Motoji Koumei (泉二弘明, Motoji Kōmei, born 1949) is a Japanese Kimono retailer.[1] He founded the Ginza Motoji kimono house.[2]

Koumei Motoji
Born10 December 1949
Amami Oshima, Japan
OccupationKimono Retailer
Known forFounder of Ginza Motoji
Children2 (Keita Motoji)
Websitemotoji.co.jp

Ginza Motoji was founded by Motoji Koumei in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1979.[3] Koumei directed the brand for 42 years until September 2021, and the brand is now directed by his son, Keita Motoji. [4]


Personal History

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Motoji Koumei was born in the Amami Islands, and originally hoped to be an athlete, until an injury led him to change path. [5]

Ginza Motoji

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The brand consists of two stores, a women's kimono store, Ginza Motoji Waori Wasen, and a men's store, Ginza Motoji Otoko-no-kimono, both based in central Ginza.[6] The mens specialty store is considered to be Japans first mens kimono store, and was opened in 2002.

The brand also hosted a shop men's store in the Osaka Hankyu Department Store, as well as an Ōshima-tsumugi specialty store and a kimono cleaning store called Shikkai, all of which are now closed.[7]

The name Motoji is written with the uncommon kanji characters 泉二, which can be difficult to read as Motoji. To make it easier for customers, the store's name is stylized as 銀座もとじ, using hiragana for better readability.[8]


References

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  1. ^ "東京・銀座で「着物と柳」の伝統を継ぐ呉服店の奮闘 | 地域活性化の挑戦者たち | 櫻田弘文". 毎日新聞「経済プレミア」.
  2. ^ "銀座の呉服店経営 駆け抜けた42年195日 マラソン選手の夢破れ創業<マイストーリー>:東京新聞 TOKYO Web". 東京新聞 TOKYO Web.
  3. ^ "銀座もとじのあゆみ". 銀座もとじオンラインショップ.
  4. ^ https://senken.co.jp/posts/motoji-240306
  5. ^ https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/214704
  6. ^ "銀座もとじ". GINZA OFFICIAL – 銀座公式ウェブサイト.
  7. ^ https://www.motoji.co.jp/pages/history?srsltid=AfmBOor3kWorapWOx50xIcTaLiYVaV4DzVNIq3yQIVeBRIhomvpctN2l
  8. ^ https://myoji-yurai.net/searchResult.htm?myojiKanji=%E6%B3%89%E4%BA%8C#google_vignette