https://apnews.com/article/japan-jeans-denim-kojima-indigo-291d243b88d5c8b67108e2641f739569 Menu Image Menu * World SECTIONS Mideast Wars Israel-Hamas War Russia-Ukraine War Global Elections ESPANOL China Asia Pacific Latin America TOP STORIES + Africans recruited to work in Russia say they were duped into building drones for use in Ukraine + At least 22 people killed in Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut. A strike on Gaza school kills 27 + UN-backed experts say Israel is destroying Gaza's health sector and both sides have tortured people Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * U.S. TOP STORIES + Milton knocks out power to millions and spawns tornadoes across Florida. At least 5 dead + What to know about Hurricane Milton after it slammed Florida's Gulf Coast + Ethel Kennedy, social activist and wife of Robert F. Kennedy, has died Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * Election 2024 SECTIONS Election results Advance vote Google trends AP & Elections Global elections TOP STORIES + Harris faces new urgency to explain how her potential presidency would be different from Biden's + Trump's small-dollar donor fundraising is beset by confusion and fatigue + Biden tells Trump to 'get a life, man' and stop storm misinformation Newsletters Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. See All Newsletters * Politics SECTIONS Election 2024 Joe Biden Congress U.S. Supreme Court TOP STORIES + Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025, smaller than in recent past + Biden tells Trump to 'get a life, man' and stop storm misinformation + Trump seizes on one block of a Colorado city to warn of migrant crime threat, even as crime dips Newsletters Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. See All Newsletters * Sports SECTIONS MLB NFL AP Top 25 WNBA NBA Soccer Golf Auto Racing TOP STORIES + 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal is retiring from tennis + Rays say it may take 'weeks' to fully assess damage at Tropicana Field, after Milton struck region + The Jacksonville Jaguars say their flight to London will be delayed because of Hurricane Milton Newsletters AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Sports Wire Your home base for in-depth reporting from the world of sports. See All Newsletters * Entertainment SECTIONS Movie Reviews What to Stream Television Book Reviews Music Celebrity Interviews TOP STORIES + Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan know the risks with 'The Apprentice' + 'The View' co-hosts come out swinging at Donald Trump a day after he insulted them + Han Kang wins the Nobel Prize for literature. She's the first South Korean to do so * Business SECTIONS Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness TOP STORIES + TD Bank to pay $3 billion in historic money-laundering settlement with the Justice Department + US inflation reaches lowest point in 3 years, though some price pressures remain + Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025, smaller than in recent past * Science SECTIONS Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine TOP STORIES + The Ring of Fire eclipse, in photos + NASA spacecraft to study Jupiter moon's underground ocean cleared for October launch + Tech billionaire pulls off first private spacewalk high above Earth * Fact Check TOP STORIES + FACT FOCUS: Online posts make unfounded claims about a helicopter delivering aid in North Carolina + US disaster relief chief blasts false claims about Helene response as a 'truly dangerous narrative' + After the deluge, the lies: Misinformation and hoaxes about Helene cloud the recovery + FACT FOCUS: Claims that more than 300,000 migrant children are missing lack context + A look at false and misleading claims from the vice presidential debate + Walz misleadingly claims to have been in Hong Kong during period tied to Tiananmen Square massacre * Oddities TOP STORIES + Washington state woman calls 911 after being hounded by up to 100 raccoons + How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity + Former owner of water buffalo that roamed Iowa suburb for days pleads guilty + Nibi the 'diva' beaver to stay at rescue center, Massachusetts governor decides + There's a moose on the loose -- in a New Hampshire swimming pool + After 31 years, a French treasure hunt may have a winner. The prize: a valuable golden owl * Be Well TOP STORIES + Feeling stressed about the election? Here's what some are doing and what they say you can do too + Don't expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says + Don't fall for fake dentists offering veneers and other dental work on social media + 'I love you but I hate you.' What to do when you can't stand your long-term partner + It's time to roll up sleeves for new COVID, flu shots + Cutting back on meat doesn't have to mean going without protein * Newsletters Newsletters AP News Alerts Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news alerts from The AP. AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. Beyond the Story Executive Editor Julie Pace brings you behind the scenes of the AP newsroom. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * Photography SECTIONS Photo Essays Photography The Americans TOP STORIES + Human towers rise skyward in Spain's Catalonia as part of cultural pride + Nepalese grapple with loss after floods kill over 200 people + In their 80s, these South Korean women learned reading and rap Newsletters The World in Pictures Get The AP's most compelling photographs sent directly to your inbox. See All Newsletters * AP Investigations TOP STORIES + Trump's small-dollar donor fundraising is beset by confusion and fatigue + Africans recruited to work in Russia say they were duped into building drones for use in Ukraine + Trump has long blasted China's trade practices. His 'God Bless the USA' Bibles were printed there + How Tucson police handled a death like George Floyd's when leaders thought it would never happen + A series of deaths and the 'Big Fight': Uncovering police force in one Midwestern city + South Korean woman sues government and adoption agency after her kidnapped daughter was sent abroad * Climate SECTIONS Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES + Colombia's river guardians battle to protect the Atrato amid threats and abandonment + Powerful Hurricane Milton destroys homes, shreds stadium roofs apart + Here's what has made Hurricane Milton so fierce and unusual * Health TOP STORIES + Company recalls nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry dishes for listeria contamination + Milton spares Daytona Beach, Florida, factory that's a critical supplier of IV fluids + Officials work to protect IV supplies in Florida after disruptions at North Carolina plant + Bakery that makes Sara Lee and Entenmann's pushes back on FDA sesame warning + Florida hospitals and health care facilities in Hurricane Milton's path prepare for the worst + A peek inside the human brain shows a way it cleans out the kind of waste that leads to Alzheimer's * Tech SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES + Tesla is unveiling its long-awaited robotaxi amid doubts about the technology it runs on + Google was declared a monopoly. The US suggests breaking the company up among other fixes + Elon Musk's X is back in Brazil after its suspension, having complied with all judicial demands * Lifestyle SECTIONS Back to school Food & Recipes Gardening Homes Travel Fashion Pets TOP STORIES + Disney World and other Orlando parks to reopen Friday after Hurricane Milton shutdown + Hurricane Milton has caused thousands of flight cancellations. What to do if one of them was yours + How to help people affected by Hurricane Milton * Religion TOP STORIES + Ethel Kennedy, social activist and wife of Robert F. Kennedy, has died + Hurricane Milton disrupts Yom Kippur plans for Jews in Florida + Artisans in India's Assam state make colorful mud idols of Hindu gods for Durga Puja Newsletters World of Faith Comprehensive global coverage of how religion shapes our world. 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A strike on Gaza school kills 27 o UN-backed experts say Israel is destroying Gaza's health sector and both sides have tortured people Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * U.S. TOP STORIES o Milton knocks out power to millions and spawns tornadoes across Florida. At least 5 dead o What to know about Hurricane Milton after it slammed Florida's Gulf Coast o Ethel Kennedy, social activist and wife of Robert F. Kennedy, has died Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * Election 2024 + Election results + Advance vote + Google trends + AP & Elections + Global elections SECTIONS Election results Advance vote Google trends AP & Elections Global elections TOP STORIES o Harris faces new urgency to explain how her potential presidency would be different from Biden's o Trump's small-dollar donor fundraising is beset by confusion and fatigue o Biden tells Trump to 'get a life, man' and stop storm misinformation Newsletters Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. See All Newsletters * Politics + Election 2024 + Joe Biden + Congress + U.S. Supreme Court SECTIONS Election 2024 Joe Biden Congress U.S. Supreme Court TOP STORIES o Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025, smaller than in recent past o Biden tells Trump to 'get a life, man' and stop storm misinformation o Trump seizes on one block of a Colorado city to warn of migrant crime threat, even as crime dips Newsletters Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. See All Newsletters * Sports + MLB + NFL + AP Top 25 + WNBA + NBA + Soccer + Golf + Auto Racing + NHL SECTIONS MLB NFL AP Top 25 WNBA NBA Soccer Golf Auto Racing TOP STORIES o 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal is retiring from tennis o Rays say it may take 'weeks' to fully assess damage at Tropicana Field, after Milton struck region o The Jacksonville Jaguars say their flight to London will be delayed because of Hurricane Milton Newsletters AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Sports Wire Your home base for in-depth reporting from the world of sports. See All Newsletters * Entertainment + Movie Reviews + What to Stream + Television + Book Reviews + Music + Celebrity Interviews SECTIONS Movie Reviews What to Stream Television Book Reviews Music Celebrity Interviews TOP STORIES o Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan know the risks with 'The Apprentice' o 'The View' co-hosts come out swinging at Donald Trump a day after he insulted them o Han Kang wins the Nobel Prize for literature. She's the first South Korean to do so * Business + Inflation + Financial Markets + Financial Wellness SECTIONS Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness TOP STORIES o TD Bank to pay $3 billion in historic money-laundering settlement with the Justice Department o US inflation reaches lowest point in 3 years, though some price pressures remain o Social Security recipients will get a 2.5% cost-of-living boost in 2025, smaller than in recent past * Science + Space + Animals + The Ancient World + Climate + Medicine SECTIONS Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine TOP STORIES o The Ring of Fire eclipse, in photos o NASA spacecraft to study Jupiter moon's underground ocean cleared for October launch o Tech billionaire pulls off first private spacewalk high above Earth * Fact Check TOP STORIES o FACT FOCUS: Online posts make unfounded claims about a helicopter delivering aid in North Carolina o US disaster relief chief blasts