, you found your kimono hanging on a Western-style garment hanger in the shop – but avoid it anyway! Over time, the shoulders will warp oddly, and the seams and panels will stretch out.

(You should also avoid storing your kimono in direct sunlight – the older a kimono is, the more likely it will fade quickly.)

Traditionally, kimono were stored in tatōshi wrappers – acid-free rice paper envelopes – and these are still available, relatively cheaply online. They are not particularly sturdy; it's very easy to rip them, though you can store more than one kimono in them at a time. They're a good investment, but you may not have access to them; in which case, acid-free tissue paper (the acid-free part is important) will probably do the job.

Kimono were also stored in chests called tansu – paulownia wood chests. Because of the properties of paulownia, these helped to regulate the humidity inside the chest, as Japan's environment is naturally prone to humidity and, over time, mould.

Tansu can be difficult to find and expensive to buy. A flat plastic container under your bed would suffice, as it keeps the kimono away from heat and light, but you must make sure to air out your kimono roughly once a year. You should also fold your kimono in the appropriate way, as this will help to avoid creasing panels unnecessarily.

If you're not storing your kimono in a tatōshi – don't store it in any kind of paper that isn't acid-free. This includes taking a bolt of fabric off the little cardboard tube you bought it on. This will lead to, in a shorter amount of time than you would think, discolouration spots appearing on the kimono, and unless you're able to submerge what you've bought in oxiclean for hours at a time, it is irreversible.

Respect

 * Always wrap the kimono with the left side over the right side, as the reverse is only done when dressing dead people.
 * Don't bow to people with your palms pressed together when wearing kimono – bowing with one's palms pressed together is something done at shrines when praying to deities.
 * Avoid wearing chopsticks in your hair – they're not the same thing as kanzashi. You can buy metal chopsticks, but these also aren't kanzashi – metal chopsticks are used in funerals.
 * Avoid stereotypical geisha and maiko costumes if you're wearing your kimono for Halloween. Unless you've really put time and effort into the accuracy of your costume, it's likely that it will not come across well.
 * If you're going to be visiting special places such as shrines or otherwise attending formal events, wear your kimono properly. Leave the kimono remixing with Western accessories and belts for another time – respect the occasion, place and people around you.

title: Purchasing a kimono


text:
Kincardine

There is more than one place called Kincardine:

Ontario, Canada

 * Kincardine, (Ontario) - A town in the Municipality of Kincardine, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada.

The Municipality of Kincardine includes the towns of Kincardine, Tiverton, Underwood, Inverhuron, Armow, Glammis, Bervie and Millarton.

Scotland

 * Kincardine on Forth, a town in the county of Fife
 * Kincardine O'Neil, was never the former county town of Kincardineshire that is now part of Aberdeenshire
 * Kincardine, a mediaeval town that used to be the county seat of Kincardineshire, but ceased to exist during the Middle Ages so the only visible sign of its previous existence is the ruin of Kincardine Castle, 2 miles north-east of Fettercairn

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Kincardine


text:
Kincardine (Ontario)

Kincardine is a town of 12,000 people (2021) in Bruce County in southwestern Ontario, on the eastern shore of Lake Huron.

Understand
The economy of Kincardine has been dominated by the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant since the 1970s.

There is also a thriving tourist industry, centred on its sandy beaches and Scottish cultural tradition.

Visitor Information

 * Municipality of Kincardine
 * Bruce County Tourism

Get in
Kincardine Municipal Airport serves charter flights and private pilots.

The Kincardine Yacht Club is a busy marina serving mainly recreational boaters.

By car
Most people arrive here by car, from the east on highway 9, or from the north and south on Highway 21.

In the winter, blowing and drifting snow frequently causes dangerous driving conditions. Occasionally conditions require the highway to be closed to traffic. Check the weather forecast, road conditions and road closures before leaving. Make sure your car tires are in good condition, and travel with clothes appropriate to the weather.

Get around
Most people get around Kincardine by car, bike or foot. There are no public buses, but there are several taxi services.

Do
Kincardine is a very popular tourist destination in the summer. There are events such as the Kincardine Summer Music Festival, the Kincardine Scottish Festival, Cruise Nights (Classic Cars) and Fishing Derbies planned almost every weekend.

Unique to the town, is the Saturday night pipeband parade. The Kincardine Scottish assemble at Victoria Park and parade down Queen Street, playing bagpipes and drums, followed by a crowd. At the end of the street, they take a brief break, and parade back to the park (followed by the crowd). Some nights, they are joined by visiting pipebands.

During July and August the Bluewater Summer Theatre presents plays. During the winter the amateur Kincardine Theatre Guild presents plays using the same facilities. The Kincardine Legion (219 Lambton St) organizes regular bingos, dances and community dinners.

Most people come here to enjoy the lake. The water is clean and there are lengthy stretches of easily accessible beach for swimming or sitting in the sun and the fresh lake air.

There are four golf courses nearby:

Kincardine has an extensive network of walking trails.

Remnants of the wreck of the ship "Anna Maria" can be seen at Station Beach.

Drink
Most bars and pubs offer food (see Eat above) as well as drink. The following usually have a large selection of draft beer.

Sleep
In the summer, the hotels, motels and cottages are frequently full.

Go next
Larger nearby towns are Goderich (~ 30 minutes by car south), Walkerton (~ 30 minutes east), Port Elgin (~ 30 minutes north), Southampton 40 minutes north

The nearest major centres are London (2 hours south-west), Kitchener (1hr 30 min hours east) or Owen Sound (1hr 15min north)

title: Kincardine (Ontario)


text:
Kinderdijk

Kinderdijk is a village in the Alblasserwaard polder of the Netherlands. It's a popular, yet authentic, tourist destination for its large network of windmills. These received recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

History
Kinderdijk lies in the Alblasserwaard, at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. In Alblasserwaard, problems with water became more and more apparent in the 13th century. Large canals, called "weteringen", were dug to get rid of the excess water in the polders. However, the drained soil started setting, while the level of the river rose due to the river's sand deposits.

