The Kojima area of Kurashiki City, where the textile industry is thriving.
The first domestically produced jeans in Japan were born in this Kojima area.
Many people from inside and outside the prefecture visit "Kojima Jeans Street," lined with jeans shops, and "Kojima Festival #Senisai," which sells clothing from various companies in Kojima.
While the industry has a glamorous image, the reality is that craftsmen are aging, and there are also issues with successors.
To confront the social issues facing the industry, a new style of exhibition called "SETO INLAND LINK" will be launched, focusing on denim from various perspectives.
The concept is "Various Personalities Woven by Denim."
There will be no sale of apparel products; instead, the event will introduce the value of denim and its diverse personalities through art.
About Yu to Ri18 Co., Ltd., the organizer of SETO INLAND LINK
The organizer of SETO INLAND LINK is "Yu to Ri18 Co., Ltd." based in Kojima.
In addition to producing its own original brand, it mainly focuses on processing based on requests from clients, creating denim products by hand.
Since the products are created by craftsmen's hands, they can accommodate detailed orders, but delicate skills are required.
We had a special tour to observe the processing where the craftsmanship shines.
The factory of Yu to Ri18 Co., Ltd.
At Yu to Ri18 Co., Ltd., all sewing and processing are done by hand based on orders from clients.
Due to the division of labor, the process passes through the hands of multiple craftsmen, and the way it moves toward completion is like a relay baton.
Based on a single "recipe" that determines each process with the expected finish, the craftsmen work to complete the order.
The shape is created with a pattern, and the "whiskers" around the thigh area and the damage processing at the hem are also crafted by the artisans' skills.
To express a vintage feel, the jeans are washed with stones, creating damage through a process called "damage crush," which is unique to jeans making.
Instead of simply washing with stones, pins are used to create variations in the damage, adding depth to the fading of the jeans.
As I watched the jeans change shape one after another due to the craftsmen's sense and skills, it appeared to me as if we were collaboratively creating an art piece.
Original Brand
The company's brand "New Manual" is directed by Yuji Fujihara, who is involved with SETO INLAND LINK.
Yuji Fujihara is said to be a key figure in the vintage denim boom, having a significant impact on the denim industry.
New Manual is a brand that aims to "reassess the good things of the past with a modern perspective and create a new manual."
To express a vintage feel, the brand imagines where clothes will fade, wrinkle, or wear out as they are worn, and expresses this through processing.
About SETO INLAND LINK
Currently, it is essential to approach the younger generation to solve the issues of aging craftsmen and a lack of successors in the denim industry.
With the belief that it is necessary to redefine and elevate the value of denim, SETO INLAND LINK will be held from October 7 (Saturday) to October 9 (Monday, public holiday) in 2023.
To preserve the industry and pass it on to the next generation, it is necessary to convey the value to young people and help them understand it.
The thoughts and features of SETO INLAND LINK are as follows.
- By proposing new values for the denim industry, we want to attract new people (workers, companies, tourists, etc.) and revitalize the region.
- By conveying that denim making is a job that not only requires technical skills but also allows one to utilize their individuality, we hope to spark interest in the next generation of creative minds.
- Through denim, we hope that diverse people will LINK (connect), leading to a creative and rich future.
- Diverse participants from elementary school students to artists active worldwide.
- A unique space created by the fusion of historical and beautiful landscapes and venues with innovative art works using denim.
- Diverse programs that allow enjoyment of denim not only as clothing but from various angles.
To let more people know about the new charm of denim, the Bikan Historical Area, which attracts many visitors from outside Okayama Prefecture and overseas, has been chosen as the venue.
Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery (former Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch)
Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery was completed in 1922 as the Kurashiki branch of the former Daiichi Godo Bank, where Ohara Magosaburo served as president.
It is a beautiful building with Renaissance-style columns and stained glass.
Ohara Museum of Art and Yurin-so Villa were designed by architect Yakushiji Kazue, and it was used as the Chugoku Bank Kurashiki Honmachi Branch until 2016.
Currently, it is named Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery and aims to grand open as a new wing of the Ohara Museum of Art.
Once a building that supported the lives of local residents, it is expected to be reborn as a landmark for tourism in the future.
