I have known Hiroki Kishimoto and Keita Hinamoto for a long time, so I was really excited when I heard they had teamed up to form a new brand: omotodenim. With many years of experience and connections behind them from their time at Japan Blue and Momotaro, respectively, I knew this was going to be […]
The Strike Gold had always been a bit of an enigma for me, not so much because there’s anything inherently mysterious about them, but more so because they kind of sat on the periphery of my denim imagination, their company being small enough to quietly slip under the radar while steadily producing some of the
The Strike Gold’s Tohru Hamamoto Read More »
I must admit that I was a bit of a latecomer to UES. Even though they are based in Osaka, I had never visited their shop until a few months back after finally checking out their website and purchasing one of their fantastic flannels. The flame was lit, and I had to know more. For
Waste Not, Want Not: Chuji Matsumoto of UES Read More »
As the coronavirus (or, properly, Covid-19) continues its spread across the globe, people are finding themselves confronting anxiety and inconvenience on one end of the scale, through to serious financial trouble and full lockdowns, right down to serious illness, and even death on the other end. It is against this unprecedented and somewhat surreal backdrop
Denim Distancing: Japanese Denim and Covid-19, Pt.1 Read More »
Katsu, can I ask what your favorite Momotaro jeans model or fabric is? K: Hmmm…there’s a lot of them, but lately I’m really liking this slim tapered I’m wearing now. Nice fades. K: Thanks…Momotaro tapered. What’s the best part about doing what you do? The funnest part of your day. K: Mmm, for me it’s
Momotaro’s Hisao and Katsu Manabe, Part 2 Read More »
It’s normally a 3 hour drive down to Kojima from Osaka, but I’ve somehow managed to do it in record time and now find myself poised outside Japan Blue’s headquarters a bit too early. No matter though as I head inside and try to find the man I’m looking for: Katsu Manabe, the son of
Momotaro’s Hisao and Katsu Manabe, Part 1 Read More »