After a few centuries, an additional way to keep the polders dry was required. It was decided to build a series of windmills, with a limited capacity to bridge water level differences, but just able to pump water into a reservoir at an intermediate level between the soil in the polder and the river; the reservoir could be pumped out into the river by other windmills whenever the river level was low enough; the river level has both seasonal and tidal variations. Although some of the windmills are still used, the main water works are provided by two diesel pumping stations near one of the entrances of the windmills site.

The name
"When she could no longer hide him, she took a papyrus basket for him, and coated it with tar and with pitch. She put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank."

- Exodus 2:3, World English Bible (WEB)

Kinderdijk means "Child's Dyke". The educational film covers the topic of Kinderdijk's name with several theories:

 * The low height of the dyke itself
 * The mills were built by child labour

The name is reportedly from the The Cat and the Cradle story. The St. Elizabeth's Day flood in November 1421 severely flooded the area, though the survivor Beatrix de Rijke's cradle floated with her inside while a cat balanced it leaving her unharmed.

Regardless of the story's authenticity (the story heavily resembles baby Moses floating down the River Nile in Exodus 2:3), Kinderdijk has a floating sculpture called Beautrice's Cradle commemorating this folklore beside the pumping station.

By bus
Although Kinderdijk is in a rural area, getting there with public transport is possible on several ways. Buses are operated by Qbuzz. Regular OV-chipkaart is valid, also the Holland Travel Ticket. Alternatively tickets can be bought when entering the bus for around .- one way (debit/credit card only). Local RET daytickets are not valid on Qbuzz buses.

 * Bus 489 operates 2 times per hour between Rotterdam Metro Station Kralingse Zoom, Rotterdam Park & Ride Beverwaard, Oostendam, Alblasserdam, Kinderdijk and Nieuw-Lekkerland
 * Bus 316 operates 2 times per hour between Dordrecht Railway Station, Alblasserdam and Kinderdijk. In the early morning and late evening you can take the limited 316 service to Alblasserdam and change there to 489 to Kinderdijk

The bus stop is Kinderdijk, Molenkade for both routes. That is the third stop in the village Kinderdijk after IHC Smit and Kloos.

 * Amsterdam & The Hague: Take the train to Dordrecht. Take the 316 bus from there.
 * Rotterdam (option 1): take a tram to P+R Beverwaard. Change there to bus 489 to Kinderdijk.
 * Rotterdam (option 2): from Zuidplein metro station, take bus 392 and 491 to Oostendam (up to 8 times per hour). At Oostendam, change to 489 to Kinderdijk.
 * Rotterdam (option 3): from Kralingse Zoom metro station, take bus 489 to Kinderdijk.
 * Utrecht: take Intercity train to Rotterdam Alexander. Change there to a metro to Kralingse Zoom. From there, take bus 489 to Kinderdijk.

By boat
Take a waterbus from Rotterdam (Erasmusbrug) or Dordrecht (Merwekade).

A day pass is available which includes coupons for a return ride on the Driehoeksveer ferry and entrances to the Museummolen and Wisboomgemaal.

Alternatively:

By car
There are many ways to get to Kinderdijk by motorway. If you're coming from Rotterdam, drive south along motorway A16 in the direction to Dordrecht. At the junction, get onto the A15 that goes in eastward direction to Gorinchem. Get off at exit 22 and follow the signs to Kinderdijk.

If you're coming from Amsterdam or Utrecht, drive south along motorway A2. At the junction Everdingen, get onto motorway A27 that goes to Gorinchem in southwestern direction. At the junction Gorinchem, get onto motorway A15 that goes to Rotterdam in westwards direction. Get off at exit 22 and follow the signs to Kinderdijk. The ride is about 100 km from Amsterdam.

By bike
Kinderdijk is also within a cycling distance of the Dordrecht. Route maps are available at the VVV visitor information bureau. Just cross a river via a bridge or by a ferry (take off at Papendrecht), then take a ride for about 15km.

Get around
The best way to see the windmills is on foot or by bicycle.

Buy
Kinderdijk is not really a place to go shopping, but you can buy souvenirs from the usual gift shops.

Eat
There are a few restaurants at the entrance of the park.

Drink
Coffee for an affordable price right at the entrance of the park. You can also buy ice-cream or a small apple pie.

Go next
You can take the Waterbus to Dordrecht, a historic town with some interesting museums.

title: Kinderdijk


text:
Kinderhook

Kinderhook is a village and a township in Columbia County in the state of New York. The village of Kinderhook is a pretty town in a very rural area of New York State. Its center is small and well worth looking at, and some very nice private houses extend for some way to the south on Route 9, blending without a break into the village of Stuyvesant.

Understand

The village of Kinderhook lies within the township of the same name.

By plane

 * Albany International Airport, 737 Albany-Shaker Rd, Albany. Close, but not very international.
 * Stewart International Airport, 1180 First St, New Windsor, +1 845 564-2100. An alternative to Albany. Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and JetBlue operate flights from Florida and Philadelphia (Mar 2021).

By car
US Route 9 traverses the village and — although mostly one lane each way — is the major north-south road in the area.

Go next

 * South: Hudson, about 20 minutes' drive to the south-southwest (but mostly on Route 9 South), has a beautiful, historical downtown area to walk through, centered on Warren St.
 * North: Troy is a bit more than a half hour's drive north. Its center of town is generally regarded as the best-preserved 19th-century town center in the United States. The lovely city of Saratoga Springs is about a half hour's drive further north.
 * East/Southeast: Berkshires. The border with Massachusetts is less than an hour's drive to the east. The Litchfield Hills are about the same distance to the southeast.
 * West/Southwest: Catskills. Catskill State Park is about 1½ hours' drive.

title: Kinderhook


text:
King

There's more than one place called King, King's or Kings:

Canada

 * King (Ontario) - a township in York Region, Ontario
 * King's Peak - a mountain on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia

South Africa

 * King William's Town - a town in the Eastern Cape

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

 * King Edward Point - on South Georgia Island

United Kingdom

 * King's Lynn - a town in Norfolk (England), England
 * London/Kings Cross - a district of London, England

United States of America

 * King (North Carolina) - a town in Stokes County, North Carolina
 * King City - a town in the Central Coast (California) region of California
 * King Salmon - a village in the state of Alaska
 * King's Peak - the tallest mountain in Utah, in the Uinta Mountains
 * Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks - in the Sierra Nevada region of California

U.S. counties:
 * King and Queen County - in Virginia
 * King County - in Washington (state)
 * King County (Texas) - in Texas
 * King George County - in Virginia
 * King William County - in Virginia
 * Kings County - in the San Joaquin Valley region of California
 * Kings County (New York) - in New York (state)

title: King


text:
King's Highway

 * For the King's Roads, see King's Road (Finland) and King's Road (disambiguation).

