On Honmachi Street in the Bikan Historical Area is Eritate Hat Factory Kurashiki Honmachi Store, which carries 400 styles of hats throughout the year, with designs for every season.
Every hat is an original product made at the company’s factory in Okayama Prefecture. These hats, created with a focus on design and comfort, are backed by hat-making techniques passed down since 1960.
We spoke with them about their passion for making hats.
The information presented was current when this article was published in July 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Eritate Hat Factory Kurashiki Honmachi Store on Honmachi Street
When you think of the Bikan Historical Area, you might picture willows lining the Kurashiki River and streets of white-walled buildings.
But head one street north from the Kurashiki River, and you’ll find Honmachi Street, where the old-fashioned townscape remains.
As you walk past a Kurashiki Canvas bag shop in a renovated traditional townhouse and a jazz cafe, you’ll see a shop lined with hats behind its glass doors. This is Eritate Hat Factory Kurashiki Honmachi Store.
Eritate Hat Factory began producing straw hats in 1960 and now manufactures and sells its own original hats.
A shop full of hats
Step inside and everywhere you look, there are hats, hats, hats…
The shop is packed with hats made by skilled staff working at their sewing machines. We were amazed to hear that it carries more than 400 styles a year.
Look closely, and you’ll spot designs you don’t see in other shops.
At Eritate Hat Factory, they believe that design drives technical innovation. First, the designer comes up with an idea, and then they figure out how to make it. Even hats that look ordinary at first glance reveal attention to detail, with wavy brims or pleats.
You may find a special hat here that you won’t find anywhere else.
A look at their carefully crafted hats
Eritate Hat Factory has a wide selection of hats. Here are a few of them.
A braid hat that fits in your bag
First up is their classic braid hat.
Braid is a material made by weaving fibers such as hemp into a braided cord. A braid hat is made by sewing strips of braid together in the shape of a hat.
Straw hats are made using straw braid, and Okayama Prefecture was once a straw hat-producing region. Kamogata (present-day Kamogata, Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture), a region known for somen and udon noodles, has long grown wheat and used it to make hats.
What makes the “braid hat that fits in your bag” distinctive is the fabric panel on the crown. Rather than attaching fabric to the hat, they sew it together as part of the hat-making process. This method requires skill and is apparently unique to Eritate Hat Factory, where hats are made by hand.
The body is also made from a softer paper material than traditional straw, so it can be folded. It’s convenient to be able to put it in your bag after taking it off indoors.
A braid hat with stylish details even under the brim
This hat has fabric sewn onto the underside of the brim.
You don’t often see hats with fabric on the inside.
We recommend folding up the edge of the brim to show a glimpse of the pattern. The fabric also blocks sunlight, helping protect you from sunburn. Its natural look would go well with a light, breezy dress.
A great selection of men’s hats
Eritate Hat Factory has a great selection of men’s hats, as well as women’s hats.
What’s surprising about the men’s hats is the variety of fabrics. Even in the same bucket-hat style, a different fabric can completely change the look.
There’s a wide variety of both women’s and men’s hats, so it seems some people visit and shop as couples.
The bucket hats popular with men are part of a series called ROUBOU.
In the past, people in Okayama apparently called straw hats “roubou,” after the hats worn by laborers. The ROUBOU series takes its name from that term. It includes hats made with denim from Ibara City, among others, designed to be used for a long time.
Buying a one-of-a-kind hat here would make a lovely travel memento.
Eritate Hat Factory is filled with carefully crafted hats.
Behind the hat-making is the deep passion of President and CEO Eritate Shigeki. We interviewed him about that passion.
Eritate Hat Factory Kurashiki Honmachi Store details
| Name | Eritate Hat Factory Kurashiki Honmachi Store |
|---|---|
| Address | 11-26 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-6544 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | Weekdays: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Weekends and holidays: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Tuesday, Wednesday |
| Payment methods |
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| Website | Eritate Hat Factory |
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