[Kakogawa City] “Chiyoji” socks manufactured at our own factory are attractive because they are comfortable, fashionable, and reasonably priced.

• Table of Contents
• History of “Chiyoji Socks”
• We have a wide selection of wonderful socks
• Cafe only open on Saturday mornings
• Consistently manufacturing and selling at our own factory
• basic information

History of “Chiyoji Socks”

Chiyoda Textile Industry Co., Ltd., which manufactures and sells Chiyoji's socks, is located at the foot of Takamikurayama, a sacred mountain on the border of Takasago City and Kakogawa City, surrounded by a peaceful rural landscape. It is located in Shikata-cho, Kakogawa City.

Founded in 1951 (Showa 26). The first president, Chiyoji Hasegawa, established Hasegawa Chiyoji Shoten, and the second generation later incorporated it as Chiyoda Textile Industry Co., Ltd. Yoshinobu, the current chairman and third generation, started selling his own brand of Chiyoji socks online in 2009, and opened a directly managed store at the Kobe International Center in 2017.

Around the same time, a shop was opened on the premises of the head office. In 2019, we opened Tsuyukusa, a gallery cafe in a renovated old factory. Mr. Takaya was appointed as the fourth president in May of last year.

Shikata-cho, Kakogawa City has a strong impression of being a beef town, but it is also famous as a socks town, and its history dates back to the Meiji period. It originated when a resident of Shikata Town brought back a hand-cranked sock knitting machine from Shanghai, China. Cotton cultivation has been popular since the Edo period, and raw materials are easily available in this region.

From the days when the manufacturing process was carried out in agricultural warehouses as a side job for farmers, many factories were built during the high economic growth period of the Showa era, and it reached its heyday in the 1970s. At that time, many people in Shikata Town were involved in some kind of socks manufacturing.

After 2000, a large amount of cheap overseas socks entered the domestic market, forcing many sock factories in Japan to close. At its peak, there were about 360 factories affiliated with the Hyogo Prefecture Hosiery Industry Association, centered on Kakogawa, but the number has now grown to 60.

Despite this, we continue to make high-quality Japanese socks using the technology we have cultivated over the years.

We have a wide selection of wonderful socks

This is the shop "Atelier" located on the premises. It must be a stylish atmosphere. The store is also very colorful with many different kinds of socks lined up. Here you can actually pick up the socks and choose them.

"Chiyoji's socks" are available in about 200 items, but if you include colors and sizes, there are 2,000 to 3,000 variations. The biggest feature is that it is easy to wear and gentle on the skin. We value socks as daily necessities, socks that are suitable for daily life, as well as being fashionable.

And the affordability is also attractive. We are also particular about price ranges that make people think, ``I bought it for myself, and it was so good that I would like to give it to a friend as a gift.''

Let's introduce some recommended products from our many products.

First up is the "Marble Knitting Series." It seems that there are 100 items alone. Available in a wide variety of colors that make fashion fun, these shoes feature a soft texture that won't squeeze your feet and a relaxed fit.

In addition to the ``toeless'' version that can be worn when wearing sandals, we also offer a variety of items such as 5-finger and ankle-length versions.

These socks are designed with the motif of Mt. Takami, a famous peak in Harima. The full pile makes these socks highly durable, so they can be used not only for sports and mountain climbing, but also for everyday life. The sun and the square building (=this factory) give it a playful feel.

It seems that many people go out of their way to buy socks for layering because they are not sold in many other stores. People say, ``It's so close to home, and it's so cheap.''

There are many customers from Kakogawa City and Shikata Town, as well as from Himeji, Akashi, Kobe, and Osaka who came for a drive. All the staff members were very happy when they received an email from a man saying, ``I've been looking for socks like this. We finally found them.''

Cafe only open on Saturday mornings

Tsuyukusa is a cafe that is only open on Saturday mornings. This gallery space is located in a renovated building that used to be a factory, and has very stylish single-board tables, counters, and wooden chairs.

The cafe opened five years ago. It all started when a customer told me, ``I came from far away to buy socks, but I wish there was a place where I could drink tea.''

The cafe is run by Ikuko Hasegawa, the manager of Chiyoji no Socks. ``Local seniors also come to enjoy Saturday morning.It's also a place for locals to relax.''

We do it in the style of one plate of bread, yogurt, salad, and coffee. “I use bread that I like to eat, vegetables that are in season, and roast my own coffee beans,” Ikuko says. The plate set was carefully made on a Saturday morning, and it felt a little luxurious.

We also use this space to hold events about twice a year. Apparently there will be an event in July as well.

basic information

[Clothes & Goods Tree marche]

Date: July 14th (Friday) and 15th (Saturday) 10:00-15:00

Contents: katachi (cloth/laminate miscellaneous goods), koharubiyori (genuine leather accessories), higawari (items that can be enjoyed daily), sunnytree (adult and children's clothing), Maruchan Cafe (pottery), Chiyoji's socks, sora (baked sweets, etc.) 14th only), Hanasaku Puaras (bread from 11:00, 15th only), trente sept (baked sweets, etc., 15th only)

Consistently manufacturing and selling at our own factory

Finally, we had a tour of the factory. Considering the size of the factory, there are many types of machines, and they are able to knit a wide variety of socks in small batches.

There are about 70 machines lined up, a mix of old and new machines, and the socks are made by a small team of 7 craftsmen and 4 part-time staff.

The machine used differs depending on the sock, but this machine knits one leg at a time, and the socks are manually inspected and turned inside out.

There is also an Italian machine that sews the toes together.

This is an advanced machine, and it is said to be finished with the inside out to make it easier to sew the toes together.

Takaya, the 4th generation president, talked about his thoughts on manufacturing.

``I am still learning about sock making and the industry as I go along.Since we do everything from manufacturing to sales ourselves, we are able to hear the first-hand reactions of our customers, and It's fun to be able to connect this to product creation.Although we have expanded our lineup to include items other than socks, our underlying philosophy toward manufacturing remains the same.We aim to create products that are simple, yet comfortable to wear, so that customers can use them for a long time. We make things with care.We are a small company, but we want to be a company that continues to grow with an adventurous spirit.We will continue to value highly transparent and high-quality manufacturing. ”

For over 70 years, Chiyoji Textile Industry Co., Ltd. has been handling everything in-house, from purchasing yarn to knitting, sewing, and inspection. I learned that Made in Japan, Made in Shikata socks are made in an old-fashioned factory, where each item is inspected by hand and eyes.

I've always been a fan of Chiyoji's Socks, and after seeing them being made and getting to know the creator's thoughts, I fell in love with them even more.

(Writer Utami)

*This article is information as of May 2023. Prices include tax. Product contents and prices may change.

basic information

Chiyoji's socks/Chiyoda Textile Industries Co., Ltd.

Address: 219-1 Himuro, Shikata-cho, Kakogawa-shi, Hyogo

Phone number: 079-452-0243

Business hours: 10:00-17:00 Cafe "Tsukusa" is open Saturdays 9:30-12:30

Closed: Sunday

Access: 11 minutes by car from the Kakogawa West Ramp on the Kakogawa Bypass 7 minutes by car from the Kakogawa Kita IC on the Sanyo Expressway

Parking lot: 20 spaces

HP: https://www.chiyodaseni.com/index.html

SNS: Instagram