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Kojima

Publié le: 4 août 2026
Mis à jour le: 4 août 2026
KojimadenimjeansselvedgeJapanese craftsmanship
Kojima — representative image, not a photograph of this location

Image d'illustration — il ne s'agit pas d'une photo de ce lieu.

Kojima (児島), a district in southern Kurashiki, is revered worldwide as the birthplace of Japanese denim and the origin of selvedge jeans production outside America. In 1965, Maruo Clothing (now Big John) produced Japan's first domestically-made jeans in Kojima, pioneering techniques that would define Japanese denim's reputation for craftsmanship, attention to detail, and innovative dyeing methods. The district's textile heritage dates to the Edo period when local weavers produced gakuran (school uniform) fabric and canvas sailcloth.

Today, Kojima is a pilgrimage site for denim enthusiasts, with the Jeans Street (児島ジーンズストリート) — a 400-meter shopping street lined with over 30 boutiques and factory outlets selling premium Japanese denim brands like Momotaro, Japan Blue, Kapital, and Studio D'Artisan. The area showcases the full denim ecosystem: traditional indigo dyeing workshops, vintage sewing machines on display, custom tailoring services, and museums documenting jeans history. Kojima's denim obsession extends to civic infrastructure — blue-painted vending machines, denim-themed manhole covers, and even a denim-themed tourist information center. The craftsmanship emphasizes old-style shuttle looms producing selvedge denim (characterized by finished edges that prevent fraying), rope dyeing techniques, and hand-finishing that creates unique fade patterns over years of wear.

Informations essentielles

Horaires d'ouverture

Jeans Street 24 hours. Shops typically 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Fermé: Street always accessible. Some shops closed Wednesday. Japan Jeans Museum open daily (free).

Tarif d'entrée

Street free. Japan Jeans Museum free. Kojima Jeans Museum ¥100. Betty Smith factory tour ¥3,500–7,000.

Meilleure saison

Spring and autumn for comfortable walking weather; weekday mornings for uncrowded Jeans Street

Durée de visite

2–3 hours for Jeans Street shopping, museums, and optional factory tour

Comment s'y rendre

Informations d'accès

Kojima district, Kurashiki City. 25-min train from JR Kurashiki Station to JR Kojima Station (JR Seto-Ohashi Line), then 10-min walk south to Jeans Street. Free to explore street 24/7. Shops typically open 10:00–18:00, some closed Wednesday. Japan Jeans Museum (¥無料 free), Kojima Jeans Museum (¥100, displays old looms and dyeing techniques). Visit duration: 2-3 hours for shopping and museums.

Guide d'initié

Premium
**Shopping strategy:** Jeans Street concentrates premium brands in a compact area — Betty Smith (custom jeans fitting and factory tours), Momotaro Jeans (vintage reproduction models, ¥20,000–40,000), and Kapital (avant-garde denim fashion). For selvedge raw denim enthusiasts, prioritize Studio D'Artisan and Japan Blue flagship stores — these specialize in unwashed, untreated jeans designed to develop personalized fade patterns through wear (premium models ¥25,000–50,000). Most shops offer English-speaking staff or translation apps, and international shipping is available. **Factory tours:** Betty Smith Jeans Museum offers hands-on jeans-making experiences (¥3,500–7,000 depending on customization level) — participants select fabric, pocket design, button type, and rivets, then watch as staff assemble jeans using vintage machines. Completed jeans are shipped domestically or internationally (additional fee). Reserve 1 week ahead via their English website. Tours run 10:00–16:00, requiring 60–90 minutes. This is the most authentic way to understand Kojima's craftsmanship ethos. **Denim food culture:** Embrace Kojima's denim obsession through themed cafes — Resto Kapital serves 'denim burgers' (blue buns dyed with butterfly pea flower), denim-colored soft serve ice cream, and coffee in denim-wrapped cups. It's gimmicky but Instagram-worthy and surprisingly tasty. For serious dining, Jeans Factory Kojima has a rooftop cafe with Seto Inland Sea views, serving local Setouchi seafood and craft beer.

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