The annual “Kojima Festival #Senisai” is a popular event that draws many visitors each year, with numerous exhibitors showcasing clothing such as jeans, one of Kojima’s signature products.
Because Kojima jeans are so high in quality, they inevitably cost more than other jeans, making them a daunting purchase. However, at the “Kojima Festival #Senisai” (hereafter referred to as “Senisai”), you can get Kojima jeans at affordable prices.
We spoke with the organizers about Senisai’s history and highlights of this year’s event.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in November 2024. Please note that it may differ from current information.
What Is “2024 Autumn Kojima Festival #Senisai”?
“2024 Autumn Kojima Festival #Senisai” will be held over two days, Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10, 2024.
The event will be held in the parking lot of Boat Race Kojima. In addition to exhibitors from Kojima’s textile manufacturers, joint events with Boat Race Kojima, such as the Boat Race Marche, will also be held.
See the flyer below for details.
We spoke with Suesa Toshiharu and Komatsubara Tatsuya of the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry about Senisai.
Interview with the Organizers
Could you tell us how Senisai got started?
Suesa (surname only hereafter)
Senisai was first held in 1955. It began as the “Kojima Textile Festival.” In fact, the event has a history of about 70 years.
At the time, it wasn’t organized by the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It was led by local residents.
Back then, the event focused more on enlivening the town than on textiles.
When did the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry begin taking the lead?
Komatsubara (surname only hereafter)
The Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry began taking the lead in 1974. Following the merger of Kojima’s three municipalities, it was held as the “Sen’i Kojima Festival.”
When the Chamber of Commerce and Industry organizes an event, it naturally depends on its members. Many members of the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry are in the textile industry.
In 1974, the apparel industry considered “how much inventory you hold” important. But inevitably, some inventory was left over. The event evolved into a way to introduce people to the textile industry by selling surplus stock at low prices.
Since then, the name and venue have changed, and during the COVID-19 pandemic it shifted to online and decentralized formats (held at individual stores rather than at a venue), eventually becoming today’s “Kojima Festival #Senisai.”
It seems the circumstances surrounding the textile industry have changed considerably since then.
Suesa
That’s right. In the past, the lively atmosphere was partly created by putting out all the inventory we had and getting people to buy a lot at low prices.
Now, with changes in logistics, the trend has shifted toward choosing high-quality products, even if they cost a little more. Some exhibitors even offer products exclusive to Senisai.
This year, the words “Zero apparel waste! Get high quality at a great price!” were added to the upper-right corner of the poster.
Differences Between Spring and Autumn Senisai
“Kojima Festival #Senisai” is held every spring and autumn. What are the differences between the two?
Komatsubara
First, the venues are very different.
The spring event is held across three areas: the “Kojima Station Area,” centered on stage events and sales by members of the Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the “Sanpakuichi Area,” focused on food; and the “Jeans Street Area,” where an event called THE DENiM is held.
The autumn event, on the other hand, is held at Boat Race Kojima. It features more merchandise and food stalls than the spring event, as well as a larger number of tents.
Another feature of the autumn event is its stage program, which spotlights local traditional culture, including Kojima Yuga Daiko drumming.
JAPAN DENIM DAYS: Experience the Technical Expertise of Kojima’s Textile Industry
Suesa
The events held alongside Senisai are another major difference between the spring and autumn editions.
The spring event features “THE DENiM,” a sales event for high-quality, premium-priced jeans, including premium jeans. It was revamped from an event previously held as “Lightning Inazuma Denim Festival Kojima” and has been held since spring 2023.
The autumn event features “JAPAN DENIM DAYS,” where visitors can experience the technical expertise and high quality of Kojima’s textile industry.
The Kojima Jeans Street Promotion Council designated October 26 as “Denim Day” (10/26, a play on the Japanese pronunciation of denim). In 2024, the event was held on the same dates as the autumn “Kojima Festival #Senisai.”
When you see branded jeans like Kojima jeans, have you ever wondered, “Why do these jeans cost tens of thousands of yen?” or “How can jeans this expensive sell?”
