Despite its modest size, there are plenty of interesting shops worth visiting in Kojima, more commonly known as “Jeans Town” or “Denim Town”. Here are a few of our favorites.
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01
Big John
Big John is the pioneer of Japanese Denim. They made the first pair of jeans in Kojima back in 1965, and today their products are shipped all over the world. Their shop in Kojima is the only one entirely dedicated to this brand, and apart from most products in their lineup, they also have a section equipped with sewing machines where you can customize your own pair of jeans.
Big John
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02
Momotaro Jeans
Another one of the more well-known Japanese jeans brand also has a flagship store here in Kojima. Apart from browsing their more conventional products, you can also get a sneak peek of the production of their top of the line model, entirely made by hand. Even the fabric itself is woven by hand, and this process takes place here, in this store. If you want to purchase your own pair you need to be equipped with both a fat wallet and plenty of patience. Despite the hefty price tag of over 200,000 yen a pair, the demand is far bigger than the supply. Perhaps not that surprising, as each pair takes approximately three months to make, from start to finish.
Momotaro Jeans
- Momotaro Jeans (Kojimaajino Main Store)
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- Okayama Kurashiki-shi Kojimaajino 1-12-17
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- 0864721301
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- 10:00-19:00
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03
Kojima Market Place
This is a smaller shop that mainly focuses on locally produced denim products, but also carries everything from socks to accessories. One of their more interesting products is traditional Japanese folding fan made of bamboo and denim. Most of their products are handmade in Kojima.
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04
Dania Japan
Dania claims that they want to build upon the heritage of art and crafts that has originated in Kojima. Besides their own jeans and t-shirts, they also carry a line of backpacks shaped like whale sharks, made from recycled denim. Their store is located in a building that used to be a bank, giving it a quite interesting interior.
Dania Japan
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05
Rivets
This is a small community café that offers everything from decent coffee to denim ice cream. They also have a small shopping section, offering some omiyage such as locally produced snacks as well as different denim products.
Rivets
All the shops in this list are located in the area called “Jeans Street”, located roughly 1km from JR Kojima station. There are frequent buses running from the station and the Jeans Street, including one that has its entire interior clad with denim that is only available on weekends.