Kojima obi has made its "national newspaper debut."

It was featured on the "social page" of the Sankei Shimbun.

Coincidentally, in the same week that I was interviewed, Kurashiki City's textile industry was recognized as a "Japan Heritage."

Congratulations to Kurashiki City and everyone involved in the textile industry!

Reading through the text again, I realized that "casual Japanese attire" is a nice way to put it. The casualness implied by "casual."

And "Japanese attire"—it suggests not thinking of it as heavy traditional clothing, but rather trying on Japanese style. I made the Kojima obi precisely because I wanted it to be an invitation for people to relax and try wearing it.

There are many types of obi, but I wanted people to be able to transform into Japanese attire quickly with a half-width obi, rather than an obi that requires various accessories and items.

I thought that an obi made from denim, a material people wear everyday, might help them enter the world of Japanese clothing without feeling intimidated.

If you see it somewhere, please pick it up and take a look.

(April 2017)