Clothing Innovation Apparel Brand <ODORIGI> Born from a Town of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Opens First Permanent Store on Shinmachi-dori, a Dance Venue

ODORIGI, an apparel brand from Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, will open its first permanent store, ODORIGI Main Store, on July 3, 2026 (Fri) on Shinmachi-dori, the heart of Gujo Hachiman and a venue for the summer Gujo Odori dance.

<ODORIGI> was born as a fully regional circular clothing brand, with design, printing, and sewing all conducted within the region, backed by over 400 years of Bon Odori (Japanese folk dance) culture and the screen printing industry that has developed in this area. What we propose is not merely the preservation of tradition, nor is it yukata as souvenirs. It is a new cultural experience through clothing, born from the spirit of Gujo Odori's "everyone can freely participate" – in other words, "clothing for opening up the body (Odorigi)."

The new store will be more than just a place to sell clothes; it will be a "demonstration base for manufacturing" where people can experience hand-printing techniques, feel the presence of artisans and designers, and open the future of Japanese festival culture to the outside world.

Updating Gujo Odori's "Culture of Free Participation" for Modern Times Through Clothing

In Gujo, Bon Odori has been passed down in various parts of the town for over 30 nights during the summer. The greatest appeal of this dance is its "open participatory culture," where locals and tourists alike, whether in yukata or everyday clothes, can seamlessly join the circle.

Bon Odori scene in Gujo

The <Odorigi Series> handled by ODORIGI has redefined this "freedom of participation" as modern clothing. Its sustainable structure, inspired by the straight-cut tailoring of Japanese clothing, minimizes fabric waste. The relaxed silhouette beautifully captures the movements of the dancing body and the wind. Combining practicality and aesthetics, these clothes lightly transcend boundaries between daily life and festivals, region and travelers, tradition and modernity, creating opportunities to "experience culture with the body" through clothing.

Odorigi Series

From the Hometown of Screen Printing, a Quiet Message to an Era Obsessed with Efficiency

Gujo is also a "craftsmen's town" where screen printing technology developed after World War II and spread throughout the country. However, due to mechanization and an aging workforce, this precious hand-printing technique is gradually being lost.

ODORIGI challenges itself not just to "preserve" this traditional technique, but to transform it once again into a sustainable "job" as clothing suitable for modern life and the "festive occasions" of the world.

Collaborating partners include the local young printers' association "GRAND," "Itomatopée" for sewing, the Gujo Domain Edo Kurayashiki, which has supported local research and dissemination, and a cutting-edge creative team. Hand-printing cannot compete with machines in terms of efficiency. However, the subtle variations in ink, the layering, and the traces of the hand born with each print resonate with the dynamism of the dancing human, creating "overwhelming value as a one-of-a-kind item." In today's world where digital and efficiency are prioritized, the challenge is to deliberately turn the richness of handwork into value. This is the innovation in clothing that Gujo's young artisans are tackling.

Young Screen Printing Association <GRAND>

The Main Store is a Sales Floor, a Workshop, and the Entrance to the Town

The <ODORIGI Main Store> is located in "Genrin," a complex of traditional townhouses facing Shinmachi-dori in Gujo Hachiman. ODORIGI will newly connect and inherit this space, which was developed by the Gujo Hachiman Development Public Corporation with the aim of promoting the development and industrial promotion of the entire town.

Daisuke Uemura, who is involved in silk screen printing in Gujo, is in charge of the art direction for the space. The production was handled by "Moso Mikan," a creative team specializing in antique furniture and fixtures from Gujo. The interior features a coexistence of the warmth of old wood and the inorganic nature of steel racks. While retaining the feel of a Gujo townhouse, the aim was to create a space with the tension of a manufacturing site, rather than just a souvenir shop or select store.

During the Bon Odori season, it will serve as a sales base for Odorigi, and outside of the season, it will be a consultation desk for collaborations, a production base, and a venue for exhibitions and talks. Throughout the year, it will be a place that opens up Gujo's dance and craftsmanship to the outside world. At the time of opening, in-store printing demonstrations and exhibitions and sales of Odorigi are planned.

Young Artisans Making Gujo's Culture Their "Next Job"

At the heart of this brand are young artisans who live in Gujo and have witnessed the present state of Gujo's culture and industry.

Tomoyuki Shimoda, the representative, saw potential in both Gujo's Bon Odori culture and its screen printing industry, and established ODORIGI Co., Ltd. in 2025. Daisuke Uemura, responsible for art direction, supports the brand from the hand-printing site as a practitioner of silk screen printing in Gujo. Designer Yoshito Hori has been continuing the project "Gujo Domain Edo Kurayashiki," in cooperation with Gujo City, to promote people, things, and concepts in the region that have not yet been valued.

ODORIGI is not a regional brand brought in from the outside. It is an initiative by young artisans within Gujo who are re-examining the dances and technologies in their town and independently launching them as their next job.

Those who purchased ODORIGI / Members (during the all-night dance)

From Gujo to Festivals Across Japan

ODORIGI's goal is not just to create clothes for Gujo's Bon Odori. Many cultures across Japan, such as Bon Odori, festivals, and local events, remain that can only be truly felt by participating with one's whole body. On the other hand, while these events are familiar to local residents, they can be difficult for visitors from outside or younger generations to find an entry point for participation.

To change that distance through clothing. To make people want to participate in the local dances. To provide an opportunity to join the festival circle. To transform local culture from something merely "to be seen" into something "to be engaged with physically." This initiative, born in Gujo, aims to spread to festival and dance sites across Japan, encountering the culture of each region and creating new scenes of participation.

