{"id":8748,"date":"2013-09-15T17:26:26","date_gmt":"2013-09-16T00:26:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/?p=8748"},"modified":"2018-10-27T10:27:04","modified_gmt":"2018-10-27T04:57:04","slug":"visit-momotaro-kojima-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/japanese-denim\/visit-momotaro-kojima-japan\/8748","title":{"rendered":"A Visit to Momotaro – Kojima , Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article is a reproduction of an <\/span><\/em>article<\/span><\/em><\/a>by Adam Marelli on his recent visit to Kojima (Japan) where he saw the traditional denim production by the jeans brand <\/span><\/em>Momotaro<\/span><\/em><\/a>..It is a beautiful outsider\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s view of the rare art of Japanese denim production.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Blue jeans emerged from humble beginnings as the workwear of Americans, but in the wake of World War II it was the Japanese who would usher in a new era for blue jeans.\u00c2\u00a0 During the reconstruction of post war Japan, American looms were imported and set up in small factories.\u00c2\u00a0 Soon enough, companies like Toyoda (who would later become Toyota) produced shuttle looms of their own.\u00c2\u00a0 Many of these machines are still in use today, because as much as companies, like Apple, can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seem to understand\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6you can actually build a product that lasts more than four years.<\/p>\n

Last year Adam embarked on a project called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Lost Ceremony<\/a>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 The first stop was a town that most people would never visit.\u00c2\u00a0 There are no famous temples or red gates sprinkled along the river.\u00c2\u00a0 Kojima, located in Western Japan is home to fabric producers, most specifically makers of some of the world\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s finest denim.<\/p>\n

\"Dried<\/a><\/p>\n

Marco Polo, Ali Baba, and Columbus<\/h3>\n

Exotic fabrics from India to Peru have commanded treasure chests of gold, started wars and paid some of the most famous dowries in history.\u00c2\u00a0 While advancements in technology have allowed industry to produce the vomit-inspired upholsteries that scratches us on bus trips and the miserable patterned rugs than can depress an entire Texas cheerleading squad, there will always be specialty producers who take the time to make\u00c2\u00a0 a top quality product that feels, wears, and looks better than any imitation.<\/p>\n

\"Momotaro<\/a><\/p>\n

How to Spot Quality<\/h3>\n

Most of our clothes are bought off the shelf.\u00c2\u00a0 In a person\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s lifetime they might get a handful of garments made for them.\u00c2\u00a0 Something I learned during my years in construction was that most of the things we buy from Hondas to Bentleys are pretty much a-la-carte options at best.\u00c2\u00a0 Very few items are actually custom made from start to finish.\u00c2\u00a0 And that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not necessarily a bad thing.\u00c2\u00a0 Because with the endless options that customization offers come the anxiety of not knowing what you want, how to ask for it, and if you really need it at all.<\/p>\n

So how could someone spend $1,500 <\/strong>on a pair of customized jeans?\u00c2\u00a0 Well a trip through the Momotaro workshops opened my eyes to the areas where most companies fall flat on quality production and where they chose to rip open the DNA of a jean and redesign them from the ground up.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Uchida coaching the shuttle loom into the smooth rhythm of production. With all its belts and pulleys, they look like something out of a Dr. Suess book. But in the end the machines put out some incredible denim.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Momotaro<\/a> has a history of fabric production that is over one hundred and fifty years old.\u00c2\u00a0 This is not your \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Hipster-pop-up-hand made-authentic-heritage-over-hyphenated-excuse\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for small scale production.\u00c2\u00a0 Denim only represents 20% of their total fabric production annually.\u00c2\u00a0 In true Japanese style, if they can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do it perfectly they would rather not do it at all.\u00c2\u00a0 The range of denim they produce ranges from hand dyed and hand woven to synthetic dye and motorized loom weaving.\u00c2\u00a0 They cover all of price ranges as an artists would learn how to mix all of their colors.\u00c2\u00a0 As new lines of jeans are introduced, they rest of a firm foundation which allows Momotaro to make decisions based on preference not strictly economy.\u00c2\u00a0 In the last few years Momotaro has branched out to European and American markets which has presented them with a new set of obstacles.\u00c2\u00a0 The international markets, not only, have different visual tastes\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6they are also shaped differently.\u00c2\u00a0 What does that translate to in jeans?\u00c2\u00a0 Well there are not too many 6\u00e2\u20ac\u2122-4\u00e2\u20ac\u009d guys named Lars cruising around the streets of Kojima.\u00c2\u00a0 People come in a multitude of sizes.\u00c2\u00a0 Momotaro had to make some scale adjustments for their clothing to be internationally compatible.\u00c2\u00a0 But the little tweaks in length and breadth did not impact the quality at all.<\/p>\n

