In 2020, denim is truly a universal fabric. Jeans are arguably the most popular item of clothing the world over and denim is woven into our society on a global level. From its workwear beginnings to its streetwear currency, denim touches on all aspects of the fashion world. It is practical in its application and limitless in its innovation. Although denim’s historical lineage can be traced back further, the Twentieth Century is steeped in denim history and provides the context for today’s denim landscape. From Rebel Without A Cause to Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the USA, denim is inextricably linked with America. After all, it gave birth to the blue jean and is largely responsible for its meteoric rise to fame and mainstream casual fashion. But it was a country on another continent, on the other side of the world, that developed just as deep an affection for the blue jean. From the ancient practices of dyeing and weaving to the street styles of Tokyo and beyond, Japan has an unparalleled affinity with denim. But what caused Japan’s fascination with our favourite fabric? What helped create Japan’s denim subculture? Well, it’s a story which is far greater than the reach of this article, but the following aims to give you a brief insight as to how Japanese denim culture came to be and its modern beginnings over the last 70 years. From ‘Jeans Street’ to GIs, we’re going to touch upon a few key historic moments which helped to create today’s culture around denim in Japan. Brock Cardiner of Highsnobiety recognizes that while Japan doesn't have as long of a history with denim as some countries, its imprint should not be understated. The USA may lay claim to the beginnings of modern denim, but Japan should be recognized as one nation who brought it into the Twenty First Century. There are a number factors which have led to this positioning, including historical influence, traditional craft, street style and brand innovation, to name a few. Cardiner notes that “up until World War II, jeans had been the garment of choice for the working class and American GIs when they were off duty” and during the post-war years, many US soldiers and sailors found themselves off-duty on foreign shores. While on occupation duty and later reinforcing America’s newfound relationship with Japan after the end of the Second World War, many American’s who were stationed in Japan spent their free time in those iconic blue jeans that were worn by the likes of Elvis and James Dean. Fascinated with American popular culture of the time, the Japanese quickly became fixated with authentic American jeans and obtained them anyway they could - from PX stores on base, from GIs themselves, or even importing them directly from the USA. Hunting down authentic American ‘self edge’ (or selvedge) Levi’s so they too could be a ‘Rebel Without A Cause’, blue gold became a desirable currency within the Japanese fashion world as American styled continued to influence its citizens. Combined with this fixation on American denim style during the post-war years, the Japanese also had an eye for detail and thirst for authenticity. From boro patchwork and sashiko sewing to Nambu ironware and woodblock prints, Japan has long been a nation of craft and detail orientated pursuits in the arts. This inevitably influenced the Japanese when it came to denim and resulted in a dedication to studying the subject which hasn’t been replicated since. The Japanese became experts in Americana over the years, sourcing and amassing some of the most highly regarded pieces of vintage denim the world over. This was of course reflected in Japanese casual style and the development of Japanese independent denim brands, as well as heavily influencing fashion trends in the West. The Japanese denim obsession of the 1950s and 60s only continued to take hold during the 70s and 80s. But by this point the supply of authentic American denim was beginning to dry up. Although some budding entrepreneurs had flown to the USA and brought back large quantities of vintage clothing (ranging from Hawaiian shirts and leather jackets to military fatigues and blue jeans) due to the strength of the Yen at the time, it was getting more and more difficult to source good American denim. In addition, the fit of vintage denim wasn’t always desirable (be it unflattering, an undesirable color, sizing problems etc.), so the Japanese tried their hand at creating their own. This gave birth to the ‘Osaka 5’ (which included brands Denime, Evisu, Full Count, Studio D’Artisan and Warehouse), who are largely credited as the forefathers of Japanese denim culture and style. Another significant factor which contributes to the depth of Japanese denim culture is the impact of streetwear and brands like BAPE, Neighborhood and WTAPS. Prominent figures like NIGO, Shinsuke Takizawa and Tetsu Nishiyama created brands which were closely aligned to motorcycle culture, Hip Hop and street fashions, rather than workwear or military style. Nevertheless, denim was a key ingredient to this look and the impact of this movement shouldn’t be underestimated. The alleyways and backstreets of Harajuku have since become a breeding ground for fashion trends and often feature heavily in street style roundups. While these brands interpreted denim differently than the traditions of the Osaka 5, they influenced a new breed of customer and influenced the trajectory of global style significantly over the ensuing 20 years. For anyone wanting to delve further into the history of Japanese denim culture and the fashions which surround it, the best place to start would be ‘Ametora’, the seminal text by W. David Marx. Marx deep dives into the complex history of Japanese fashions, the rise to fame of ‘American Casual’ style (of which denim is a key ingredient) and why Evisu’s deal with a British businessman in Hong Kong was a key moment in the growth of Japanese denim style on an international level. A study unlike any other, Ametora has become a an authoritative text for those wanting to learn more about how ‘blue gold’ took a hold of Japanese fashion subcultures.