The "Japanese Design" series depicts masterpieces on the canvas of an aloha shirt.
Sun Surf focuses on artists from the Edo period, a time when Japanese culture and arts were at their most expansive, and recreates the works of these masters on the canvas of an aloha shirt.
This product is a "Tsukumogami" (Deity of Spirits) figure, the 2025 model in the "Japanese Design" National Treasure of Japan series, which revives the passion for Japan's world-renowned designs in the modern era.
This piece is inspired by a "Tsukumogami" figure from the work of Ito Jakuchu, an ukiyo-e artist active in the mid-Edo period who captivated people with his unique ideas and outstanding depictive skills.
There has long been a folk belief in Japan that "gods and spirits reside in objects that are over a hundred years old and play pranks on people." These spirits that reside in objects are called tsukumogami and are depicted in yokai paintings.
Unlike ghost paintings painted to inspire fear, these paintings are characterized by a familiar style, a characteristic that can also be seen in the yokai that appear in Ito Jakuchu's "Tsukumogami-zu," the subject of this work.
In the front row of spaces filled with twilight expressed through gradations and dimly lit darkness, yokai representing well-used tea ceremony utensils such as tea kettles, water jars, and tea bowls form a row, followed by tsukumogami representing various objects such as candlesticks, torikabuto (a decorative item shaped like a phoenix head used in Bugaku dance), biwa (Japanese lute), and kake (a traditional Japanese drum).
In rendering this piece as an aloha shirt, the motifs are arranged with varying degrees of emphasis to allow for enjoyment of the differences between the front and back, and the addition of seals and striped patterns on the outer border gives it a 1950s feel.
The fabric used is rayon Fujiette, which combines the suppleness of Fuji silk with the distinctive texture of rayon.
It has a vintage feel with some fuzziness that complements the design well.
The neck is the classic open collar of an aloha shirt, but you can enjoy a different style by fastening the top button below the collar with a loop.
The buttons are made of natural brown mother-of-pearl buttons carved from shells.
They reflect beautifully depending on the angle of the light, and are an elegant material that highlights the allure of the main design.
Sun Surf usually features a yoke at the shoulders, but this piece does not, allowing the design to be presented beautifully like a single painting, showing careful attention to detail.
The hem is cut in a straight line, creating a boxy silhouette that is well-balanced when worn on its own.
Sun Surf aloha shirts vary in sizing depending on the fabric and model, but this model has a slightly slimmer fit.
made in Japan
100% rayon
Size Chart(cm)
Size/Back Length/Chest/Shoulder/Sleeve
M(38)/66.5/54.5/46.5/21
L(40)/68.5/57.5/49.5/22