false claims about Helene response as a 'truly dangerous narrative' o After the deluge, the lies: Misinformation and hoaxes about Helene cloud the recovery o FACT FOCUS: Claims that more than 300,000 migrant children are missing lack context o A look at false and misleading claims from the vice presidential debate o Walz misleadingly claims to have been in Hong Kong during period tied to Tiananmen Square massacre * Oddities TOP STORIES o Washington state woman calls 911 after being hounded by up to 100 raccoons o How Waffle House helps Southerners -- and FEMA -- judge a storm's severity o Former owner of water buffalo that roamed Iowa suburb for days pleads guilty o Nibi the 'diva' beaver to stay at rescue center, Massachusetts governor decides o There's a moose on the loose -- in a New Hampshire swimming pool o After 31 years, a French treasure hunt may have a winner. The prize: a valuable golden owl * Be Well TOP STORIES o Feeling stressed about the election? Here's what some are doing and what they say you can do too o Don't expect human life expectancy to grow much more, researcher says o Don't fall for fake dentists offering veneers and other dental work on social media o 'I love you but I hate you.' What to do when you can't stand your long-term partner o It's time to roll up sleeves for new COVID, flu shots o Cutting back on meat doesn't have to mean going without protein * Newsletters Newsletters AP News Alerts Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news alerts from The AP. AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. Beyond the Story Executive Editor Julie Pace brings you behind the scenes of the AP newsroom. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * Photography + Photo Essays + Photography + The Americans SECTIONS Photo Essays Photography The Americans TOP STORIES o Human towers rise skyward in Spain's Catalonia as part of cultural pride o Nepalese grapple with loss after floods kill over 200 people o In their 80s, these South Korean women learned reading and rap Newsletters The World in Pictures Get The AP's most compelling photographs sent directly to your inbox. See All Newsletters * AP Investigations TOP STORIES o Trump's small-dollar donor fundraising is beset by confusion and fatigue o Africans recruited to work in Russia say they were duped into building drones for use in Ukraine o Trump has long blasted China's trade practices. His 'God Bless the USA' Bibles were printed there o How Tucson police handled a death like George Floyd's when leaders thought it would never happen o A series of deaths and the 'Big Fight': Uncovering police force in one Midwestern city o South Korean woman sues government and adoption agency after her kidnapped daughter was sent abroad * Climate + Climate Questions + Climate Migration + India Focus SECTIONS Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES o Colombia's river guardians battle to protect the Atrato amid threats and abandonment o Powerful Hurricane Milton destroys homes, shreds stadium roofs apart o Here's what has made Hurricane Milton so fierce and unusual * Health TOP STORIES o Company recalls nearly 10 million pounds of meat and poultry dishes for listeria contamination o Milton spares Daytona Beach, Florida, factory that's a critical supplier of IV fluids o Officials work to protect IV supplies in Florida after disruptions at North Carolina plant o Bakery that makes Sara Lee and Entenmann's pushes back on FDA sesame warning o Florida hospitals and health care facilities in Hurricane Milton's path prepare for the worst o A peek inside the human brain shows a way it cleans out the kind of waste that leads to Alzheimer's * Tech + Artificial Intelligence + Social Media SECTIONS Artificial Intelligence Social Media TOP STORIES o Tesla is unveiling its long-awaited robotaxi amid doubts about the technology it runs on o Google was declared a monopoly. 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Lifestyle Japan's Kojima, with its proud Jeans Street, draws fans of vintage, deep-blue denim Japan's Kojima, with its proud Jeans Street, draws fans of vintage, deep-blue denim Image 1 of 19 | Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jeans, holds a wooden shuttle next to a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 2 of 19 | Weaving craftsman Shigeru Uchida examines the evenness of the fabric being woven by the old power looms at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More Image 3 of 19 | Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jean, examines a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 4 of 19 | Weaver Shigeru Uchida and his colleague inspect vintage loom machines at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 5 of 19 | Yoshiharu Okamoto, a dyer at Momotaro Jeans, demonstrates dyeing yarn in indigo for making denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 6 of 19 | A dyer at Momotaro Jeans shows dyed yarn in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 7 of 19 | Dyeing craftsman Yoshiharu Okamoto shows how he dyes the threads in indigo for denim at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More Image 8 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, works on pairs of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 9 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, sewing a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 10 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, hand-stiches a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 11 of 19 | A weaver operates a handloom at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 12 of 19 | A seamstress works on denim trousers at Momotaro Jeans using a vintage sewing machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More Image 13 of 19 | Pairs of