\"Master<\/a><\/p>\n

Master mechanic Shigeru Uchida is one of the dividing factors between Momotaro and the rest of the denim world. Adam Marelli<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Why your old Levi\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Momotaros<\/h4>\n

At the moment American denim companies like Levi\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s and Lee are ironically trying to reinvent themselves as quality brands.\u00c2\u00a0 The irony is that the denim business they shipped to Japan fifty years ago is now producing their highest quality jeans ever.\u00c2\u00a0 So where are the details in a pair of jeans?\u00c2\u00a0 Just flip a pair of Momotaro\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s inside out to see some of the attention they give to their jeans.<\/p>\n

Zimbabwe Cotton.<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0 If you really want to compete in the denim world the cotton has to come from Zimbabwe.\u00c2\u00a0 Why?\u00c2\u00a0 Well\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6contrary to Eli Whitney, they claim that the finest cotton still needs to be hand picked.\u00c2\u00a0 The cotton gin crushes the husk of the cotton into the fibers and damages them.\u00c2\u00a0 The feel is outstanding, but I have a feeling if anyone tried to resurrect hand picked cotton in the United States it would cause riots.<\/p>\n

Copper or Sterling Silver Buttons & Rivets<\/strong> with the family crest.\u00c2\u00a0 Inside the jeans you will not find anonymous copper rivets.\u00c2\u00a0 Momotaro embosses their family crest of the rivets.\u00c2\u00a0 Its a subtle way to say that the company is held together by family.<\/p>\n

Heavy Duty Pocket Liners.<\/strong> I wear jeans for any type of work day.\u00c2\u00a0 Whether I am at a work bench, on a shoot, or trying to keep my eyes open through a meeting, I often wear jeans.\u00c2\u00a0 One thing that kills me about cheap pants is that without fail the pockets rip.\u00c2\u00a0 How do I know?\u00c2\u00a0 Well usually its because I lost something (like my keys) and then realize there was a hole in the pocket.\u00c2\u00a0 Replacing those magnetic front door keys can be expensive.\u00c2\u00a0 So I love that the pocket fabric is not made of the standard tissue paper you find in chain store denim.<\/p>\n

The Fade. <\/strong>I am not talking about your barber\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ability to go from skin 1 to a number 4, when I say fade I mean how well Momotaro\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s break in.\u00c2\u00a0 An axiom of aesthetics is that anything that looks best new is of poor design.\u00c2\u00a0 In contrast to a fashion culture that is constantly trying to pass off 16 year old girls as women (Calvin Klein, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m looking at you\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6) age is not something to be feared.\u00c2\u00a0 And while we are all doing our best to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Earn our grays\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or jeans should be along for the ride.\u00c2\u00a0 A well made pair of jeans will reflect their owner, which is why my jeans and yours will never look the same.\u00c2\u00a0 Its the closest thing to a fashion fingerprint out there.\u00c2\u00a0 Much better than buying some pre-faded, belt sander interpretations of denim.\u00c2\u00a0 You will have to wear these in yourself.\u00c2\u00a0 And that is half of the fun.<\/p>\n

The Peach. <\/strong>The Momotaro myth of a young warrior who protected the region is symbolized by the peach.\u00c2\u00a0 The surrounding area is famous for its produce, which is tangled in local folklore.\u00c2\u00a0 Momotaro decided to pay homage to their local production through the embossed design on the rivets and also the pink inseam stitching of the jeans.\u00c2\u00a0 Its a small and subtle detail.\u00c2\u00a0 But nothing makes the Japanese happier than playing the game of subtlety<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Selvedge\/Self Edge Fabric. <\/strong>If you have ever walked into a boutique and a sales person has tried to sell you on \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Selvedge denim<\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and you thought they just had a lisp, you are not alone.\u00c2\u00a0 Turns out, they are not mispronouncing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153self edge.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0 Selvedge refers to the narrower width of fabrics produced on shuttle looms.\u00c2\u00a0 Its a tailoring detail that may not interest anyone but denim die hards, but from a production stand point its worth noting.\u00c2\u00a0 Textile companies are always looking for ways to stream line, aka lessen production costs, even at the expense of quality.\u00c2\u00a0 Selvedge denim is not an open weave at the end of the loom.\u00c2\u00a0 The fabric is woven closed on the ends.\u00c2\u00a0 This limits the overall width of the bolts.\u00c2\u00a0 So its not less expensive, in fact its a good deal more.\u00c2\u00a0 The end result is a different feeling and looking outside seam on the leg of the pant.\u00c2\u00a0 When we consider that it is the longest seam in the entire garment, it makes sense not to cut corners.<\/p>\n

