24oz Samurai

Samurai have announced 24oz denim jeans. Heavy!
http://www.samurai-j.com/contents/jeans/s510xx24oz/index.html

Henry Wong follows the Adventures of Lynn Downey who follows the Adventures of Levi Strauss

Henry Wong over at the Denim News blog will be covering Lynn Downey as she retraces the footsteps of Levi Strauss. It sounds like it might be interesting, so add his blog to your bookmarks or feedreader.
http://denimnews.blogspot.com/

Flathead 3001

So, I only bought one pair of denim jeans in Japan. Flathead 3001.
I got these from Americaya in Ueno. http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/americaya/
I'm hoping they'll be a bit like the Eternal 811s.

I put my Japan photos up on Flickr. You can check them out here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indigofan/sets/72157615620128790/detail/

Jeanswest Selvedge and Denim Love Contest

Jeanswest, the Australian / New Zealand fashion label are running a line of Japanese Selvedge Denim jeans. They aren't available online, so get in-store to check them out.
http://www.jeanswest.com.au


They're also running a competition where you make a semi-abstract video about denim love, upload it to youtube, and then post the link to your video on their denim love affairs site... and you have the chance to win a trip to Paris!
http://www.jeanswest.com.au/Denim-Love-Affairs.html

Disclaimer: I worked on both of these web site projects.

Tokyu Hands DIY Leather Making Kits

Tokyu Hands in Osaka has a huge leather making department on the 7th floor. You can buy everything to start your own redmoon leather workshop.

They have buttons, studs, coin studs, clips, hooks, free leather sheets, stingray leather, pre-cut kits, belt leather, buckles, hole punches, needles, thread, knives, and lots of leaflets on how to do it yourself. They have knowledgeable staff, and in-store courses where an expert will help you through making your first piece.

I bought some basic items to try it out, but I wanted to buy a lot more.

Some bag pieces are from Japanese brand Parley. http://www.parley.co.jp
And a cardholder kit made by a Taiwanese company called Indian.

I'll give it a go in a month or so, and I'll post the results.

Buzz Ricksons Brown Tank Jacket BR11545

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/br11545/
I got this jacket from Hinoya in Ueno.

Most tank jackets with slash pockets are a khaki colour. eg.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/br10994_01/

Buzz Ricksons found an original vintage brown leaf colour Tank Jacket with a crown chevron zipper, and they produced a replication of this as the BR11096. (around 2007?)

http://store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/amekajishop-klax-on/br11096.html

This year they have a plain version of the same jacket as the BR11545. They also have a version of this with a painted pink tank decal on the back.

Details:

MATERIAL：Cotton - West Point Uniform Twill　
COLOR：Brown　
FASTENER：CROWN Military Use Aluminum Die Casting Chevron　
LINING：26oz. Wool Blanket　
LABEL：Buzz Rickson Sportswear Co., Inc.

It's quite warm. I was originally looking at the B10 and the N-1 jackets, but they were just to hot and bulky for what I can wear, and I settled on this jacket instead.

Other Tank versions you might find interesting:

• William Gibson Black Version (which has a regular and a long version)
  http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hinoya/br11459/
  

• Real McCoys Taxi Driver
  
  http://www.realmccoys.co.jp/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=508&osCsid=03dc3396973b531a67114ab393f545a4
  

• Real McCoys Caballero
  
  http://www.realmccoys.co.jp/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=190&osCsid=9a785fc7c4c71a25dcb65dab6d24ebcd
  

• Toys McCoys Batman
  

Tank Jackets in the Movies:

• Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) in Taxi Driver wears a version of the Tank jacket with the Gorilla patch on the arm. This is the Real McCoys replica jacket above.
  
  
• Eugene "Doc" Roe wears a Tank jacket in Band of Brothers, especially seen in episode 5.
  

I also wanted to look at the Buzz Ricksons replica pea coat as an alternative
http://www.buzzricksons.jp/product/us_navy-0018.html
but apparently it sold out in October!