The town of Kojima is the birthplace of Japan’s denim industry, and their Jeans Street is a neighborhood filled with shops where local denim companies sell their goods.
The pink selvedge ID and inseam on this pair of Momotaro jeans are references to the peach in the Japanese folktale about Momotaro, a.k.a. “peach boy”.
Jeans hanging over Kojima Jeans Street.
Fading on a slubby pair of jeans from Pure Blue Japan.
The leather patch on a pair of Oni Denim jeans.
Did you know that Japanese denim is widely considered to be among the best in the world? Join Jason and Paul as they learn about what makes Japanese denim so great!
A pachinko parlor in Ikebukuro, Tokyo.
The 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election was described by the media as “a circus” due to the attention-seeking antics of some of the candidates. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the factors that made this year’s election so unusual!
Momotaro (Peach boy), one of the most popular figures in Japanese folklore who is also now the mascot for a denim brand.
The control panel for a Japanese toilet with a built-in bidet.
Colorful koi in a pond at Sensoji, a temple in Tokyo.
Okunoin, the largest cemetery in Japan.
Akihabara, Tokyo, an area known for its many stores selling manga and anime products.
Luxury chopsticks for sale at a store in Kyoto. These are around $75 USD.
Two tanuki statues in front of a shop at Sapporo’s Tanukikoji Shopping Street.
A geisha about to begin a taiko performance. The hanging drum is a byou-uchi-daiko and the smaller drum is a shime-daiko.
Taiko, or Japanese drums, have been used throughout Japanese history for all sorts of purposes, such as religious events, the military, traditional theatre, and more. They even play a role in Japanese folklore. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the fascination world of taiko!
The most well-known origami model, the paper crane (orizuru).
A full set of samurai armor.
This building in Naha, Okinawa displays some of the elements of traditional architecture. Notice the sliding shouji doors, tatami mats on the floor inside, the veranda (engawa), storm shutters, and the construction method that raises the entire building off of the ground.