jeans flap over Jeans Street in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More Image 14 of 19 | This shows a closeup of the vintage looms that weave the denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More Image 15 of 19 | Japan Blue Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Masataka Suzuki shows some of the jeans products from Momotaro Jeans at headquarters in Kojima, southwestern Japan. Taken Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More Image 16 of 19 | Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More Image 17 of 19 | Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More Image 18 of 19 | Shop clarks work at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More Image 19 of 19 | The Momotaro Jeans shop is pictured in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More Japan's Kojima, with its proud Jeans Street, draws fans of vintage, deep-blue denim Image 1 of 19 | Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jeans, holds a wooden shuttle next to a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 1 of 19 Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jeans, holds a wooden shuttle next to a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 2 of 19 | Weaving craftsman Shigeru Uchida examines the evenness of the fabric being woven by the old power looms at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More 2 of 19 Weaving craftsman Shigeru Uchida examines the evenness of the fabric being woven by the old power looms at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 3 of 19 | Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jean, examines a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 3 of 19 Shigeru Uchida, a weaver at Momotaro Jean, examines a vintage loom machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 4 of 19 | Weaver Shigeru Uchida and his colleague inspect vintage loom machines at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 4 of 19 Weaver Shigeru Uchida and his colleague inspect vintage loom machines at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 5 of 19 | Yoshiharu Okamoto, a dyer at Momotaro Jeans, demonstrates dyeing yarn in indigo for making denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 5 of 19 Yoshiharu Okamoto, a dyer at Momotaro Jeans, demonstrates dyeing yarn in indigo for making denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 6 of 19 | A dyer at Momotaro Jeans shows dyed yarn in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 6 of 19 A dyer at Momotaro Jeans shows dyed yarn in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 7 of 19 | Dyeing craftsman Yoshiharu Okamoto shows how he dyes the threads in indigo for denim at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More 7 of 19 Dyeing craftsman Yoshiharu Okamoto shows how he dyes the threads in indigo for denim at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 8 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, works on pairs of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 8 of 19 Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, works on pairs of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 9 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, sewing a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 9 of 19 Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, sewing a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 10 of 19 | Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, hand-stiches a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 10 of 19 Naomi Takebayashi, a seamstress at Momotaro Jeans, hand-stiches a pair of jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 11 of 19 | A weaver operates a handloom at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 11 of 19 A weaver operates a handloom at Momotaro Jeans in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 12 of 19 | A seamstress works on denim trousers at Momotaro Jeans using a vintage sewing machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Read More 12 of 19 A seamstress works on denim trousers at Momotaro Jeans using a vintage sewing machine in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, western Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ayaka McGill) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 13 of 19 | Pairs of jeans flap over Jeans Street in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More 13 of 19 Pairs of jeans flap over Jeans Street in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 14 of 19 | This shows a closeup of the vintage looms that weave the denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More 14 of 19 This shows a closeup of the vintage looms that weave the denim in Kojima, Okayama prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 15 of 19 | Japan Blue Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Masataka Suzuki shows some of the jeans products from Momotaro Jeans at headquarters in Kojima, southwestern Japan. Taken Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Read More 15 of 19 Japan Blue Co. President and Chief Operating Officer Masataka Suzuki shows some of the jeans products from Momotaro Jeans at headquarters in Kojima, southwestern Japan. Taken Sept. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 16 of 19 | Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More 16 of 19 Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 17 of 19 | Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More 17 of 19 Shop clerk Yuta Akagi displays the jeans at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 18 of 19 | Shop clarks work at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More 18 of 19 Shop clarks work at Momotaro Jeans shop in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 19 of 19 | The Momotaro Jeans shop is pictured in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Read More 19 of 19 The Momotaro Jeans shop is pictured in Tokyo, on Sept. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image By YURI KAGEYAMA Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print KOJIMA, Japan (AP) -- Denim, that All-American fabric, is all about being Japanese in the town of Kojima, where the main road is named Jeans Street, with real pairs of pants flapping like flags overhead. Some would call this spot in southwestern seaside Okayama Prefecture a mecca of jeans, where fans from around the world make pilgrimage. The soda vending machines at the train station are plastered with the image of jeans. The roads are painted blue, with the lines at the edges pink and white, the trademark of Kojima jeans' seams. With some 40 jeans manufacturers and stores, including denim-themed cafes, the area draws about 100,000 visitors a year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Japanese jeans tend to be high-end, dark and durable. Although a tiny part of the global jeans market, they have carved out a niche with a reputation for craftsmanship. Kojima gave birth to popular brands like Big John, with roots dating to the 1940s, and now supplies international fashion brands, including Gucci. "The Japanese industry has established a way of looking at denim from a much more connoisseurship and collecting approach" than a mass marketing one, says Emma McClendon, assistant professor of fashion studies at St. John's University in New York. RELATED COVERAGE Image Roigard named in All Blacks squad for Japan and European tour Image Japan's new leader expresses regret for governing party slush fund scandal, vows stronger defense Image Japan's central bank survey underpins optimism about growth The 'art of making things' applies to jeans, too In Kojima, you might be in for a disappointment if you expect the glamour of a fashion center. Jeans Street is quaint and uncrowded. Each company in the region is relatively small, hiring about 100 people. What you will find are people taking pride in "monozukuri," or "making things," connoting a devoted, laborious attention to detail. It's an ethic entrenched throughout Japan, from big carmakers to the local tofu store. "More like making a kimono" is the way Yoshiharu Okamoto, a dyeing craftsman at Kojima-based manufacturer Momotaro Jeans, puts it. His hands and nails are tinged blue from dipping threads of Zimbabwean cotton into a big pail of dye. He knows by smell and feel the right state of the indigo, which he compares to a living thing. He swears it's a 365-days-a-year job, as the dye has to be checked and mixed every day. "It's not that easy to get this special color," Okamoto told The Associated Press during a recent tour of the production facilities. "It's my life." The dark indigo hue of Made-in-Japan denim, much of it hailing from Kojima, is so distinctive it has earned the name "Japan blue," also known as "tokuno blue," which translates to "especially concentrated blue." Expect to pay more for Kojima denim Jeans made here aren't cheap, ranging in price from a relatively affordable 33,000 yen ($230) per pair to those made by top craftsmen, which go for 200,000 yen ($1,400) or more. Thomas Stege Bojer, founder of Denimhunters, an online site devoted to denim, says Japanese brands use "raw denim" that ages well and lasts a long time. He echoed the " slow clothing" movement that has arisen in reaction to cheaper, mass-produced clothes. "We just make too many clothes. The cycle is too fast, I think, and we need to slow down," Bojer said from his home near Copenhagen, Denmark, where the walls are decorated with jeans. As McClendon, the fashion professor, put it, the Japanese industry is "shifting the conversation around jeans to be about heritage elements, about educating consumers on historical details as a form of quality." Momotaro Jeans, for instance, come with a lifetime warranty: Tears and other problems get fixed for free, within reason. Japan Blue Co., which runs Momotaro, a brand that debuted in 2006, said annual sales totaled about 1.6 billion yen ($11 million) for the latest year. About 40% of sales come from outside Japan. A region with a sewing and industrial history Like craftsman Okamoto, Shigeru Uchida, a loom specialist, and Naomi Takebayashi, who works at a sewing machine, believe they have special skills they must guard and hand to the next generation. They spoke while leading a group of younger sewers. The two say they have a special relationship with their machines. They listen to the machines' sounds to make daily adjustments. The clattering power looms are vintage Toyodas, from the weaving company that preceded automaker Toyota. Spare parts are hard to find. There is one loom operated by hand, used for products that the company says boast a unique texture. Masataka Suzuki, president and chief operating officer at Japan Blue, says the industrial history of the region is a source of strength, centered around sewing heavy fabrics, including military clothes and obi sashes for kimonos, as well as the cotton and indigo-dyeing native to the area. That's why the jeans are for life, Suzuki said, fading and creasing, depending on how they're worn and how the wearer lives. "We want to create a product that is a testament to a person's life," he said. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on X: https://x.com/yurikageyama Image YURI KAGEYAMA Kageyama covers Japan news for The Associated Press. Her topics include social issues, the environment, businesses, entertainment and technology. twitter instagram facebook mailto Image The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. 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