Japan’s Kojima is a mecca for vintage denim

The All-American denim is all about being Japanese in the town of Kojima, whose main road is aptly named “Jeans St.,” with real pairs of pants flapping like flags overhead. Denim is the heart and soul of Kojima. Some would call this spot in southwestern seaside Okayama Prefecture the mecca of jeans, where fans from around the world make their pilgrimage. The area boasts some 40 jeans manufacturers and stores, including denim-themed cafes, and attracts some 100,000 visitors a year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. You may be in for disappointment if you expect the glamour and bustle of big cities like New York, Tokyo, or Paris—Jeans Street is quaint and uncrowded. Each company in the area is relatively small, employing about 100 people. What you will find are people taking pride in “monozukuri,” or “making things,” but adding devoted, laborious attention to detail. The high quality of made-in-Japan denim, much of it hailing from Kojima, is well-known among connoisseurs. The dark indigo hue is so distinctive it earned a special name, “Japan blue,” also known as, “tokuno blue,” which translates to: “especially concentrated blue.” Kojima gave birth to popular Japanese jeans brands like Big John, with roots dating back to the 1940s, and supplies top fashion brands like Gucci. Kojima jeans aren’t cheap, ranging in price from the relatively affordable pair for about 33,000 yen ($230) to those made by top craftsmen that retail for 200,000 yen ($1,400) or more. Momotaro Jeans come with a lifetime warranty with tears and other problems getting fixed for free, within reason. About 40% of its sales come from non-Japanese clients. Masataka Suzuki, president and chief operating officer at Japan Blue, says the industrial history of the region is a source of strength, centered around sewing heavy fabrics, including military clothes and obi sashes for kimonos, as well as the cotton and indigo-dyeing native to the area. “Our biggest priority is to make a product that is long-lasting. That’s how I'm structuring the company. Perhaps that is a Japanese quality. That’s my opinion,” he says. This article was provided by The Associated Press.