King's Highway is a region in Jordan. The name comes from the ancient trade route that ran right through it.

Crusader castles

 * - built in 1115 AD, also known as Al-Shobak or Shawbak. Hard to get to without a car or driver, but it is on a hill with spectacular views. Most of the castle is a pile of rubble but there are underground rooms to explore, including the staircase (through a metal door that should be open) that goes down 375 steps to the old wells. Take a torch, and note that at the bottom, you can climb up metal rungs to a hatch next to the road below the castle, then walk back up the road. 1 JD or included in the Jordan Pass.
 * - small crusader castle close to the town of Wadi Musa

Understand
The King's Highway trip to Petra starts from Madaba. It gives visitors a good opportunity to see people in the villages during their daily life, and the landscape is very nice: If you come in April you can see black irises on the way. It's a very nice stop to see the canyon of Wadi Mujeb with a 950-meter depth. Crossing this canyon you get to Karak and do a visit to the castle. After Karak toward Tafila you can do a stop to see the mountains of Dana and then after Tafila another castle named Shaoubak. Then you get to Petra. This is a nice trip and more worthwhile to do than the desert highway.

Eat
On the King's Highway there are few places to eat. The stop at Karak to visit the castle will give you time to have lunch within some restaurants near the site.

Sleep
You can stay overnight in Karak or at Dana Reserve.

title: King's Highway


text:
King's Lynn

King's Lynn is the third largest town in Norfolk in England with a population of 42,800. It is a town with great history, having being founded in medieval times, and is situated towards the west of the county on the Great Ouse river and near the Wash estuary. Though it may not be the great trading port today that it was in years gone by, Lynn's marine links are still a defining feature of the town.

Understand
The word 'Lynn' means pool and likely originally refers to a tidal pool on the Ouse, which by the end of the 11th century was home to a small trading settlement. By the 14th century it had a population of about 6,000, which by medieval standards made it a large and important town. Lynn had strong links with the Hanseatic League, with merchants from the rest of Europe doing much trade with Lynn and in 1475 a Hanseatic Warehouse was built for them. Previously named Bishop's Lynn, the town came to be known as King's Lynn in the 16th century.

The old industries of Lynn all but died out by the end of the 20th century. However, fishing in the nearby Wash remains important to the town, as well a growing tourism sector, with many museums and cultural attractions developing. Since the 2000s, King's Lynn has hosted a growing Polish & eastern European community.

King's Lynn is the place where explorer George Vancouver was born.

By road
King's Lynn is at the end of the A10 from London and Cambridge, the A17 from Newark and is on the A47 between Birmingham and Great Yarmouth. King's Lynn is also on Sustrans (National Cycle Network) Route 1.

By bus
The majority of bus services around King's Lynn town centre are operated by https://www.lynxbus.co.uk/ with their flagship Coastliner 36 service providing half hourly (summer) / hourly (winter) services around the North Norfolk coast. Other services in and around King's Lynn and the nearby villages are served by https://www.gtt-online.co.uk/, Lynx Bus and First who operate the long distance X1 service from Peterborough to Lowestoft via Wisbech, King's Lynn, Swaffham, Dereham, Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

National Express also run a further 2 long distance services: 1 daily service to and from London Victoria Coach station and 1 daily service running to Birmingham from Great Yarmouth.

By boat
King's Lynn town centre can be accessed from West Lynn on a small passenger ferry. Although King's Lynn has an active port, there are no regular long-distance passenger ferries.

Get around
The town centre is best explored on foot. Local buses serve the suburbs and nearby towns.

See

 * The old town
 * The two guildhalls
 * The old town
 * The two guildhalls
 * The two guildhalls
 * The two guildhalls
 * The two guildhalls

Further out

 * is a pleasant small town 11 miles south of King's Lynn. It has the medieval Church of St Edmund and an impressive Victorian clock tower. Half a mile south of town is the six-storey Denver windmill, built in 1835.
 * is a pleasant small town 11 miles south of King's Lynn. It has the medieval Church of St Edmund and an impressive Victorian clock tower. Half a mile south of town is the six-storey Denver windmill, built in 1835.
 * is a pleasant small town 11 miles south of King's Lynn. It has the medieval Church of St Edmund and an impressive Victorian clock tower. Half a mile south of town is the six-storey Denver windmill, built in 1835.

Do

 * Speedway: King's Lynn Stars race in the SGB Premiership, the top tier of motorcycle speedway in Britain. Their home track is Adrian Flux Arena a mile south of town on Saddlebow Road; the racing season is March-Oct.
 * Festival Too is held over three summer weekends, in late June and early July.
 * Speedway: King's Lynn Stars race in the SGB Premiership, the top tier of motorcycle speedway in Britain. Their home track is Adrian Flux Arena a mile south of town on Saddlebow Road; the racing season is March-Oct.
 * Festival Too is held over three summer weekends, in late June and early July.
 * Festival Too is held over three summer weekends, in late June and early July.

Buy
King's Lynn has three small markets each week. On Tuesday and Friday, the market is held in the Tuesday Market Place, and on Saturday in the Saturday Market Place. Specialities include fish and seafood (local brown shrimp on Tuesday and Saturday), local organic fruit and veg (Friday) and a Country Market stall selling locally-produced cakes, preserves, produce and plants (Friday).

There are many independent shops, including an egg shop.

After extensive redevelopment, the town center now has many more shops to offer including: TK Maxx, New Look, JJB Sport, TJ Hughes, Monsoon, Accessorize, 2 new coffee shops (Cafe Nero and Costa) and many discount shops

Eat
At the top end of the market are the Riverside Restaurant, Prezzo and Luigi's, all excellent places to eat.

