Interview with Fukukawa Taro, Representative of Danjo Denim
Fukukawa Taro's Background
What did you study during university?
Fukukawa
Coming from Ibaraki Prefecture, where agriculture is thriving, I had a desire to become a farmer since I was in middle school.
Therefore, I enrolled in the Faculty of Agriculture at a university in Hokkaido.
However, the Faculty of Agriculture was not the farmer training school I had imagined, and after taking a class in my first year, I felt that the studies in agriculture were not interesting.
At that time, personal computers were just starting to become common.
With the ease of connecting to the internet, I became more fascinated by the convenience of computers than by studying agriculture.
While I continued my studies in the Faculty of Agriculture, I spent my days immersed in computers.
Can you tell us about your experience while working at a company?
Fukukawa
After graduating from university, I got a job at a major electronics manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo.
Although I was interested in computers, once I started working, I encountered many people who were far more capable than me, such as graduates from engineering graduate schools and technical colleges.
Moreover, my junior colleagues were also excellent, and I felt that I could not thrive here.
As I lost sight of the future of continuing my job and wanted to seriously pursue music activities that I had started as a hobby with friends from my hometown, I resigned after two years.
What prompted you to start music?
Fukukawa
After returning to the Kanto region for my job at the electronics manufacturer, a childhood friend from my hometown in Ibaraki asked me, “Would you like to do music?”
When I shared a rap melody I had in mind with my friend, everyone praised it.
Feeling stuck at work, I decided to quit my job and focus on music.
At one point, I sent a tape of my self-produced song “Man and Woman” to a major record company to participate in an audition.
At that time, rock bands like BUMP OF CHICKEN and female vocalists like Koda Kumi were popular, but the unexpectedness of my song impressed the judges, and I was selected.
Later, an unknown university student animated “Man and Woman” and posted it on Niconico, which sparked a huge buzz.
Walking Journey from Tokyo to Kojima
Why did you walk to Kojima wearing a jean jacket?
Fukukawa
I wanted to shoot an interesting music video, so I came up with the idea of walking from Tokyo to Kojima, the birthplace of domestic jeans.
Since I have always liked jean jackets, I thought it would be interesting to show the process of the jacket fading while walking long distances using time-lapse functionality.
The jean jacket I wore at that time was made by self-studying sewing techniques from books borrowed from the library.
I remember struggling as I started from zero knowledge and skills.
I chose Tokyo Tower as the starting point, a recognizable location for everyone.
For about two months, I stayed at guesthouses and walked 20 to 30 kilometers every day dressed in denim from head to toe.
What did you feel while walking?
Fukukawa
While walking, I could see the city from a living perspective, rather than moving by train or car.
Even in areas close to urban centers, I noticed decaying landscapes when I left the city.
I had not realized this because I usually lived only in places with many people, but when I went to places I normally wouldn’t enter, I felt that the disappearance of Japanese towns is real.
Also, while walking long distances, I felt that in living areas, similar buildings lined up everywhere, and the scenery was becoming homogenized.
If we prioritize convenience and efficiency in our lives, the uniqueness will diminish.
I felt that we must actively preserve the individuality of our towns.
What did you think of Kojima?
Fukukawa
Kojima has facilities for living, such as supermarkets, and also has attractive views of the sea and mountains, along with traditional townscapes.
What people living in urban areas long for is the Setouchi scenery seen in Kojima.
Furthermore, since there is denim, I felt that it would be possible to live while making jean jackets.
Thoughts on the Jean Jacket
Since when have you liked jean jackets?
Fukukawa
When I was in middle school, there was a senior I admired.
He was a senior in the fencing club who also played drums in the light music club.
I admired that senior who wore a jean jacket and started wearing one myself.
Since it was a school where students could wear their own clothes, we expressed our individuality through our outfits.
I decided, “I will go with a jean jacket,” and wore one every day.
Also, because I have a slim build, I chose a jean jacket that looked more robust.
The jean jacket was like equipment in an RPG (role-playing game) that powered me up.
Why did you decide to make jean jackets?
Fukukawa
I felt that ready-made jean jackets had similar designs and that many silhouettes were baggy.
Therefore, I wanted a design that would suit someone slim like me.
In the “Jeans Sewing Practical Course,” we made jeans in four days.
After the course, I felt that I could make jean jackets on my own after acquiring knowledge and skills in denim sewing.
So, I started making original design jean jackets at a facility called Designers Incubation, which provides sewing workspaces and sewing machines for entrepreneurs involved in apparel in Kurashiki City.
What do you want to convey after taking on various challenges?
Fukukawa
To thrive as a sole proprietor, it is necessary to pay attention not only to your main business but also to health management.
It is suitable for those who can set their own goals and move forward without being managed by someone else.
A life where you encounter something you can be passionate about may be a happy life.
Some may feel that living on their own power seems like a high hurdle, but if things don’t go well, you can always return to being a salaryman.
The sense of earning money through your own efforts connects to viewing work as your own responsibility, making you attractive to companies.
If you are in your 20s and are wondering whether to challenge something you want to do, remember that you can always start over in your 30s, so I hope you challenge various things and find your calling.
Listening to Fukukawa Taro, Representative of Danjo Denim
The background of the creation of the uniquely designed jean jackets is filled with various experiences that Fukukawa has gone through.
Fukukawa seems to deeply contemplate the meaning of events that occur at different stages of life.
Moreover, while valuing what he loves and finds attractive, he has decided on the direction to move forward and has taken action.
The accumulated experiences have nurtured Fukukawa's individuality, leading to the birth of his original jean jackets.
While listening to Fukukawa, I felt as though I was being taught how to reach what I love.
I look forward to seeing what kind of designs Fukukawa will create for his jean jackets in the future and what he will do next.
Data on Danjo Denim
| Name | Danjo Denim |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-9-31 Shimotsui, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Parking | Available |
| Business Hours | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM *Please make a reservation in advance through the website |
| Regular Holidays | Irregular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
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| Website | Danjo Denim |
