Higashi-kagawa City (East Kagawa City), located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, is relatively warm location, why would this place become "The City of Gloves"?
Back in Meiji era (1888), Futago Shunrei, the monk who lived in East Kagawa City eloped to Osaka with the woman he's in love with, started a business making gloves there. Futago's cousin, Tanatsugu Tatsuyoshi who is also from East Kagawa City, joined to help expand the business. In 1892, Futago died from diseases, Tanatsugu took over the company.
At that time, East Kagawa City was famous for sugar and salt production. Tanatsugu noticed the industry started to decline due to foreign imports, people back at their homes were suffering. Tanatsugu returned to East Kagawa City, with the skills and technology of gloves manufacturing, started new factories there, saving the city.
130 years have passed, survived from wars and financial crisis, East Kagawa City is now the most famous city in Japan for glove making.
You may now find Tanatsugu's statue and Futago's monument in the city's park.
Source: https://te-t.jp/articles/gloves_history/