For cafe food and drink, try the Green Quay cafe on South Quay or Crofters.

Avoid the Globe on the corner of the Tuesday market place and walk straight past down to the Crown & Mitre at the bottom of Ferry Street for a wonderful selection of traditional home cooked meals at very affordable prices.

Drink
Most pubs in the town have a very reasonable selection of not only lagers and bitters, but also local ales. As in all towns and cities there are several places that are not up to scratch. The Crown & Mitre is well worth a visit with its fine selection of real ales and all the maritime artifacts you could wish to see.

Connect
King's Lynn has 4G from all UK carriers. As of May 2022, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * North Norfolk, with its popular seaside resorts including Old and New Hunstanton, Sheringham, Cromer as well as the many quintessentially English villages dotted around the green countryside.
 * Norwich, Norfolk's only City, is about an hour's drive down the A47 and offers a great range of shopping opportunities along with historical buildings and a Premier League football team. It is also situated next to the Norfolk Broads.
 * Great Yarmouth, a large seaside town that hosts a Sea Life Centre, 15 miles of smooth sandy beach and one of the UK's largest range of amusement arcades. Getting there may be slightly more of a challenge for those without car travel, as it is 1 1/2 hour drive directly down the A47 (trains do not run in this direction from King's Lynn Rail Station).
 * Shouldham Thorpe is a small, sleepy but friendly village at just 11 km from King's Lynn. Its small parish church (St. Mary the Virgin) was for a large part rebuilt around 1860.

title: King's Lynn


text:
King (North Carolina)

King is a city in Stokes County, North Carolina and is basically a commuter town in the Winston-Salem area.

Get in
King is served by PART Route 6, with direct service from Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, and Winston Salem and connections from other parts of the Triad.

Do
The big attractions around here are Hanging Rock State Park and Pilot Rock State Park (see Piedmont Triad page for more information).

Sleep
You could try camping at Pilot Mountain or Hanging Rock State Park. The latter even has vacation cabins.

title: King (North Carolina)


text:
Kingaroy

Kingaroy is an agricultural town in the south Central Queensland.

Get in
Kingaroy is about a 2.5 hour drive north-west from Brisbane. It is situated on the D'Aguilar and Bunya Highways and on the intersection of State Route 49 and State Route 90.

See
Dubbed "The Peanut Capital of Australia", Kingaroy has much to display about these popular legumes. Dominating the skyline of Haly Street are enormous Peanut Silos and serve as the main attraction. The rich red soil of the land is amazing to see after recent rains, when it contrasts the green of the new growth. The lookout at Mt Wooroolin provides a panoramic view of the town and is only 4km from the CBD.

Do
Although one of the greatest activities in Kingaroy is just to laze around and enjoy the small town atmosphere, several annual events are worth a look. Foremost among them is the Wine and Food In The Park Festival held each March. Other annual events include the Kingaroy Show (May); the Burrandowan Picnic Races (held at Burrandowan on the outskirts of the Shire, also in May); the Kingaroy Peanut Festival (August); the two-day Taabinga Spring Music Festival (October); and the Christmas Carnival (December).

Buy
As the largest town in the South Burnett, Kingaroy has a shopping centre containing grocery and retail stores.

Eat
Being the "Peanut Capital of Australia" it's pretty obvious what to dine upon. Mobile Peanut Vans scout the area and offer a wide variety of peanuts including the usual shelled, unshelled, and smoked varieties as well as more exotic flavours such as sugared and Mexican.

Drink
Several vineyards surround the town.

title: Kingaroy


text:
King City

King City is a city in the central region of California between San Jose and San Luis Obispo. Considered the mid-way point between Central and Southern California, King City is both a popular pit-stop for drivers, and a nice little town to visit.

By car

 * US 101.svg passes through town as a freeway between Salinas at ( north) and Paso Robles ( south).
 * California 198.svg & California 33.svg to I-5.svg John McVeigh Jr Memorial Hwy Hwy 198 is south of King City in San Lucas. From San Lucas it's another  to Interstate 5 on Hwy 198 & 33 through Coalinga. From Interstate 5, go west on Hwy 33 from Exit 335.

By bus

 * 23 comes from Salinas to King City via Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad and Greenfield on US Hwy 101. Passengers transfer to other MST bus routes in Salinas.
 * 84 continues south to Paso Robles via San Lucas, San Ardo and Bradley on US Hwy 101
 * 23 comes from Salinas to King City via Chualar, Gonzales, Soledad and Greenfield on US Hwy 101. Passengers transfer to other MST bus routes in Salinas.
 * 84 continues south to Paso Robles via San Lucas, San Ardo and Bradley on US Hwy 101

By car
To find the 'real' town, hop off the freeway on Canal Street and go east to where it dead-ends on Broadway.

To get back on the freeway, continue south on Broadway until it dead-ends in First Street, and circle west back to the freeway.

Eat
Chain restaurants are located near the freeway and the hotels. For example, just off the northern exit include Taco Bell, McDonalds, and Denny's. There are a number of Mexican restaurants in central King City.

Sleep
There are several hotels in King City, as it is one of the few cities along U.S. 101 between Paso Robles and Salinas. Many of them are near exits to U.S. 101.

Go next

 * Soledad — 21 miles north of King City on Highway 101, Soledad is the western gateway to Pinnacles National Park and also home to Mission Soledad, one of 21 historic Spanish missions in California. The town is also home to several wineries, with tasting rooms that offer magnificent views over the Santa Lucia Highlands and the Salinas Valley.

title: King City


text:
King County

King County is the largest county in Washington State by population, home to roughly 30% of the state's residents. It stretches from Puget Sound to the Cascade Range, encompassing the major cities of Seattle and Bellevue and their sprawling suburbs, as well as wide stretches of rural farmland and uninhabited mountain terrain.

Cities

 * Seattle - The seat of King County and the Pacific Northwest's largest city, with an extensive range of attractions.

The rest of the county is described by its location relative to Seattle and Lake Washington.

North King County
Largely upscale suburbia, heavily residential.

