Samurai Jeans – The king of heavy denim and more

Among lovers of Japanese denim, the brand Samurai Jeans is a true legend. The company was founded in Osaka in 1997, and the first product was released in 1998. At that time, enthusiasts producing Japanese jeans were completely absorbed by such a phenomenon as “repros” – reproducing vintage American jeans as close to history as possible. The famous “Five from Osaka” (Studio D’Artisan, Denime, Evisu, Warehouse and Full Count) have been the subject of cult and worship among classic jeans and vintage lovers.

The Samurai Jeans brand took a different path, which at the time seemed very risky. The creator of the brand Toru Nogami decided not just to reproduce vintage American jeans, but to make his product unlike anything else.

So in the details, along with recognizable elements of vintage American jeans, symbolism began to appear rooted in Japanese history and culture.

Often Samurai Jeans produce limited editions, dedicated to some historical event of medieval Japan or famous historical characters. The Samurai Jeans symbol depicted on the patch is the famous duel between samurai Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro. 

As for fabrics, Samurai Jeans did not limit itself to medium denim. It was the use of heavy denim, somewhat reminiscent of samurai armor, that distinguished this brand from many others. Nowadays Samurai Jeans uses not only the classic 15oz medium denim, but also 17oz, 19oz, 21oz and even 25oz. Yes, now Samurai Jeans is not the only brand that uses heavy denim, but it was once the first among Japanese manufacturers to set the trend for experimenting with the density and texture of the fabric.

When it comes to limited editions and collaborations, these jeans look like a true work of art. Perhaps it is difficult to find other jeans as detailed as these.

In this publication we will try to review the main types of fabric, the most characteristic details of Samurai jeans and the main models of this manufacturer. Believe us, Samurai Jeans does not have simple and ordinary jeans, any of the models will be absolutely different from the other model. This is what makes Samurai Jeans a very distinctive brand and if you have bought at least one pair of jeans, you will almost certainly increase your collection, each time getting a very interesting and different product.

Some interesting information about Samurai Jeans details

Patch

Back pockets

Buttons

Fabric

We will look at some examples of the most commonly used Samurai Jeans fabric types. It won’t just be heavy denim. We will also list the jean patterns that are available in our store.

Otokogi 15oz Denim 

Despite the medium all-around density, this is probably the stiffest type of Samurai Jeans denim, which becomes comfortable pretty quickly though. Texas cotton with short fibers is used here and the yarn is very heavily twisted. Very pronounced vertical texture and nap elements. 

This type of denim holds the shape of the jeans very well, and has a relatively fast fading as the yarn is dyed shallow.

Selvedge line in silver color, symbolizing the blade of the samurai.

Yamato 15oz Denim

This type of denim is the complete opposite of Otokogi denim, despite the same density. Here, cotton varieties with long fibers are used. This results in a low twisted, soft yarn that will appeal to those who prefer tactile comfort and less texture.

Selvedge line with silver thread and indigo thread.

Zero 17oz Denim

A heavier denim with a pronounced heterogeneity of texture. Perhaps it can be called slubby. However, this denim is not woven very tightly, so you are unlikely to have problems with wear. The 17OZ density allows for a lot of texture and at the same time it is a very versatile denim. It is not very heavy. Very dark and rich indigo and fast fading.

Selvedge line using silver thread and pink thread. This symbolizes the samurai sword and sakura flowers.

S5000VXII 17OZ ZERO STRAIGHT SELVAGE DENIM

Straight classic, not too wide and not too tight jeans. In fact it is a balanced urban style.

Kiwami 19oz Denim

The word “Kiwami” should be understood as “the superior degree of something”. This denim is the real pride of Samurai Jeans and it is the type of denim that is very often chosen by those who would like to get heavy Samurai Jeans. Here a mix of short to medium fiber cotton varieties are used. The threads are dyed very shallowly, making Kiwami Denim 19oz jeans start to get fading almost as soon as you start wearing them. Here we see very thick yarns and an expressive large vertical texture in the form of “raindrops”.

Selvedge line using silver thread.

 S710XX19OZII-IND 19OZ TIGHT STRAIGHT SELVAGE DENIM

The 710 model is a favorite of many denimheads. The versatile cut with a gently tapered pant cut works equally well for those who prefer boots and those who prefer sneakers. In 19oz Kiwami denim, this model is probably the most recognizable of all Samurai Jeans products.

Kiwami Cho 21oz Denim (Super Kiwami)

Despite the similarity of the name, this type of denim is markedly different from Kiwami 19oz. It is a denim with a more even texture where there is a very slight heterogeneity. It also has a thicker and darker indigo color than Kiwami 19oz denim. The fading of this type of fabric is also very fast.

Selvedge line using silver and pink thread.

S5000VX21OZII 21OZ ZERO STRAIGHT SELVAGE DENIM

This is still the same classic 5000 model, but in heavy 21oz denim.

25oz Denim

An extra heavy denim from Samurai that can only be found in limited editions. Requires a deliberate and informed choice. But if your heart starts beating more often at the sight of heavy jeans, you should definitely be satisfied. A tight weave of yarns without a pronounced slubby texture. Dark indigo color, beautiful noble fading. 

Selvedge line with golden thread.

S510XX25OZGA-25TH 25OZ “GANRYU-JIMA” 25TH ANNIVERSARY CLASSIC STRAIGHT

The 510 model in extra heavy 25oz denim. If you are a fan of heavy denim and want the most detailed limited release possible, this would be a great choice. Typically these limited releases go unsold quickly, so we always recommend making a decision quickly.

“AI PLUS” 18oz Denim

An experimental and very interesting type of denim from Samurai Jeans. Two types of dye are used here. The classic synthetic indigo and vegetable indigo. This gives a very beautiful and saturated color. In addition, for this type of fabric a mix is used that includes cotton specially grown in Japan on its own experimental farm. This is Samurai Jeans’ own “home made project” cotton. 

This type of denim has a relatively light shade of indigo, a pronounced heterogeneity of texture and a smooth gradual fading.

Selvedge line – indigo colored yarn is woven in, which emphasizes the idea of this AI Plus release.

S500AX 18OZ “AI PLUS” REGULAR STRAIGHT

Comfortable Straight Regular Cut. This model embodies Samurai Jeans’ idea of using its own “home-made” cotton. Extremely interesting product for real connoisseurs of the brand.

This publication has a general introductory purpose and is mainly dedicated to the basic series of the brand. Samurai Jeans has produced a lot of models in its history and it is probably the most productive brand that has made a lot of limited and limited releases. We could hardly cover all this variety. We just tried to emphasize that every Japanese jeans brand is unique and different. Even within the same brand you can find very different jeans. At this point we would like to wish you a pleasant journey in the boundless ocean of Japanese denim on the waves of indigo color.