Okayama is best known as the home of Momotaro, a beloved folktale about a boy born from a peach. But the prefecture is also the birthplace of Japanese denim. In Kojima, a district of Kurashiki City, there’s a hub of stores and outlets where you can find the very best denim products. Here is a quick guide to Kojima Denim Street.
After World War II, when Japan was still occupied by the US, young people began to embrace American pop culture. Along with jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and movie stars of the ‘50s and ‘60s, denim jeans became the ultimate symbol of cool. American servicemen would sell their old jeans to Japanese thrift stores for extra cash, and a new trend was born. But as the pants became more popular, the rarer and more expensive they were.
To keep up with demand, local retailers began importing American jeans, but they were too expensive for the young consumers, who had anyway become used to the soft, worn-in feel of secondhand jeans. And that’s when Kojima, a small textile district in Okayama, decided to jump on the opportunity to create Japan’s own denim.
Kojima had been the center of Japan’s school uniform and cotton industries in the ‘20s and ‘30s, so the switch to denim decades later made sense. The only problem was trying to figure out how to incorporate traditional Japanese Indigo dyeing techniques while still maintaining the integrity of American-style denim. After some trial and error, the industry eventually became self-sustaining, and Kojima has been the home of Japanese denim ever since.
Kojima Jeans Street is located in the historic Ajino Shopping Street, which was once a bustling shopping area of Kojima. It includes more than 40 denim shops and stretches for about 400 m (1,312 ft) from Ajino Park up to Jihon Temple, and across to the Former Nozaki Residence. It’s about a 15-minute walk from Kojima Station.
Kojima Station is only a 35-minute train ride from Okayama Station, which is on the JR Shinkansen line. When you arrive in Kojima, you’ll be greeted by everything denim, from jean decorations to patterned vending machines.
Start your walking tour at the “bottom” of the street, on the Ajino park side, and you’ll find a giant jeans sign and a map of the area waiting to meet you. If you need a quick pick-me-up, there’s the Neighbour Coffee Company just across the way. Keep walking and you’ll spot the first denim store, Kojima Genes.
Kojima Genes offers premium 15 oz selvedge denim handcrafted on shuttle looms. The brand specializes in heavyweight denim and work pants, but sells a range of products, including jackets and accessories. You can check out their YouTube channel to learn more about the products.
Across the street from Kojima Genes is Blue Sakura, which also offers 15oz selvedge denim. The store is located inside the brand’s factory complex, allowing you a peek inside the manufacturing process. Blue Sakura specializes in one-wash raw cuts with subtle distressing and post-wash finishes done by hand. Their signature Japanese flag colors on the back pocket makes each pair a unique souvenir to take home.
Before you head into Blue Sakura, be sure to peep the two Jeans Street-themed vending machines next door. They’re right outside Waiwai-ya, a local bar and ramen shop.
Next up is the largest and oldest jeans store on the street. Big John was founded in the early ‘70s and is well-known for its impressive selection of styles. In addition to its jeans offering, you can browse a wide array of denim accessories. I treated myself to a beautifully crafted denim and canvas shopping bag. The store also offers on-site customization which allows you to choose your own rivets, buttons, labels, and patches.
Opposite Big John is a small, unmanned tourist information center called Mujinkanko where you can pick up a map of the area and some unique souvenirs featuring the area’s mascot, G-Panda. There are two claw machines and a row of gachapon. Capsule toys are hard to resist, so I caved and was rewarded with a Kojima Jeans Street tin badge. Yatta!
There are plenty of other denim stores to discover as you make your way up the street. For unique selvedge weaves, check out graphZero. Everything is produced in-house with a refined, minimalist aesthetic.
To get your hands on a pair of shrink-to-fit Texas cotton jeans handcrafted on vintage looms, head into Kamikaze Attack. Rooted in the biker-punk scene, the brand specializes in straight cuts with back-street vibes. If denim shirts, skirts, and dresses are more your thing, don’t miss Blue Trick.
Once you reach the end of the street, marked by a line of denim jeans suspended between two street poles, you’ll see RIVETS. This small cafe and gift shop is the perfect place to take a rest after an hour or two of shopping. Here, you can try the local speciality of “Indigo Soft”, a refreshing salted vanilla-flavored, blue jean-colored soft serve topped with indigo powder. It’s seriously delicious, and exclusive to Kojima.
Right next door to RIVETS is the entrance to Jiho-in, an ancient Buddhist temple. It’s said to have been founded by the high priest Gyoshin Sozu during the Nara period. The grounds include a beautiful garden designed by Kyoto landscaper, Yasuo Kitayama.
From here, the street makes a sharp right (or left, depending on which way you’re facing). Continue all the way up to the Former Nozoki Residence, to explore the rest of Kojima Denim Street. There are more than 20 stores left to visit, including High Rock, Japan Blue Jeans, and the iconic Momotaro Jeans. For unique souvenirs and specialty products from the Chugoku and Shikoku regions, be sure to take a look around 038 Omiya, too.
If you want a quick break from shopping, you can tour the Former Nozoki Residence for just 500 yen. Built in 1827 by salt merchant Buzaemon Nozaki, it’s one of the few Edo-period houses to have survived in its original form. The museum also details the history of salt production on the Seto Inland Sea.
Visit Kojima Jeans Street
Kojima Jeans Street is a 15-min walk from Kojima Station. You can also reach it in about 5 min by bus from Kojima Station on the JR Setouchi Ohashi Line. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a special jeans bus runs showcasing unique products and jeans-making techniques.
All locations mentioned in this article are featured on the map below. For more information, including store opening hours, visit the official Kojima Jeans Street website.
This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Kurashiki.