 * Bothell - Commercial center of the north county
 * Kenmore
 * Lake Forest Park
 * Shoreline
 * Woodinville - The center of the Washington wine industry

East King County
Better known as the Eastside, this is the fastest growing region in the county.

 * Bellevue - The second largest city in King County and Seattle's largest suburb, home to an art museum and a botanical garden
 * Issaquah
 * Kirkland - Charming lakefront city
 * Mercer Island
 * Newcastle
 * Redmond - Home to Microsoft and Nintendo of America
 * Sammamish

South King County
Most visitors will only see the Sea-Tac Airport, in the city of SeaTac. (The airport's name came first.) Continuing south merges into Pierce County, soon reaching Tacoma.

 * Auburn
 * Burien
 * Covington
 * Des Moines
 * Enumclaw
 * Federal Way
 * Kent
 * Maple Valley
 * Normandy Park
 * Renton - dominated by Boeing's 737 factory
 * SeaTac - the city that named itself after an airport
 * Tukwila
 * White Center - blends seamlessly into its neighbor, West Seattle

Cascades
The rural, sparsely distributed towns of the far east county are the one respite from the sprawl.

 * Black Diamond
 * Carnation
 * Duvall
 * Newcastle
 * North Bend
 * Skyway
 * Snoqualmie

Other destinations

 * - Ski resort in the Cascades on the eastern edge of the county

By car
The major interstates are I-5, running north-south through Seattle to Snohomish County and Pierce County, and I-90, running east from Seattle through Bellevue and Issaquah to Snoqualmie Pass and Kittitas County. The notoriously congested I-405 splits off from I-5 at Tukwila in the south and Lynnwood in the north, serving Bellevue and the other cities of the Eastside. SR-167 is an alternate route from Tacoma to the south county, while SR-18 is a high speed bypass from north of Tacoma to I-90 east of Issaquah.

By plane
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport,, called "SeaTac" by locals, connects Seattle to all regions of the world, with especially frequent transpacific routes. Competition is fierce and fares are low on service to the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California.

By boat

 * Washington State Ferries connect downtown Seattle to Bainbridge Island, to Bremerton, and to Vashon Island, and connects West Seattle to Vashon Island and to Southworth (Kitsap Peninsula). All ferries are for both vehicles and passenger except the ferry between downtown Seattle and Vashon Island.
 * High Speed Catamaran Passenger ferries connect Seattle to Victoria, British Columbia (Canada)

King Country Metro
he web trip planneris straightforward and accurate, as long as your bus is on time.

The number of the route also tells you which area of the county it serves:
 * Below 100 - Seattle only
 * 100s - South King County
 * 200s - Eastside
 * 300s - North King County

Sound Transit

 * Link light rail operates in Seattle, traveling north to Northgate Mall and south to Angle Lake via Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
 * Sounder commuter rail service, operating weekday rush hours only, connects Seattle to Tacoma via Kent and Tukwila.

 * Sound Transit has many convenient express bus routes that travel South (to Tacoma), East (Redmond, Bellevue), and North (Bothell, Lynnwood). Outside of the immediate Seattle-Bellevue area, many routes operate only during weekday rush hours.  Check your schedules in advance, and beware of holiday service cutbacks.   All Sound Transit routes have route numbers that are in the 500s.

By car
All but essential for reaching the outermost suburbs and mountains. In addition to the interstates, major routes include SR-520, linking Seattle's University District to Bellevue and Redmond; SR-18, a major freeway in the south county from Federal Way to Issaquah; and SR-509, the alternate route from the airport to Burien and Seattle.

Traffic congestion is a major problem in the Puget Sound area on all freeways and major roads. Avoid traveling during rush hour if you can, particularly along I-5 and across the Lake Washington bridges.

Lake Washington is crossed by two floating bridges: the I-90 bridge is free, but the SR-520 bridge charges a toll that varies by the time of day. There are no toll booths: unless you have a transponder, your license plate will be recorded and a bill will be mailed to you automatically in a few weeks. The long detour around the lake in either direction will usually waste far more time than you'll save in toll money.

Go next

 * the North Cascades region — north and east
 * Tacoma and Pierce County — south
 * the Kitsap Peninsula — west

title: King County


text:
Kingfield

Kingfield is a town in the Lakes and Mountains region of Maine that is the principal gateway to Sugarloaf, a major ski resort.

title: Kingfield


text:
King Island

King Island is a relatively large island located in Bass Strait to the north of Tasmania.

Cities

 * Currie
 * Naracoopa

By plane
Primary access to King Island is by aeroplane into Currie, using one of the small regional airlines based in Melbourne or northern Tasmania.

 * King Island Airlines,, fax: +61 3 9580 7361. Flying from Melbourne's Moorabbin Airport.
 * Sharp Airlines, . Flying from Melbourne (Essendon), Burnie, and Launceston.
 * Regional Express Airlines, +61 13 17 13, . Flying from Tullamarine, Melbourne.
 * Shortstop Jet Charter,, , fax +61 3 9379 3643. Specializing in group charter flights from Melbourne. Flights are also available on the Gooney Bird, a historic World War II-era DC-3 airliner.

By boat
Although you can get to King Island by private boat, there is no ferry service.

Get around
Once on the island, you can hire a car or bicycle to get around. The island has no traffic lights and relatively few roads.

See

 * Calcified forest,
 * Cape Wickham Lighthouse,
 * Fairy penguins.

Do
Many ships have been wrecked on and around the island's coast, and the island is a popular base for diving holidays.

Eat
King Island is famous for two things - seafood, especially lobster (crayfish), and King Island dairy products. The grass on the island produces an extremely rich and creamy milk and local dairies turn that into exquisite brie, camembert, etc. Much of the output is exported to the mainland, but a portion of their products are reserved for on-island use, and gourmets may find that an extra attraction.

Currie

 * Boomerang By the Sea, Golf Club Road. Serving dinner with a view, M-Su from 6pm.

Naracoopa

 * Baudins Restaurant, Naracoopa Esplanade, 64 611 110. Colonial style restaurant with bar.  Reservations preferred.

