A pilgrimage to Kurashiki, the holy land of denim! A two-day, one-night trip to immerse yourself in your favorite denim

A journey to discover the charms of Kurashiki denim

The trip begins at Okayama Momotaro Airport. Take a bus to JR Kurashiki Station at the airport and arrive in Kurashiki in about 35 minutes! First, head southeast from here to the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter, which is about a 15-minute walk away.

To begin with, "Kurashiki denim" is a type of "Okayama denim" made in Ibara City and the Kojima area of Kurashiki City. Almost all processes from spinning to processing are completed in factories within the prefecture, and perhaps it is precisely because of this production system that high-quality products made with the generous use of artisan dyeing and weaving techniques are concentrated in the prefecture.

A two-day, one-night trip surrounded by denim in Kurashiki

Light blue, dark blue, blackish colors... There are endless ways to enjoy denim, with a variety of colors and textures, and the fading that occurs from repeated wearing and washing. With these thoughts about denim in mind, let's start our two-day, one-night trip.

First day

On the first day, we will take a stroll through the center of Kurashiki city. We will head to Kurashiki Denim Street while walking through the tourist spot "Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter". Along the Kurashiki River, there are quaint sights wherever you look, such as white-walled storehouses, namako walls, and rows of willow trees. You will find yourself taking lots of photos. There are also many other shops lined up, including a restaurant where you can eat parfaits made with seasonal fruits from Okayama, a masking tape specialty store, and a store selling Kurashiki canvas.

A thorough stroll through Kurashiki Denim Street

After leisurely strolling around the shops in Kurashiki's Bikan Historical Quarter, we arrived at Kurashiki Denim Street.

"Kurashiki Denim Street" is a complex built in 2014 to commemorate the fact that the Kojima area of Kurashiki is the birthplace of domestically produced jeans, and is filled with the charm of denim made in Kurashiki, as its name suggests. It is roughly divided into four areas: the Men's Section, Women's & Kids Section, the General Goods Section, and the Food Section, and there are denim-themed photo spots scattered throughout.

We immediately took a commemorative photo in front of the denim-colored door with "DENIM STREET" written on it. If you take a photo wearing jeans or a denim jacket, it will definitely look even better. The street itself has a retro feel, so it would be fun to take a photo of your denim fashion outfit for today.

Search for special items at "Wakura," a denim brand that can only be purchased here

In the Ladies & Kids Section, I picked up a jacket from "Wakura," a brand I definitely want to check out. It's made of stretch material, so it's amazing how it doesn't feel tight even when I move my arms around! I was able to carefully choose the style and color of the jacket that suited me, consulting with the store staff.

"I want to choose pants with a loose silhouette that is more masculine!" I thought, so I headed to the Men's Building. There, too, I was greeted by the full lineup of "Wakura." "Wakura" products are sewn with white thread, which is rare for jeans, and are said to be inspired by the white walls of Kurashiki's Bikan Historical Quarter. The lining around the waist and the stitching on the back pockets are also designed with a namako wall motif, which is very cute. The pants-shaped straps placed nearby also have the white stitching that is characteristic of "Wakura." This makes a perfect souvenir.

Fill your stomach with denim-colored delicacies

While I was engrossed in choosing denim, I started to get hungry. I ordered some denim gourmet food from the takeout corner in "Kurashiki Denim Street". The takeout corner is also a vibrant blue. Amazingly, all the food, drinks, and sweets you order here are vibrant denim colors.

The Denim Bun, which will make you surprise when you hold it in your hand, has a blue skin made by extracting gardenia seeds with alcohol. It looks blue, but when you eat it, you'll be surprised by its authentic flavor. The Denim Peach Squash is a cute dish with floating peach sorbet. The Denim Soft Serve is a mix of Ramune and blueberry flavors.

While you're there, grab a denim bun and take a commemorative photo with "Denim Bear," the original character of "Kurashiki Denim Street." The letter "D" on its belly is its charm point.

Pick up a denim bag and denim bear keychain as souvenirs

After filling our stomachs with denim-colored gourmet food, we headed to the "General Goods Store" to choose souvenirs. Here, we stock a wide range of products at affordable prices, mainly denim accessories and bags imported from overseas. As a souvenir, we purchased a denim bag that is perfect for carrying cosmetics and wallets!