Ryokan Kurashiki
Ryokan Kurashiki is located on the banks of the Kurashiki River, which flows through the Bikan Historical Area, where it curves.
It has been renovated from the main building of a sugar wholesaler and rice store built in the late Edo period.
It is said to be a favorite inn of printmaker Munakata Shiko and novelist Shiba Ryotaro.
Many tourists from both domestic and overseas stay here, seeking a space that feels the history of Kurashiki.
Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan
Currently, Kurashiki City Kurashiki Monogatari-kan has become a cultural tourism facility that attracts visitors, and it is also used as a rental space.
It is a facility that has been renovated from the main building and storehouses of the Ohashi House, built from the Edo period to the early Showa period.
Located near the entrance of the Bikan Historical Area, it features a tourist information corner and coin lockers.
Cultivating and Spreading Value through SETO INLAND LINK
SETO INLAND LINK offers various programs to convey the diverse charm of denim.
▼ The highlighted programs of SETO INLAND LINK are as follows.
- EXHIBITION-1: Vintage x Reproduct
- EXHIBITION-2: Denim x Human Connection
- EXHIBITION-3: Social Issues x the Power of Art
- EXHIBITION-4: Denim Craftsmen's Skills x Students' Expressiveness
- ONLINE EXHIBITION: KURASHIKI TOUR by POGGY
- WORKSHOP: Creating Denim Art Together
Among the above, we will introduce EXHIBITION-3 and 4, which were completed in collaboration with local people.
EXHIBITION-3: Social Issues x the Power of Art
EXHIBITION-3 features works by two artists who confront social issues.
- LINK-1: The Potential of Children Unleashed by Art - Clothes Made for Loved Ones
- LINK-2: Rags as Festive Attire
In LINK-1, a joint work will be displayed by eight children from "Pantone Future School," operated by Kenichi Uneo, CEO of IyatoRi18 Co., Ltd., and artist Seiran Tsuno.
Pantone Future School is an after-school day service for elementary to high school students with developmental delays or anxieties.
“I want them to draw out their potential and express themselves through art. I hope they grow their potential and eventually become adults who can find jobs that suit their individuality and contribute to that industry,” says Uneo.
Not only the finished works but also the process of children engaging in production and growing while connecting with society is valued.
The theme of LINK-1 is "Clothes Made for Loved Ones."
The exhibition will express the gathering of "people who are cherished" wearing clothes made by the children, along with a recreation of the production space of the works.
EXHIBITION-4: Denim Craftsmen's Skills x Students' Expressiveness
A program that matches three denim processing companies in Kojima with three schools in Okayama Prefecture.
▼ Denim Processing Companies
- IyatoRi18 Co., Ltd.
- WHOVAL Co., Ltd.
- Bitou Limited Company
▼ Schools in Okayama Prefecture
- Kurashiki City Junior College
- Kurashiki Fashion College
- Chugoku Design Vocational School
Students who learn techniques from the denim processing companies will create designs and produce works.
The materials for the works mainly use waste generated during the product manufacturing processes of the three companies.
The three companies engaged in denim processing in Kojima have a strong relationship, cooperating with each other to promote the industry.
They position the value of holding events together as companies that primarily engage in processing and strive to improve each other.
It seems that this relationship continues based on the idea that staff from each company knowing not only their own but also other companies leads to growth.
EXHIBITION-4 aims to create opportunities for interaction between students and craftsmen, fostering the inheritance of skills and generating interest in the denim industry.
SETO INLAND LINK conveys new charms and values of denim, creating connections.
We spoke with Kenichi Uneo, CEO of IyatoRi18 Co., Ltd., the organizer of the event.
Data on SETO INLAND LINK
| Name | SETO INLAND LINK |
|---|---|
| Dates | October 7 (Saturday) to October 9 (Monday, public holiday), 2023 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM (until 7:00 PM on the 9th) *The exhibition at Ryokan Kurashiki is open until 7:00 PM on all days |
| Location | Kojima Torajiro Memorial Gallery, Ryokan Kurashiki, Kurashiki Monogatari-kan |
| Participation Fee (including tax) | Admission: Free |
| Website | SETO INLAND LINK |
