Kurashiki Jeans Street in Okayama, Japan – The Asphalt Road Actually Looks "Jeans Blue"

Reported and photographed by Reporter Yu Ru / Japan
 
When it comes to distinctive stations and districts in Japan, the area around “Kurashiki” in Okayama is definitely worth mentioning. Famous for its jeans production, from the moment you exit the station and head toward “Jeans Street,” you’ll see giant jeans sculptures, station staff dressed in denim, and even the station entrances and roads adorned with jeans. The asphalt road on the street is even dyed “jeans blue.”


▲ There’s an oversized pair of jeans on the staircase inside Kurashiki Station.
% Station staff are also dressed in jeans.


Since the Edo period, Kurashiki, as a textile hub, was where Japan’s first pair of jeans was produced. The town is packed with jeans shops, leading to the creation of a dedicated “Jeans Street.” Visitors to Kurashiki will find jeans everywhere. In addition to pants, the area also sells a variety of clothing and fun items made from denim materials.

The reporter visited Kurashiki in early summer. Upon exiting the station, they saw station staff dressed entirely in denim. Walking down the stairs out of the station, there were large jeans decorations, vending machines, lockers, and even the ticket gates—all covered in denim fabric. Once outside, over a hundred pairs of jeans fluttered in the wind along the street in front of the station, creating a spectacular sight.


▲ % The escalators, ticket gates, and floors inside the station are all decorated with jeans patterns.





▲ The road in front of the station features hundreds of jeans fluttering in the breeze.

Kurashiki offers a “Jeans Bicycle” rental service, with electric bikes decorated with jeans patterns. Travelers can rent a bike to explore Kurashiki. It only takes about 10 minutes to ride from the station to Jeans Street. At the entrance to Jeans Street, there’s an oversized pair of giant jeans, and if you look closely at the road, the asphalt has a unique hue. Local tourism official Ms. Matsuo explained that the asphalt on Jeans Street was specially mixed with blue pigment to resemble the color of denim fabric.


▲ Travelers can rent electric bicycles to tour Jeans Street.
% Just outside the station exit, there are also jeans-patterned bicycles available for rent.



▲ The asphalt road is also jeans blue.


▲ Even the smokestacks are decorated with jeans.

Riding further into Jeans Street, you’ll see jeans decorations overhead, with denim clothing shops lining the road. Locals recommend Taotaro Jeans, which is a bit pricier but offers custom-made handmade jeans. Aside from high-end jeans, there are also more affordable options, with shops selling everything from bags to accessories—all made from denim.


▲ % There are also denim-themed bicycles and even jeans-patterned trash bins.




▲ % Some shop interiors or product displays are also covered in eye-catching denim patterns.