Currie

 * Devils Gap Retreat, +61 3 6462 1180, 0429 621 180, fax +61 3 6462 1180. One bedroom cottages near the ocean. Around $130 including breakfast and free transfer from the airport.
 * Devils Gap Retreat, +61 3 6462 1180, 0429 621 180, fax +61 3 6462 1180. One bedroom cottages near the ocean. Around $130 including breakfast and free transfer from the airport.
 * Devils Gap Retreat, +61 3 6462 1180, 0429 621 180, fax +61 3 6462 1180. One bedroom cottages near the ocean. Around $130 including breakfast and free transfer from the airport.

Naracoopa

 * Baudins Accommodation, Naracoopa Esplanade. Beach front cottages with views of Sea Elephant Bay. Between $121 and $154 for twin occupancy, extra fees apply for more occupants.

title: King Island


text:
King Island (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called King Island, King's Island, or Kings Island:

Australia

 * King Island - one of the Bass Strait Islands, to the north-west of Tasmania
 * King Island - off the coast of Queensland

Cambodia

 * Koh Sdach (also known as King Island) - an island roughly half-way between Koh Kong and Sihanoukville

Canada

 * King Island - in British Columbia

Ireland

 * King's Island - part of the city of Limerick, in Shannon Region

Sweden

 * Kungsholmen in Stockholm

United States of America

 * King Island - in the Bering Sea west of Alaska
 * King's Island - in Pennsylvania
 * Kings Island - a Cedar Fair amusement park in Mason, Ohio

title: King Island (disambiguation)


text:
Kingman

Kingman is the county seat of Mohave County, in Northern Arizona.

Understand
Kingman is the midpoint of the longest remaining stretch of the legendary Route 66, which reaches east of Seligman and goes west to the Colorado River at Topock/Golden Shores. It also boasts no less than forty buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Before automobiles became the primary mode of transportation, Kingman was a major railroad hub for the AT&SF railroad. These factors combine to make Kingman a city rich with history.

By car
Interstate 40 bisects Kingman, connecting to Barstow and eventually the Southern California metroplex to the west. From the east, Flagstaff connects to Kingman via I-40.

Kingman can also be reached via Historic Route 66 from the East at the Crookton Rd. exit #139 just past Ash Fork, or at Seligman. From the west at the Topock junction off of I-40, just past the AZ/CA state line.

Kingman can be reached from Las Vegas via US 93. This trip has the added bonus of crossing the bridge above the Hoover Dam. You can't see the dam while driving across the bridge, but there's a parking area on the Nevada side so you can walk across for views of the dam and river.

Get around
Old Route 66 is called Andy Devine Avenue in Kingman.

See

Go next

 * North to Nevada —
 * Hoover Dam at Boulder City.
 * Las Vegas.

 * South — towards the Colorado River and Lake Havasu City.

 * East —
 * Grand Canyon via Williams.
 * Grand Canyon Caverns, near Peach Springs along Route 66.

 * West — Bullhead City and Laughlin.

title: Kingman


text:
Kingman (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Kingman

United States of America

 * Kingman (Arizona) - a city in Arizona
 * Kingman (Indiana) - a town in Maine
 * Kingman (Kansas) - a city in Kansas

Oceania

 * Kingman Reef - a mostly submerged reef that is part of the Line Islands

title: Kingman (disambiguation)


text:
King of Prussia

King of Prussia is a suburban community in the greater Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania in Montgomery County. It is northwest of Philadelphia proper. It is located in the township of Upper Merion, PA. The community took its name in the 18th century from a local tavern named "The King of Prussia Inn", which was named after Frederick II, King of Prussia. King of Prussia's boundaries are the Schuylkill River to the north and U.S Route 422 to the west. Located to the west of King of Prussia is the village of Valley Forge, where General George Washington and the Continental Army made a winter encampment during the winter of 1777-78.

Understand
King of Prussia is a suburban community that is located 20 miles northwest of the city of Philadelphia in Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania. The town developed around the King of Prussia Inn, a tavern that was built as a cottage in 1719 at what is now the intersection of U.S. Route 202 (Dekalb Pike) and Gulph Road. The cottage became an inn called Berry's Tavern in 1769 and was popular with travelers as it was a day's travel by horse from Philadelphia. General George Washington visited the inn on Thanksgiving Day in 1777. During the winter of 1777-78, General Washington and the Continental Army made their winter encampment nearby in Valley Forge while the British occupied the city of Philadelphia. By 1786, Berry's Tavern became known as the King of Prussia Inn, named after Frederick II, King of Prussia. King of Prussia would remain a rural area into the 20th century. In the middle of the 20th century, King of Prussia saw extensive suburban development. The town is now home to several office parks and retail space that developed around the convergence of the Schuylkill Expressway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, U.S. Route 202, and U.S. Route 422. King of Prussia is considered an "edge city" of Philadelphia, an area with business and shopping outside the central business district of a city in what was once a rural area.

King of Prussia has a humid subtropical climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and humid, with highs averaging in the 80s and lows averaging in the 60s. Summer temperatures occasionally rise to the 90s or 100s. Winters are cool to cold, with highs averaging in the low 40s and lows averaging in the 20s. Winter temperatures can occasionally drop down to 0 degrees or lower. Spring and fall can be variable, usually with milder weather. King of Prussia averages 48.49 inches of precipitation a year, which is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The area does see snow in the winter months, with some winters seeing only light snow and other winters bringing large snowstorms. In the warmer months, the area does experience thunderstorms, some of which can be severe. King of Prussia is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes from the Atlantic basin in the late summer and early fall, but typically only receives the remnants of such storms as they typically weaken by the time they reach this latitude.

By car
The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) provides access to King of Prussia from Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76 to the west and I-276 to the east) toll road provides access to King of Prussia via the Valley Forge interchange from points west such as Harrisburg and Pittsburgh and points east such as the northern suburbs of Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. U.S. Route 202 provides access to King of Prussia from West Chester to the south and from Norristown to the north. U.S. Route 422 provides access to King of Prussia from Pottstown, Reading, and other communities along the Schuylkill River to the northwest.

If you are coming from Center City, Philadelphia, get on I-676 (Vine St Expressway), then go I-76 towards Valley Forge. Stay on I-76 for about 30 minutes. After proceeding on I-76 get off at the King of Prussia exit. If you want to go to the King of Prussia Mall follow the exit signs for Mall Boulevard. If you are coming from the suburbs of Philadelphia, take the Pennsylvania Turnpike towards Harrisburg, then proceed to the Valley Forge exit.

