Kojima Area, Historic textile district in Kurashiki, Japan.
The Kojima Area is a historic textile district in Kurashiki with a 400-meter street where specialized manufacturers display and sell their products. The district maintains earlier architectural styles in its shops while blending tradition with current production.
The area was a salt production center about 200 years ago, as shown by the Nozaki Residence, before becoming Japan's leading denim manufacturing location. This shift from salt works to textile center occurred gradually over several decades.
The name Kojima refers to the area's island past, and this connection is maintained through how craftspeople display their work today. Visitors come to witness denim production methods firsthand, and the shops convey a sense of craftsmanship that defines the place.
The district is easiest to reach by train to Kojima Station, and visitors should be aware the area is hilly and best explored on foot. The best time to visit is early afternoon when all shops and the museum are open.
The location offers views of the Seto Ohashi Bridge complexes, an engineering achievement spanning the inland sea between Honshu and Shikoku. This structure becomes visible from the packaging and denim museum and connects the regional setting with the larger infrastructure network.
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