We know Kojima jeans are good, but if someone asked us to explain exactly what makes them good, we might struggle a little.
Komatsubara
Exactly.
At “JAPAN DENIM DAYS,” you can watch jeans artisans sew and process jeans right there in front of you. Visitors can also try their hand at processing jeans in a workshop.
When you try it yourself, you realize you can’t process the jeans as skillfully as the artisans. The aim is for visitors to experience the artisans’ high level of skill and the quality of the jeans firsthand.
While Senisai at Boat Race Kojima places greater emphasis on making products affordable, JAPAN DENIM DAYS focuses on helping visitors appreciate their quality, even if they cost more.
The Appeal of Senisai—Bringing Makers and Consumers Closer Together
What do you think makes Senisai appealing?
Suesa
It brings textile producers and consumers closer together, I think. Before textile products began to be sold at Senisai, Kojima was more a place to “make” textiles than a place to “sell” them.
Because of this, makers had no opportunity to hear directly from customers. It was hard to see why one product sold and another didn’t, or what customers liked about the products they bought.
At Senisai, makers can interact directly with customers who buy their products. I think Senisai plays a role in bringing producers and consumers closer together.
What do the makers themselves say about it?
Komatsubara
The makers have also given us positive feedback, saying that they can see firsthand how the things they make sell.
Some people who have recently started businesses also set up trial booths to test the market.
So Senisai is not only created by the textile makers who support Kojima today; new textile businesses are also emerging from Senisai.
Suesa
Yes. New energy is coming into Kojima’s textile industry. For example, some people who joined the Kojima Industrial Promotion Center Designers Incubation program have exhibited at Senisai and gone on to open shops on Kojima Jeans Street.
As new trends emerge, Senisai itself is also evolving into something new, I think.
What Are Senisai’s Highlights? Be Sure to Visit Sen’i Kojima Maker Street
There’s so much to see at Senisai. What are some of the highlights?
Suesa
If you’ve come to Kojima and want to buy Kojima-made products, be sure to visit Sen’i Kojima Maker Street.
Here you’ll find a wide selection of Kojima textile products, including jeans, tatami-beri (decorative edging for tatami mats), and school uniforms.
Tatami-beri and school uniforms are among the products for which Kojima accounts for a large share of the national market.
At Senisai, you can see all these products in one place.
Komatsubara
Yes. You can get them at lower prices than usual, so we hope you’ll take this opportunity to experience Kojima’s textiles.
“Good Products at the Right Price”: Aiming to Raise the Level of Kojima’s Textile Industry
What are your goals for the future?
Suesa
Precisely because we live in an age when clothing is readily available at low prices, I believe we should share what makes Kojima’s textile industry special—the Japanese character, modesty, meticulousness, and delicacy embodied in its products.
At Senisai, we want to protect and develop the textile industry by sharing the idea that good products deserve the right price.
We want to do more to energize Kojima, Japan’s leading textile-producing region.
Do you have a message for everyone coming to Sen-i-sai?
Suesa and Komatsubara
Come to Kojima in droves on November 9 and 10!
A shuttle bus will also run between Kojima Station and the venue for a fee, so please use public transportation to get here.
From the Writer
Until now, I had a strong impression of Senisai as “an event where you can get Kojima textile products at low prices.”
However, listening to Suesa and Komatsubara, I came away with a strong sense that they hope people will not only get to experience textile products more affordably than usual, but also discover the high quality of Kojima’s textile products and the skills of its textile artisans through that experience.
Why not take this opportunity to visit Senisai and discover Kojima’s textile products?
Kojima Festival #Senisai Information
| Name | Kojima Festival #Senisai |
|---|---|
| Dates | November 9, 2024 (Saturday), 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. November 10, 2024 (Sunday), 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Location | 88 Motohama-cho, Kojima, Kurashiki City |
| Admission (tax included) | Free. Shuttle bus from Kojima Station to the venue: 100 yen |
| Website | Kojima Chamber of Commerce and Industry website |
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