There were also denim bear keychains in the store. Each one has a different expression, so take your time to choose the bear that suits your taste.

Kurashiki Denim Street

Second day

On the second day, we will head to Kojima.

Experience indigo dyeing at Kojima Jeans Street

We will stroll through Kojima Jeans Street, located about a 15-minute walk from JR Kojima Station, and head to the BIG JOHN Kojima Main Store, where you can experience indigo dyeing.

Kojima Jeans Street was established in 2010 as part of a project to revitalize the retro-styled Ajino Shopping Arcade, a mecca for jeans. Currently, there are about 40 local jeans specialty stores lined up, where you can encounter jeans full of the originality of world-famous "Japan denim." There are also photo spots, and the large wall art in the "Pocket Park" is a must-see!

While enjoying taking some photos, we arrived at the "BIG JOHN Kojima Main Store", marked by a red tent. Here you can find a wide range of products, from authentic high-end denim products to affordable miscellaneous goods, and you can also experience denim-related workshops.

The indigo dyeing process is extremely important in the production of Kojima denim. Having heard that the process of indigo dye fading is also beautiful, I immediately decided to try out indigo dyeing using a white T-shirt.

First, put on an original BIG JOHN apron and prepare the fabric using a ball and rubber bands. If the fabric has laundry starch on it, it may not dye properly, so it's important to rinse it lightly with water beforehand. You can freely create the fabric while keeping in mind the image of the finished product.

Once the preparations are complete, it's time to move on to the dyeing process. The part you want to dye is slowly immersed in the dye and then pulled out. The indigo dye, which was initially green, turns a beautiful deep blue when exposed to air. All that's left to do is wash it in a bucket of water until the water runs clear. Spread it out and it's finished.

The rubber bands create a pattern, creating a unique and tasteful T-shirt. After drying the finished T-shirt in a dryer, you can either take it home on the day, or have it dried and sent to you later.

In addition to the indigo dyeing experience, you can also make things like straps and pen cases. This is a spot that will stimulate your creative desire.

BIG JOHN Kojima Main Store

Find your own one-of-a-kind pair of jeans at the Betty Smith Jeans Museum & Village

After enjoying the indigo dyeing experience, head to the Betty Smith Jeans Museum & Village, located about 20 minutes away from Kojima Jeans Street. Since its opening in 2003, it has been one of Kojima's most popular spots, attracting around 50,000 tourists a year. You can also view Japan's oldest jeans factory through the windows from outside the factory.

Here, you can choose your own buttons and rivets (the metal parts attached to the edge of the pocket) and make your own jeans. This time, I chose the regular straight jeans from "OMIYAGE JEANS", which is aimed at people who want to try it casually. After the length is adjusted, the staff attaches the leather label you chose from a large selection, while you choose your buttons and rivets.

There are many different kinds of buttons and rivets. You can choose them by placing them on a sample pair of jeans and imagining how they will look when finished. There are also buttons with Betty Smith's character "Betty-chan" on them.

Once you've selected your buttons and rivets, the next step is to attach them. You'll sit in front of a special machine and receive instructions on how to press the pedals and the order in which to attach them.

Step on the pedal from the front and the side, carefully checking the position. The trick to putting it on well is to give it one last strong push. Your favorite pair is now complete!

In addition to the jeans making experience, there are other activities where you can casually try your hand at riveting, such as making denim keychains and customizing denim pouches.

Betty Smith Jeans Making Experience Factory

Reminiscing on memories with denim at "BS Cafe & Gallery"

After the denim making experience, we took a breather. Before heading home, we reflected on our trip at the cafe on the premises. We ordered "rice flour jeans-shaped cookies" with our coffee. The blue color comes from butterfly pea, and their slight sweetness goes perfectly with the coffee.

The store also sells miscellaneous goods related to Kojima, and the store's original postcards are a highlight. I decided to buy one as a memento of my trip.

BS Cafe & Gallery

Finally, we concluded our two-day trip by learning about the history and evolution of Kojima denim at the attached Jeans Museum. On the way back, we returned to Okayama Momotaro Airport by bus via JR Kurashiki Station.

In Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter and Kojima, there are many facilities and shops where you can enjoy the quality of domestically made jeans. If you like denim or fashion, you will have an irresistible time. Why not take a two-day, one-night trip to immerse yourself in denim?

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