Launched in 2011 by Isetan Mitsukoshi, "JAPAN SENSES" aims to rediscover world-class Japanese craftsmanship and propose new value that values tradition and technology. The project, which explores a variety of themes, including handcrafted tools and regional cuisine from across Japan, as well as fashion items that combine regional traditions and techniques with famous brands and popular product designers, has garnered widespread attention. Starting March 30th, Isetan Mitsukoshi and its group stores will focus on the Setouchi region. Known for its abundant nature, warm atmosphere, and the Setouchi Triennale, the Setouchi region is also a proud home of Japanese craftsmanship. In October 2015, as autumn deepened, buyers working on Isetan Mitsukoshi's private brand (PB) women's and children's clothing headed to the Setouchi region. In order to experience the unique craftsmanship of the Setouchi region and create valuable products from it, the buyers visited various sites, from pile weaving in Imabari, Ehime, to denim fabric production and processing in Hiroshima and Okayama. "While each buyer has visited production areas in the past, this is the first time that almost all of our 10 or so buyers have visited a production area," said Kazufumi Ikeda, manager of the Women's and Children's Department at Isetan Mitsukoshi. In order to make JAPAN SENSES, now in its fifth year, a success, the buyers came together to launch the Setouchi Project.



■ Visit Kaihara, Japan's Top Denim Mill

Fukuyama City, Hiroshima, is home to Fukuyama Castle, whose keep can be seen from in front of the station, and has been known as the largest town in the Bingo region since the Edo period. Located in this town, we visited Kaihara, Japan's top denim mill. We observed the dyeing process, where rope-like bundles of raw yarn pass through multiple liquid vats to turn indigo blue, and the process of weaving the fabric into fabric. Inside the large facility, hundreds of looms roar as they weave denim fabric. A closer look reveals that while there are mass-produced fabrics made on cutting-edge looms, there are also vintage-style fabrics woven by skilled craftsmen on old shuttle looms. Kaihara develops over 800 types of denim fabric every year, but it began by producing Bingo Kasuri, a traditional Japanese dyed and woven fabric. Recognized for its high level of technical expertise, the company shifted its business to denim manufacturing in the 1960s. In the half century since, the company has continued to produce denim fabrics whose quality is highly praised by renowned jeans makers and top brands. Overwhelmed by the sight of dyeing and weaving, which they had never seen before, the buyers were already discussing what could be done with Kaihara fabrics.



■ To Okayama and Kurashiki, the Mecca of Domestic Denim

Kojima in Kurashiki, Okayama, is known as the mecca of domestic denim. Inside Kojima Station, jeans are painted all over the stairs, and in front of the station, an installation displaying hundreds of pairs of jeans welcomes pilgrims to the holy land. There is also a shopping district called Jeans Street, where the dozen or so shops selling denim items are always full of denim enthusiasts. Kojima is also said to be home to over 200 factories and workshops, large and small, that process and sew denim.



After touring a processing manufacturer using cutting-edge technologies such as laser processing and wash processing, we visited "YUtoRi18," a lively workshop with an average age of 20. "YUtoRi18" is attracting attention for its distressed processing, which gives denim a unique finish. The workshop staff explained recent order trends, saying, "Distressed processing is popular in spring and summer, while one-wash processing is more common in fall and winter." As we looked at the processing that included wrinkles, whiskers, holes, and stains, the buyers asked specific questions such as, "To what extent can distressing processing be aligned with private label product standards?" and "What about patchwork processing?"



Next, we headed to the seaside shop 241, which also produces its own original brands of shirts and denim. Because they are able to carry out all production processes, from pattern creation to finished product processing, they apparently receive many orders for premium denim from famous brands. We took our time to observe the processing areas, which include laser cutting, sewing with special sewing machines, and washing. Afterwards, we visited the showroom, where sample products were lined up like in a store. As they browsed the rows of original items and swatches, the buyers' image of the products began to take shape, and they began naturally discussing with the 241 representatives topics such as "available colors and textures," "how to create distressing," and "price."



The Setouchi Project was shaped by visits to manufacturing sites and the techniques they learned there. A key phrase that emerged from the buyers' conversation was the beauty of the "Setouchi blue." Ikeda says, "In addition to the manufacturing site, my exposure to the rich nature of the Setouchi Inland Sea, symbolized by its calm blue waters, helped JAPAN SENSES to create a more three-dimensional project. The beauty of the Setouchi Inland Sea's blue is expressed in the exhibits on each floor, as well as in the original products made with Setouchi techniques that focus on the color 'blue'."

What kind of fashion and lifestyle items have emerged from this collaboration with Setouchi? Continued in Part 2.