I recently bought a pair of jeans.
The BIG JOHN M102SL.
Why did I want a pair of jeans now?
Because I wanted something that would help me switch into weekend mode.
I’m currently in the middle of a job search, so I spend a lot of time at home.
Researching companies.
Preparing for interviews.
When you spend so much time doing that at home, the line between weekdays and weekends can gradually start to disappear.
Even on weekends, it can still feel like you’re working.
So I wanted to change what I wear, even if only to help change my mindset.
But I didn’t want anything too dressed up.
I wanted something casual and easy to wear without thinking too much about it.
That’s when I started looking for a pair of jeans.
I Wanted a Pair of Jeans Made in Japan
When I started looking for jeans, I decided on one condition.
They had to be made in Japan.
I’m Japanese.
And after spending several years living overseas, I recently moved back to Japan.
Now that I’m back, I wanted to choose something made here.
And if I was going to buy a pair of jeans, I wanted something with a story behind it, rather than something I would simply wear.
So I started looking into Japanese jeans.
Today, Japanese jeans and Japanese denim are highly regarded around the world.
Japan, particularly Okayama, is home to many internationally recognized denim brands and manufacturers.
As a Japanese person, I’m happy to see that.
But there was one problem.
They can be expensive.
Of course, considering the time and craftsmanship that go into making them, the prices make sense.
But I was looking for jeans I could casually wear on my days off.
I wanted to keep the price reasonable without compromising on quality.
Were there any affordable Japanese jeans that could offer both?
That search led me to BIG JOHN.
What Is BIG JOHN?
The more I learned about BIG JOHN, the more interesting the brand became.
BIG JOHN’s predecessor, Maruo Clothing, was founded in Kojima, Okayama, in 1940.
The company originally produced school uniforms and other clothing.
Later, it saw potential in the jeans being imported from the United States and began making jeans in Japan.
At the time, jeans were still far from being everyday clothing in Japan.
The company experimented with how to manufacture them domestically, importing fabric, components, and even sewing machines from overseas.
Then, in 1965, it became the first company to successfully mass-produce jeans in Japan.
The BIG JOHN brand was established in 1967.
And in 1973, the company produced jeans using denim developed in Japan, creating the first fully domestically produced Japanese jeans.
Today, Japanese denim is known around the world.
But if you trace that history back, you’ll find BIG JOHN.
I had known the name for a long time.
But I had no idea how deeply the brand was connected to the history of Japanese jeans.
Where Did the Name BIG JOHN Come From?
The story behind the name is interesting too.
The founder’s name was Kotaro Ozaki.
The Japanese character ko in Kotaro means small.
And Taro, a very common Japanese male name, was replaced with John, a common American male name.
So:
Small John.
But apparently, starting a business with Small in the name didn’t feel right.
If you’re going into business, you want it to grow big.
So they chose the opposite of Small.
BIG JOHN.
That’s where the brand name came from.
Knowing little stories like this makes a brand feel a bit more personal.
The BIG JOHN M102SL
Among BIG JOHN’s jeans, I chose the M102SL from its SL VINTAGE series.
What makes these jeans interesting is that they aren’t simply designed to look vintage.
They recreate the character of the jeans BIG JOHN was making in the 1960s.
At the time, BIG JOHN was learning from denim imported from the United States while developing its own jeans in Japan.
For the M102SL, BIG JOHN developed denim based on the fabrics it was working with during that era.
The jeans use 12oz selvedge denim.
The fabric is slowly woven on a vintage TOYODA GL-3 shuttle loom.
The yarn combines American and Australian cotton and uses an uneven slub texture.
It is rope-dyed with 100% pure indigo.
And the jeans are made in Japan.
The Antique Wash version I bought is finished to resemble a pair of vintage jeans that has been worn for years.
There was a time when Japan looked to American jeans and began figuring out how to make its own.
The M102SL feels like a modern recreation of BIG JOHN from that era.
The First Thing I Noticed Was How Soft They Were
I’m 171 cm tall and weigh 63 kg.
I chose a size 31 with a 71 cm inseam.
The first thing that surprised me when I put them on was how soft the fabric felt.
When you hear selvedge denim, you might imagine something stiff and rigid.
These jeans are surprisingly soft.