Comments from Production Members and Related Parties

Tomoyuki Shimoda Representative Director, ODORIGI Co., Ltd.

"Gujo is a town with over 400 years of Bon Odori and the birthplace of the screen printing industry. However, when you walk around town, you don't see much of that printing culture. I believe the reason Gujo Odori has continued for so long is that it's a culture where anyone can freely participate and enjoy themselves in their own attire. To pass on that freedom to the next era, we need clothes that support the dancers and jobs that create them. The ODORIGI Main Store is not just a place to sell clothes. It's a place to establish Gujo's Bon Odori and printing as new value within the town, not just preserve them. We want to nurture the value of clothing that can only be made here and deliver it to festive occasions around the world."

Daisuke Uemura Art Direction / Uemura Kōhan

"Printed in Gujo, tailored in Gujo. I believe the core of ODORIGI lies in its serious attempt to do what seems obvious yet difficult. Hand-printing cannot compete with machines in efficiency. However, the traces of human hands on each print become a great appeal for dance clothing. I see potential in presenting variations and overlaps not as flaws, but as value. In this store, I want people to feel not only the finished clothes but also the printing site behind them and the presence of the creators. This is the beginning of a challenge for a new outlet for Gujo's silk screen printing."

Yoshito Hori Designer

"I have been continuing the project 'Gujo Domain Edo Kurayashiki,' in cooperation with Gujo City, to promote and connect people, things, and concepts in this region that have not yet been valued. Gujo has many strong cultures and technologies that are overlooked from the outside but are truly valuable. ODORIGI is a brand that opens each of these to the outside world in the form of clothing. With the establishment of the main store, ODORIGI will become a permanent entrance where Gujo's culture and people intersect, rather than just a seasonal sales floor. I look forward to new encounters being born from this place for both locals and those who come for the dance, as well as for those who do not yet know Gujo."

RIKO TAKAHASHI Artist

"Odorigi is not just clothing for dancing. It is clothing that changes the distance between people and festivals or dances. While we live in an era where we can easily access information from around the world, local festivals and dances, which were originally close at hand, are becoming something special, something a little distant. However, festivals and dances are not meant to be merely observed; they are places to engage with wholeheartedly, participate with one's whole body, meet people, and share the culture of that land. If the number of people who want to go to a festival, dance, or experience the culture of a place increases because of Odorigi, it would be a small update of consciousness through clothing and a great potential for connecting tradition to the future. The form of Odorigi is a re-composition of the kimono structure I have long worked with, as clothing for dancing in Gujo. It uses fabric without waste, is not constrained by gender or body type, and its form comes alive with the movement of the body. That freedom also overlaps with the spirit of Gujo's dance, where anyone can join the circle. I believe Odorigi has the power to change how we view Japanese festivals and open up people around the world to Japanese dances and local cultures."

Product Lineup

The main "Odorigi" series is characterized by its structure that minimizes leftover fabric, inspired by the straight-cut tailoring of Japanese clothing, and its oversized silhouette that accommodates the movements of the dancing body.

The lineup focuses on three types: the top garments "TEI" and "IV shirt," and the bottom garment "IV pants." Prices range from 24,000 yen for tops, with an estimated set price of 48,000 yen (tax included). Additionally, custom-ordered yukata and hanten (short coats), tenugui (hand towels), and T-shirts will be available. The designs are handled by RIKO TAKAHASHI and several other designers involved with Gujo.

Past Activities

ODORIGI has held POPUP sales in Gujo City and at Bon Odori events outside the city. Activities have expanded from Gujo both domestically and internationally, including consignment sales at Gifu Nagaragawa Department Store, talk events and sales at Shibuya Hikarie in Tokyo, and participation in a fashion event in Brooklyn, New York, USA. The opening of the main store marks a significant milestone in establishing the activities, which have been seasonal and event-based, into a year-round permanent base.

Opening Overview

- July 3 (Fri) Media Release 13:00~ / Eve Festival: 19:00~

- July 4 (Sat) Reception 11:15~ / General Opening 13:00~21:00

- July 5 (Sun) General Opening 10:00~15:00 *Regular business hours from July 6 onwards.

Store Overview

- Store Name: ODORIGI Main Store

- Location: 939 Shinmachi, Hachiman-cho, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, 501-4226

- Opening Date: July 3, 2026 (Fri)

- Business Hours: Weekdays Irregular holidays / Saturdays and Sundays 11:00~16:00 / Gujo Odori period 11:00~22:30

- WEB: https://odorigi.com

Company Overview

- Company Name: ODORIGI Co., Ltd.

- Representative: Tomoyuki Shimoda, Representative Director

- Headquarters: 1794 Meihō Kira, Gujo City, Gifu Prefecture, 501-4303

- Founded: February 21, 2025

- Business Activities: Planning, manufacturing, and sales of clothing. Planning and operation of Bon Odori events.

[Inquiries Regarding This Release]

ODORIGI Co., Ltd. Public Relations Contact TEL: 080-2667-3297 Mail: info@odorigi.com

[To Editors]

High-resolution images are available, including the exterior of the main store, interior of the traditional townhouse, hand-printing process of screen printing, and cuts of ODORIGI being worn. During the opening period, in-store screen printing demonstrations and individual interviews with production members are possible. Reference materials on Gujo Odori, the screen printing industry, and ODORIGI's production system will also be provided during interviews.