Kurashiki City's Kojima, which flourished as a cotton-producing area during the Edo period, has carried its history into the present as the holy land of jeans.
Ajino Shopping Street, lined with apparel shops selling jeans, is known as Kojima Jeans Street and is a clothing-focused tourist destination rarely seen elsewhere in Japan.
“Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store” has been operating since 2010, when Kojima Jeans Street was established, and has helped spread the name of Kojima Jeans Street around the world.
On April 27, 2021, Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store reopened after renovations to mark the 15th anniversary of “Momotaro Jeans,” a domestic jeans brand developed by JAPAN BLUE.
We asked the JAPAN BLUE Public Relations Office to tell us about the highlights of the newly renovated store and the history of Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store.
Here we introduce the appeal of the newly transformed Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in June 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Introducing the renovated “Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store”
Entrance highlights
There are several things to notice from the moment you enter the newly renovated Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store.
The blue walls around the entrance are covered with denim fabric used as wallpaper.
The material used is “Shin Denim,” developed in-house by JAPAN BLUE and known for its resistance to fading.
Displayed to the right of the entrance door are threads that express the diversity of colors created by indigo.
The transition from white to pale blue and then deep blue is beautiful.
Natural indigo comes in a variety of colors, and the display lets visitors appreciate the beauty of indigo visually.
Inside the store
Sales floor
The store is stocked with products from “Momotaro Jeans,” a brand developed by JAPAN BLUE.
A traditional house adjacent to the former store was renovated, expanding the sales floor from about 150 square meters to about 300 square meters.
The sales floor was expanded because the store wanted to offer customers high-quality products in a spacious setting.
The number of products available has also increased from about 3,600 to about 4,000.
Displays
The most eye-catching feature inside the store is the jeans lined up against a red wall.
The red background contrasts with the blue of the jeans, making them stand out.
Jeans in different silhouettes are on display, allowing visitors to appreciate the variety of jeans designs.
One characteristic of jeans is that they develop a rich, distinctive look with repeated wear.
To show how jeans change over time, the store displays jeans that have been worn for several years.
Loom
A loom for making denim fabric has been installed in the expanded store.
It is not merely a decorative feature; it is actually used.
On weekdays, visitors can apparently watch artisans make denim fabric by hand.
The store not only lets customers handle high-quality products, but also shows them the actual manufacturing process to convey the story behind the products.
Outside the store
Storefront
The original store is housed in a post office built in the early Showa period, retaining a retro atmosphere, while the traditional house added as an extension evokes Japanese style while giving a refined impression.
Momotaro, the mascot character, was standing guard in front of the store.
Many customers take photos with Momotaro, and he is apparently very popular.
You can also spot the attention to detail in the exterior.
The building's walls boldly feature the two stripes that are Momotaro Jeans' trademark.
Back garden
Around the other side of the store is a charming garden.
It was created with the hope that it would be used for local events, such as festivals in Ajino Shopping Street, and become a place rooted in the community.
In May 2021, the Hareniwa Marche, a market event, was held, drawing crowds of people visiting Kojima Jeans Street.
Café “CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN”
To the right of the store entrance is the adjoining café “CAFÉ JAPAN BLUE GARDEN.”
As a food offering unique to a jeans store, it serves sweets and drinks made with indigo.
You can enjoy Baumkuchen and blue lemonade made with indigo, among other treats.
History of Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store
Kojima Jeans Street
Kojima Jeans Street was launched in 2010 with the aim of promoting Kojima as the birthplace of denim in Japan.
Until then, sewing and dyeing factories were scattered throughout Kojima, but there were apparently few places to buy jeans.
Ajino Shopping Street, which begins at the nationally designated Important Cultural Property Nozaki's Historical Residence, was once the most prosperous street in Kojima. However, by 2010 it had become quiet, and revitalizing the shopping street had become a priority.
That is why Kojima Jeans Street was started: to make it possible for people to see and enjoy jeans made in Kojima right in Kojima.
As of 2021, about 40 apparel shops selling jeans line Kojima Jeans Street.
It has become nationally known as a holy land of jeans and grown into a tourist destination visited by about 300,000 people a year.
History of Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store opened in 2009 as the first directly operated store to carry the domestic brand Momotaro Jeans, produced by JAPAN BLUE.
The following year, 2010, Kojima Jeans Street was established, and three jeans shops lined the street.
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store is a shop that has helped build the history of Kojima Jeans Street from the very beginning.
In 2015 and 2017, events took place that helped make the Momotaro Jeans name known to many people.
Then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mentioned Momotaro Jeans in a speech as one example of the Cool Japan Strategy, a policy to promote Japanese content around the world.
JAPAN BLUE’s business strategy of expanding into Europe with jeans embodying a commitment to Japanese craftsmanship and its efforts to revive a shuttered local shopping street through Kojima Jeans Street were highly praised, and the brand became known throughout Japan.
As the Momotaro Jeans name spread, many customers began visiting Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store, the first directly operated store.
At times, it seems, the store even had to restrict entry, and staff felt frustrated that they could not provide adequate service.
The renovation expanded the sales floor to provide customers with a space where they could take their time and find their favorite jeans.
Exclusive Services at Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store
Jeans Exclusive to Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store
The store carries jeans featuring two lines in blue, the color exclusive to Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store.
At JAPAN BLUE, “blue” is considered an important color.
The color represents not only the “blue” created by indigo dyeing, but also the “blue” of the Seto Inland Sea as seen from Kojima.
The “blue” that JAPAN BLUE holds dear was chosen as the exclusive color for its first directly operated store.
Denim Suits
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store sells denim suits.
It is the only JAPAN BLUE-operated store that makes denim suits to order.
They are made using “Shin Denim,” developed as a denim fabric that resists fading.
Unlike traditional denim, it does not have a casual feel and has a texture that complements the silhouette of a suit.
Many people, particularly those in their 30s, reportedly buy these unusual denim suits for business wear.
From the Writer
Stepping inside through the entrance decorated with denim fabric and looking over the neatly arranged jeans makes you feel as if you have come to an exhibition.
You can do more than pick up the products: you can enjoy looking at jeans in a variety of silhouettes and seeing how the fabric changes over time. The store has become a space for viewing jeans.
The sight of craftspeople’s products displayed inside a former post office and a traditional house, both bearing the marks of time, conveys a determination to preserve for future generations the industries nurtured in the local community.
Perhaps the strength of industries rooted in the community helped revive a shopping street that had once lost its vitality.
Be sure to visit Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store, which stylishly carries on the history of local industry dating back to the Edo period.
Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store Information
| Name | Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-12-17 Kojima Ajino, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-472-1301 |
| Parking | Available ・Dedicated parking is available about a one-minute walk from Momotaro Jeans Kojima Ajino Main Store ・Parking for up to 20 cars ・Free |
| Business hours | 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. |
| Closed | Open daily Except during the year-end and New Year holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Website | Momotaro JEANS ONLINE SHOP |
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