1950s Okinawa Collared Velveteen Souvenir Jacket, Eagle, Dragon Sleeves and Collar Embroidery, Tiger Reverse

A collared 1950s Okinawa souvenir jacket in navy velveteen, with an eagle on pine under OKINAWA, dragons on the sleeves and even the collar points, reversing to ivory satin with a seated tiger.

From Occupation Bases to Collector Cabinets

The souvenir jacket was born in the years after 1945, when American servicemen stationed in Japan began commissioning embroidered satin jackets from local tailors near the bases, Yokosuka above all, which gave the garment its Japanese nickname, sukajan, from Yokosuka and jumper. The motifs were chosen for an American eye: tigers, eagles, dragons, Mount Fuji and the word Japan in looping script, stitched by craftsmen who had worked on kimono and obi embroidery before the war.

The Korean War of 1950 to 1953 turned the souvenir jacket into a record of service. Men on rest and recuperation leave in Japan ordered jackets with maps of Japan and Korea, city names and unit details, and the jackets went home as keepsakes. Original 1950s examples survive in far smaller numbers than the reproductions that followed, and collectors read them by their details: reversible construction, hand-guided embroidery, rayon or acetate satin and velveteen, and the zip makers of the period, TTS among the most sought after.

Okinawa Under American Administration

After the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, the islands were governed by the United States for twenty-seven years, until their return to Japan in 1972. The large American bases created a local souvenir trade of their own, and jackets embroidered OKINAWA are now a recognised collecting category, prized for their place-specific story.

The Piece

Okinawa jackets form their own branch of the souvenir jacket family. The islands remained under American administration from 1945 until 1972, and the bases there produced a steady demand for embroidered jackets that named Okinawa rather than Japan. This one combines that provenance with the rarer collared cut.

The navy velveteen side carries OKINAWA in white block capitals above an eagle with pink-tipped wings gripping a pine branch. Eagles face each other on the chest, coloured dragons twist through clouds down both sleeves, and small golden dragons are embroidered on each collar point, a refinement few jackets have. The cuffs close with snaps.

Reversed, the jacket is quilted ivory satin with tiger heads on the chest and a seated tiger among bamboo on the back. The zip is a metal butterfly-pull type, a feature collectors associate with jackets of the period.

Measured flat: shoulder 43 cm, chest 48 cm, sleeve 60 cm, length 56.5 cm. It is a small size, ideal for a slim build.

Details

• Designer: Unlabelled Okinawa workshop
• Season: 1950s
• Model / ref: Collared reversible velveteen souvenir jacket
• Material: Cotton velveteen; acetate satin reverse; padded lining
• Colour: Navy / ivory
• Made in: Okinawa, Japan (US administration era)
• Tagged size: No size label
• Measurements: Shoulder 43 cm · Chest (pit to pit) 48 cm · Sleeve 60 cm · Length 56.5 cm
• Included: Jacket only

Condition

• Yellowing and stains across the ivory satin lining side.
• Tears at both cuffs; a hole in the hem lining.
• General rubbing and fraying.
• Embroidery full on both faces; zip working.

Condition grade B on the Japanese scale; see Japanese condition ranks, explained.

Authenticity & Care

The labels, materials, stitching, hardware and construction are examined together and documented in Japan before dispatch; anything that cannot be confirmed is stated plainly in the description. Every piece carries the Japonista authenticity guarantee. Air it and leave cleaning to a specialist; keep the ivory side away from direct light to slow further yellowing.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Every sale is final; please ask anything before you buy, and see our published policy.

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