Master Shigeru Uchida<\/h3>\n

The pulsing clicks of the shuttle looms dominate the workshop.\u00c2\u00a0 Master mechanic Shigeru Uchida excuses himself for not having ear protection for us.\u00c2\u00a0 Click and bang of springs, gears, and rollers sounds like someone dropping a box of wrenches down a flight of stairs.\u00c2\u00a0 But underneath this cacophony is a rhythm that Uchida conducts with a small box of hand tools.\u00c2\u00a0 He is the only one who knows how to work all of the looms, something that is not lost on Katsu Manabe, next in line at Momotaro.\u00c2\u00a0 He explained that Uchida has been servicing these machines for over forty years.\u00c2\u00a0 His education in their inner workings was a classical apprenticeship, light on questions and heavy on beatings.\u00c2\u00a0 Uchida\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tough upbringing in this maze of fabric and gears is not something he wants to pass on.\u00c2\u00a0 He speaks softly to his apprentice who is fetching tools for the constant adjustments.\u00c2\u00a0 It almost appears that making fabric is not much different than farming produce.\u00c2\u00a0 Both require an inordinate amount of attention and maintenance.<\/p>\n

\"Momotaro<\/a><\/p>\n

The Momotaro workshop is surrounded be fields of hops grown by the local breweries. Adam Marelli<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Working around Uchida was a delightful experience.\u00c2\u00a0 Whenever I have the opportunity to watch people who are extremely good at their profession, I get all excited.\u00c2\u00a0 The dexterity at which he reaches through these machines is astounding.\u00c2\u00a0 There are no electronic read outs or manuals.\u00c2\u00a0 He touches the machine to feel and listen to its sounds.\u00c2\u00a0 As he checks the output of the fabric from the loom he makes small adjustments to keep the machine on track.\u00c2\u00a0 Its rocking motion appears to eventually shake itself loose.\u00c2\u00a0 Each machine teeters on the verge or production and destruction at the same time.\u00c2\u00a0 Without the right touch, I got the impression the looms would shake themselves to death.\u00c2\u00a0 But with Uchida\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s tuning hand they pump out thousands of yards of beautifully rich denim.<\/p>\n

\"toyoda<\/a><\/p>\n

A detail shot of the Toyoda shuttle loom at rest. Keeping these machines running has been Uchida\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s study for over forty years. Adam Marelli<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Sun Down<\/h4>\n

At the end of the day we all retire to the back of the workshop, for the post work smoke break.\u00c2\u00a0 Never having been a smoker myself, its strange that I actually enjoy these breaks.\u00c2\u00a0 Its nice to see Katsu and Uchida step away from their work.\u00c2\u00a0 They have a calm satisfaction that belies the complexity of their daily tasks.\u00c2\u00a0 But as the sun is setting on the fields of hops and a bit of sun light catches a lone persimmon hanging from the tree, it is easy to see how work and poetry made their way together in Japan.<\/p>\n

On a journey, ailing\u00e2\u20ac\u201c<\/span><\/h4>\n

My dreams roam about<\/span><\/h4>\n

Over a withered moor.<\/span><\/h4>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201cMatsuo Basho<\/span><\/h4>\n

About <\/strong>: Artist & photographer, Adam Marelli<\/a> is based in New York\"Adam<\/a> City.\u00c2\u00a0 His projects explore the ancient crafts of building, maestros in their\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 workshops, and designs handed down through generations.\u00c2\u00a0 Whether he is photographing a master carpenter, dodging fish at a local market, or at the drafting table, he is in constant search of the threads which bind our cultures together.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This article is a reproduction of an articleby Adam Marelli on his recent visit to Kojima (Japan) where he saw the traditional denim production by the jeans brand Momotaro..It is a beautiful outsider\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s view of the rare art of Japanese denim production. Blue jeans emerged from humble beginnings as the workwear of Americans, but in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[106],"tags":[1359,1322],"class_list":["post-8748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-japanese-denim","tag-momotaro-jeans","tag-selvedge-denim"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8748\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.denimsandjeans.com\/recovery\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}