By plane
Fly into Philadelphia International Airport, take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft or rent a car. The trip from there to King of Prussia takes 30 minutes. King of Prussia is 26 miles from Philadelphia International Airport.

By bus
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) provides bus service to King of Prussia. Many of the buses stop at the transit center adjacent to The Plaza at the King of Prussia Mall. There are two routes that connect King of Prussia with Center City Philadelphia. Bus 124 provides service to Center City Philadelphia and to Chesterbrook, with a stop at the King of Prussia Mall transit center. Bus 125 runs from Valley Forge National Historical Park and the King of Prussia directly into the Center City Philadelphia. You can catch it along Gulph Road and at the King of Prussia Mall transit center. You will arrive near the train station at 30th St and Market St; from there, you walk a few feet to the station itself and get on the eastbound subway towards the Old City and other attractions. The base fare for the 124 and 125 buses is $2.50. The buses run every 20 min during peak hours and every hour off-peak, during the weekdays, and the trip takes around 40 min. While taking a bus may seem inconvenient, you will save time and hassle by not driving into Philadelphia yourself. Relax and let the bus driver fight the traffic. You will save even more time and money since you don't have to find a place to park your car in the city. In the reverse direction, the last bus leaves Philly (again at 30th and Market) at about 10PM, on weekdays. The 124 and 125 buses also run on Saturday and Sunday.

There are several bus routes that connect King of Prussia with nearby suburbs. Bus 92 connects the King of Prussia Mall with West Chester and Exton in Chester County Monday through Saturday. Bus 99 connects the King of Prussia Mall transit center with Norristown and Phoenixville daily. Bus 123 connects the mall with the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby daily. Bus 139 connects the King of Prussia Mall with Limerick Monday through Saturday. The base fare for all these bus routes is $2.50.

Check the SEPTA website for additional information.

By train
There is not a train station close to the King of Prussia Mall. The nearest train stations are in neighboring Conshohocken, at Washington Street and Harry Street, and Norristown Transportation Center, at Schuylkill Avenue and Dekalb Street. The Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line will take you to the city center from these stations. The train ride takes about 30 min. The weekday fare is $6.00 in advance/$7.00 on board one-way and $12.00 in advance/$14.00 on board round trip. The evening/weekend fare is $5.25 in advance/$7.00 on board one-way and $10.50 in advance/$14.00 on board round trip. Check SEPTA's website for timetables. The stations have a park-and-ride lot, but spaces may not be available to tourists. SEPTA's Bus 99 provides service from the Norristown Transportation Center to the King of Prussia Mall.

SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line, which runs between Norristown Transportation Center and 69th Street Terminal, also serves the King of Prussia area, with the Gulph Mills station located at Trinity Lane and Crest Way near Gulph Road southeast of the mall. However, it would be a long and dangerous walk from the mall area. Buses 124 and 125 connect the Gulph Mills station with the King of Prussia Mall.

By bicycle
The Schuylkill River Trail provides bicycle access from Philadelphia to King of Prussia and Valley Forge, following the Schuylkill River. Access from the trail to King of Prussia and Valley Forge is provided by a bicycle/pedestrian bridge called Sullivan's Bridge across the Schuylkill River at Valley Forge National Historical Park. The Schuylkill River Trail also provides bicycle access to the area from points along the river to the northwest. The Chester Valley Trail provides bicycle access to King of Prussia from points in Chester County as far west as Exton.

Get around
It is easiest to get around town by car. SEPTA buses can also be used to get around King of Prussia, with service to most major points of interest such as the King of Prussia Mall, Valley Forge Casino Resort, and Valley Forge National Historical Park.

There are three companies that provide taxicab and limousine service in King of Prussia:

Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around King of Prussia.

Within Valley Forge National Historical Park, you may drive, hike, bike, or travel by shuttle to see the points of interest within the park.

Stay safe
Traffic in this area is thick and fast-moving, especially during rush hours (7-9AM and 4-6PM). Expect the interchanges to be backed up to the point where there are lines of cars winding around the nearby neighborhoods. Try to familiarize yourself with the traffic flow before you try driving in it, because if you are in the wrong lane trying to get onto one of the freeways, you will probably not be able to move over and will have to go the wrong direction and take a detour. Gulph Rd and Schuylkill River Rd are winding, steep, and have surprisingly high speed limits even though there are houses on them. Watch out for hidden driveways and sudden stops.

Be careful walking around the town. There are few crosswalks or pedestrian signals. Near the mall, you will be forced to jaywalk if you want to get anywhere on foot. It is not a pedestrian-friendly area by any means.

Go next

 * Allentown, 55.4 mi
 * Philadelphia, 20.9 mi

title: King of Prussia


text:
Kingsburg

Kingsburg is a city in California.

Get in
Kingsburg is on California State Route 99 between Fresno and Visalia.

Go next

 * Kings Canyon- 201 East to 63 North to 180 East. About 1 hour 30 minutes away.
 * Sequoia National Park- 99 South to 198 East. About 1 hour away.
 * Bakersfield- 99 South. About 1 hour 20 minutes away.
 * Fresno- 99 North. About 25 minutes away.

title: Kingsburg


text:
Kings Canyon

There is more than one place called King's Canyon:

Australia

 * Kings Canyon is a canyon within the Watarrka National Park, in the Northern Territory, Australia.

United States of America

 * Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, national parks in the United States

title: Kings Canyon


text:
Kings County

Kings County is in San Joaquin Valley region of California.

Understand
Kings County was formed in 1893 from the western part of Tulare County, and expanded in 1909 with 208 square miles of Fresno County. Historically the county was home to Tulare Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi, but by 1899 diversions for agriculture had caused the lake to dry up except for occasional flooding and some residual wetlands.

Oil was discovered in the county in 1928, and the Kettleman North Dome Oil Field became one of the most productive oil fields in the United States. Today the county's economy is dominated by agriculture, although the Naval Air Station Lemoore also provides a significant economic impact.