It might sound like an exaggeration, but they almost feel like wearing sweatpants.
They’re that comfortable.
And that was exactly what I wanted.
The whole reason I started looking for jeans was because I wanted something relaxed and comfortable to wear on weekends.
In that sense, the M102SL was exactly what I had been looking for.
Not Too Wide, Not Too Slim
I also really like the silhouette.
Not too wide.
Not too slim.
It feels just right.
The shape isn’t heavily influenced by a particular trend.
That makes me feel like I’ll still be able to wear them naturally years from now.
The Antique Wash is also impressively realistic.
The fading and wear patterns make them look more like genuinely old jeans than a brand-new pair.
The fabric.
The wash.
The silhouette.
When I look at all the details together, they almost feel like a pair of jeans that traveled through time from the 1960s.
If you want to see how the jeans actually fit, BIG JOHN has styling and fit photos on its official product page.
Blue Jeans and New Balance
Personally, I also think these jeans look great with New Balance sneakers.
The reason is simple.
Blue jeans and New Balance.
For me, it’s one of the best combinations.
A T-shirt.
Blue jeans.
New Balance.
That’s enough.
I don’t need to dress up just because it’s the weekend.
I’m simply wearing things I like.
Right now, that kind of outfit feels just right for me.
I Bought ¥25,300 Japanese Jeans for ¥5,000
And this is another reason I found BIG JOHN so interesting.
The M102SL Antique Wash I bought retails for ¥25,300.
Considering how these jeans are made, that price isn’t surprising.
But I didn’t buy mine new.
I found them secondhand on Mercari Japan.
The price?
¥5,000.
Of course, secondhand prices vary depending on the model, size, and condition.
That doesn’t mean you can always find an M102SL for ¥5,000.
But if you look around Japan’s secondhand market, you can sometimes find BIG JOHN jeans at surprisingly reasonable prices.
BIG JOHN isn’t a Japanese denim brand that appeared recently.
It has been making jeans in Japan for decades.
That also means there are BIG JOHN jeans from many different periods and collections circulating in Japan’s secondhand market.
And after actually buying and wearing this pair, one thing became clear to me.
A low secondhand price doesn’t mean low quality.
Quite the opposite.
Selvedge denim woven on a vintage shuttle loom.
Made in Japan.
Realistic vintage processing.
And surprisingly comfortable when you actually put them on.
I paid ¥5,000 for mine, but judging purely by the quality, they don’t feel like ¥5,000 jeans at all.
If You’re Looking for Affordable Japanese Jeans
Japanese jeans can have a reputation for being expensive.
And many Japanese jeans that have gained international recognition do come with high price tags.
Of course, there are good reasons for that.
But that isn’t the only way to enjoy Japanese jeans.
There are also brands like BIG JOHN that have been part of Japan’s denim history for decades.
And if you explore Japan’s secondhand market, you might find a high-quality pair at a surprisingly affordable price.
If you ever visit a vintage or secondhand store in Japan, don’t just look for Levi’s, Lee, or Wrangler.
Remember one more name:
BIG JOHN.
And of course, if you find a new pair you love, buying directly from the brand is another great option.
Personally, I’d like to support BIG JOHN and see the brand continue making jeans for years to come.
Why I Chose BIG JOHN
At first, I was simply looking for a pair of jeans to wear on weekends.
Something casual.
Something relaxed.
Since I had moved back to Japan, I wanted something made here.
I didn’t need anything too expensive.
But I didn’t want to compromise on quality either.
That search led me to BIG JOHN.
And when I looked into the brand, I discovered that it had been part of Japanese jeans history since the very beginning.
The M102SL I bought is a modern recreation of BIG JOHN’s jeans from the 1960s.
On weekends, I can throw them on with a T-shirt and a pair of New Balance sneakers without thinking too much about what to wear.
To me, they’re just an easy pair of jeans.
But behind them is more than 60 years of Japanese jeans-making history.
Considering the price, quality, and story behind them, I think BIG JOHN is a brand worth knowing if you’re looking for affordable Japanese jeans.
In this series, I share products designed by Japanese companies.
If you’re interested in Japanese products,
I hope you’ll check future posts as well.
I also share my daily life in Japan through short vlogs.
If you’re interested in everyday life in Japan,
feel free to take a look.
