Interview with Yasuhiro Oshima, Representative of Betty Smith
The Jeans Museum & Village reopened after renovations in April 2024. We spoke with Yasuhiro Oshima, representative of Betty Smith, about what inspired the extensive renovation, which took more than a year, and the thinking behind it.
The reason for the renovation
Why did you decide to renovate?
Oshima (hereafter, Oshima)
Betty Smith’s Jeans Museum was created by my father in 2003 as a learning resource for elementary school students.
Kojima was known as a school uniform town, but around 2000 it also began attracting attention as a jeans mecca. In 2002, a jeans factory was featured in an elementary school textbook as a local industry.
As a result, we began welcoming elementary school students for social studies field trips and factory tours.
At the time, the Jeans Museum had been created for educational purposes, so it was not open to the general public. However, in 2006, Kurashiki City launched industrial tourism, and many tourists began visiting as well.
In response to requests from Kurashiki City, Betty Smith has created various facilities for visitors to learn about jeans, adapting them to the times.
Twenty years have passed, and the facilities have begun to age. We rearranged them so visitors could find their way around and enjoy their time here more easily, and took this timely opportunity to renovate.
The renovation concept
I see. Were there any particular things you focused on during the renovation?
Oshima
The renovation concept is “a museum all about jeans.” Each facility incorporates elements that teach visitors about jeans.
First, Jeans Museum Buildings No. 1 and No. 2 are facilities where visitors can learn about the history of jeans.
At the jeans-making workshop and custom jeans salon, visitors can learn about the styles and construction of jeans. You can also watch jeans being sewn through the windows of the sewing factory.
Before reaching Betty’s Store, there is a cutting area, where panels introduce the kinds of products that can be made from fabric scraps.
Inside Betty’s Store, we display sewing machines used in the 1970s and introduce them through videos, so visitors can enjoy many stories about jeans.
About Betty Smith products
It sounds like visitors can experience the story of jeans at every facility. You seem to be developing new products one after another with fresh ideas, such as the jeans-making workshop. How do you come up with them?
Oshima
Jeans became popular in 1965, and mass retailers emerged in the 1980s, making jeans easy to buy. That was the right approach for that era. But we made too many, and now we live in an age when people are thinking about the environment.
The times are all connected in this way, so we have offered products suited to the era, such as jeans-making workshops, custom jeans, and Eco Betty.
Of course, we listen to advice from our staff and feedback from our business partners, make various prototypes, and create products that will delight our customers.
The future of Betty Smith
I see. Do you have any plans for the future or anything you are thinking about doing?
Oshima
Our next theme is “creating jeans culture.” We want to share information that conveys the culture of jeans. We plan to explore various ideas inspired by jeans and come up with fun things that will delight our customers.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Oshima
I hope Kurashiki City residents will use the facility as they would a neighborhood park. Admission is free, so you can relax in the garden or let your dog play in the dog run. There is also a cafe on the first floor of Jeans Museum Building No. 2 where you can take your time and relax.
On weekends, we sometimes hold a Jeans Market featuring outlet products, or a market with food stalls and food trucks, so please feel free to come by.
From the Writer
When the writer visited, Betty’s Market was being held during the May holiday period.
There were various shops, including vendors selling delicious Okayama food, pet treats, and handmade goods.
It was hot that day, but the arcade, with jeans hanging from the ceiling, provided shade. People were enjoying shopping, eating at tables, and having a lively time.
I had thought of jeans as something you simply wear, but walking around the grounds of the Jeans Museum & Village revealed the story behind how they are made. I also learned about the SDGs and had a meaningful time.
Betty Smith’s Jeans Museum & Village offers new discoveries at every turn, with events such as collaborations with businesses in other industries and opportunities to enjoy special jeans experiences.
If you visit Kojima, why not stop by?
Betty Smith company information
| Organization | Betty Smith |
|---|---|
| Industry | Planning, manufacturing, and sales of jeans and casual wear |
| Representative | Yasuhiro Oshima |
| Established | April 1962 |
| Address | 52-70 Kojima Shimonomachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-473-4460 |
| Website | BettySmith Betty Smith |
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