Get in
Interstate 5 is the main highway in the county, passing through the southwestern corner. Kings County is located about halfway between Los Angeles and both Sacramento and San Francisco.

Go next

 * - Kings County's neighbor to the north, sprawling Fresno County is home to Fresno, California's fifth-largest city, and vast agricultural areas. The eastern side of the county is mountainous, featuring the remote wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park, which attracts visitors to its giant sequoias and unspoiled meadows that lie at the crest of the Sierra Nevada range.
 * - Neighboring Kings County to the east, Tulare County has two distinct personalities. The western half of the county lies within the agricultural Central Valley, offering rural landscapes as well as plenty of hotels and other amenities for travelers.  The eastern portion of the county features the wilderness and high elevation of the Sierra Nevada range, including the largest trees on earth in Sequoia National Park, and the western slopes of Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower-48 states.
 * - Bordering Kings County to the south, Kern County extends across a number of geographic regions: the western portion is in the San Joaquin Valley, the northeastern portion is in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the southeastern part is in the Desert. Visitors to the county are most likely to be heading to Bakersfield, one of California's largest cities, or traveling along Interstate 5 past oil fields and agricultural areas.
 * - San Luis Obispo County is located to the southwest of Kings County, and it marks a noticeable shift in landscape from areas to the south, with a dramatic and remote coastline that draws nature lovers. Hearst Castle is located here, the massive and historic former home of the newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. The town of San Luis Obispo is a college town that is the last large city for over 100 miles for those traveling north along the coast.
 * - Located west of Kings County, Monterey County is what many people think of when they think of the Central Coast - the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the beautiful 17-Mile Drive, Cannery Row, Pebble Beach golf course, and the rugged beauty of Big Sur. The northern part of the county contains every manner of amenity for travelers, ranging from chain motels to five star resorts, while the southern portion of the county is remote and accessible mainly by Highway One or on foot by hikers.

title: Kings County


text:
Kings Cross

There is more than one place called Kings Cross:

Australia

 * Sydney/Kings Cross - A district of Sydney in the state of New South Wales.

United Kingdom

 * London/Kings Cross - A district of London in England.

title: Kings Cross


text:
Kingsport

Kingsport (pop. 48,205) is a city in Eastern Tennessee.

By plane
Tri-Cities Regional Airport

By car
Interstates I-81 and I-26. (I-26 may be shown as I-181 on older maps or GPS navigators.) U.S. Highways 11-W and 23

By bus
Greyhound has a bus stop located downtown with daily service.

By car
The principal way to get around town is by automobile. Traffic is often light and driving is thus typically not a challenge.

Parking is plentiful in downtown areas and usually free of charge.

By bus
Kingsport has a public transit system (Kingsport Area Transit System or "KATS") with buses that run six hourly routes that cover downtown, major employers and major shopping areas.

By taxi
Kingsport has several taxi companies available for hire:
 * Courtesy Cab - +1 423 230-0285
 * Tri City Cab Company - +1 423 246-9037
 * C & S Taxi - +1 423 765-2376

By bicycle
Kingsport has a few signed bike routes available for use. Moreover, the Greenbelt is a multi-use path that connects many main parts of the city. Bike riders should use extreme caution when riding on roads, as many local drivers are not accustomed to bicycles.

On foot
Most of the downtown area is easily accessible on foot, and sidewalks are provided in many parts of the city.

See

 * The Netherland Inn, The Nation's only registered historical site which was both a stage stop and a boatyard. The restored Netherland Inn and section of the Old Historic Boatyard depict an intimate study of a way of life that is intriguing part of America's heritage.
 * Hammond House, Visit this fully restored late-Victorian house on the National Register of Historic Places for a glimpse of the architecture and life-style of this era. See antique furnishings including a fainting couch, working foot-pump organ, working Edison phonograph, wood-burning heat stove and (electrified) wood-burning cook stove and others.
 * The Netherland Inn, The Nation's only registered historical site which was both a stage stop and a boatyard. The restored Netherland Inn and section of the Old Historic Boatyard depict an intimate study of a way of life that is intriguing part of America's heritage.
 * Hammond House, Visit this fully restored late-Victorian house on the National Register of Historic Places for a glimpse of the architecture and life-style of this era. See antique furnishings including a fainting couch, working foot-pump organ, working Edison phonograph, wood-burning heat stove and (electrified) wood-burning cook stove and others.
 * Hammond House, Visit this fully restored late-Victorian house on the National Register of Historic Places for a glimpse of the architecture and life-style of this era. See antique furnishings including a fainting couch, working foot-pump organ, working Edison phonograph, wood-burning heat stove and (electrified) wood-burning cook stove and others.

Do

 * Bays Mountain Park
 * Many events, shows, festivals of various types throughout the year. See the "GoTriCities" section of the Kingsport Times News on Thursdays for listings or the Downtown Kingsport Association website.

 * Listen to free bluegrass concerts on Broad Street on summer Friday evenings.
 * Listen to free blues/rock/gospel concerts on Broad Street on summer Thursday evenings.
 * The Kingsport Renaissance Center at 1200 E Center St Ste 224 has periodic plays.
 * A playhouse is in nearby Bristol, along with famous racetrack hosting major NASCAR and NHRA events.

Activities

 * Visit Boat Yard/Riverfront Park, Netherland Inn Rd, +1 423-229-9457. This section of the Greenbelt Linear Park includes a swinging bridge, picnic area, playground, jogging/bicycle path, fishing and historical markers.

 * Ride horses at Warriors' Path Riding Stables, 490 Hemlock Park, +1 423-323-8543. Enjoy guided trail rides with beautiful woodland scenery.

Buy
Most of the major retailers have outlets here, primarily along Stone Drive (US Route 11W) or at the Fort Henry Mall.

Eat
Kingsport has a variety of locally and regionally operated eating establishments to suit the needs of any palate.

In addition, fast food chains such as McDonald's or Subway are available in numerous locations throughout the city. Additionally, many chain restaurants including Olive Garden and Chili's are located around the intersection of Stone Drive and Eastman Road.

Drink
Clubs and bars with live entertainment in and around Kingsport include Pickin' Porch and Stir Fry Cafe.

title: Kingsport