Not Your Run-of-the Mill Dungarees
In a quaint and quiet seaside town of Kurashiki, in the Okayama Prefecture of Japan, is the birthplace of Japanese denim. Tucked in the Kojima district is the Kojima Jeans Street where even the main street is Indigo in colour with the signature white and red edges, which then leads to the streets lined with stores specialising in selvedge denim. Anyone who is into selvedge jeans like I am, Kojima is a must-visit when in southern Japan. (Read more)
Jeremy Jo
4/15/20242 min read
You know you have come to the right place when even the train station is named "Jeans Station" a.k.a. Kojima Station. Upon descending the station, you turn around and you see the steps have an image of a pair of jeans. Upon exiting, you are greeted by a number of jeans hanging under a canopy. Kojima wants you to know that you have arrived at the birthplace of Japanese denim.
Selvedge road staying true with the red and white edges
As you slowly make your way towards the Kojima Jeans Street, the entrance is not hard to miss. When you see a large pair of jeans on a pole, where the left leg looks like it is about to kick down a door, below the massive jeans is the sign that reads "Kojima Jeans Street."
If in the land of Oz the yellow brick road showed Dorothy the way to Emerald City, in Kojima, the selvedge road paved the way to Indigo City.
A must-stop for me was the Momotaro store, birthplace of my Going to Battle selvedge jeans. You can't miss the store because at the front of the store is Peach Boy. I picked up a couple of Momotaro items -- no selvedge jeans unfortunately as the store did have my size in the style I wanted, which was too bad for me.
Inside the Momotaro store I got to see an actual loom, and some yarns used to make denim. It would have been a treat to actually see someone working the loom. No luck, sadly. Nevertheless, I spent a good amount of time just admiring the merchandise inside. I didn't want to leave.
Then a few buildings up the street was the Japan Blue Jeans store. There I found myself a pair of exclusive selvedge jeans that could only be purchased in Kojima at the Japan Blue Jeans store. I had to pick up a pair, I just had to.
The back pockets are decorated with stitching inspired by the "white" of the Seto Onashi Bridge and the "blue" of the Seto Inland Sea. The jeans were limited-edition. Both the yarn and weft were dyed in indigo.
Behind the store was a room filled with jeans splayed across the floor with a few items hanging also by a window.
I knew there was another area not far from the Kojima Jeans Street that had more selvedge stores. I didn't go to it. I am saving that one for the next time I am close to Kurashiki City. I was happy just to enjoy my time in Kojima this time.
Until next time. I shall return.
(Click image to see in full scale.)
(Click image to see in full scale.)
(Click image to see in full scale.)
(Click image to see in full scale.)