SS39066 / SUN SURF SPECIAL EDITION HAWAIIAN SHIRT “USHIWAKAMARU FIGHTING BENKEI”

SS39066 / SUN SURF SPECIAL EDITION HAWAIIAN SHIRT “USHIWAKAMARU FIGHTING BENKEI”

Tourists from the U.S. mainland were enthralled by the unique culture of the tropical paradise of Hawaii. Of particular interest to them were aloha shirts and dresses tailored from fabrics with oriental designs. Tourists to Hawaii used to visit stores to look for their favorite patterns based on advertisements in the newspapers of the time. The Japanese-patterned aloha shirt is now a standard item, but it is said that it originally started when high school students in Honolulu had their shirts tailored by Japanese tailors, such as Musashiya, using Japanese fabric. The shirts they wore attracted the attention of tourists and became fashionable, and Japanese-affiliated aloha shirt manufacturers and fabric wholesalers began ordering distinctive Japanese designs from Japan, which eventually spread not only among tourists but also among local Nikkei and became a part of Hawaii's culture.

This first reissue is a piece tailored by Kaika Mahine, a tailor established in 1950 on Kapahulu Avenue in Honolulu. It depicts the battle between Ushiwakamaru (Minamoto no Yoshitsune) and Musashibo Benkei, a famous story that often appears in ukiyoe paintings from the Edo period. Benkei attacks Ushiwakamaru to take his sword, while Ushiwakamaru dodges his long sword and looks for a chance to counterattack.

TITLE： “USHIWAKAMARU FIGHTING BENKEI”

ORIGINAL BRAND NAME： KAIKAMAHINE

ESTIMATED MANUFACTURING DATES： EARLY 1950s

FABRIC： RAYON KABE CREPE

PRINTING METHOD： OVER PRINTING

PRINTING PATTERN： ORIENTAL DESIGN

BUTTON： BAMBOO BUTTON

Size Shoulder Width Body Width Body Length Sleeve Length

S Around 43.0cm Around 52.0cm Around 65.0cm Around 20.5cm

M Around 46.0cm Around 53.0cm Around 69.0cm Around 21.5cm

L Around 50.0cm Around 54.5cm Around 71.0cm Around 23.5cm

XL around 53.0cm around 60.0cm around 74.0cm around 24.0cm

XXL Around 55.0cm Around 61.0cm Around 76.0cm Around 25.0cm