Vintage Japan
1950s Reversible Velveteen Sukajan, Tiger with Dragons on Navy, Hawk over Fuji in Ivory Satin, YKK, Size Large
1950s Reversible Velveteen Sukajan, Tiger with Dragons on Navy, Hawk over Fuji in Ivory Satin, YKK, Size Large
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An original 1950s reversible souvenir jacket: a leaping golden tiger under Japan on navy velveteen with dragons on the sleeves, turning to quilted ivory satin with a hawk and Mount Fuji.
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.
Tiger Jackets
The tiger was a favourite motif from the start. In Japanese tradition it guards against evil and stands for courage, and to the American servicemen who ordered these jackets it simply looked magnificent. Paired with a dragon, the tiger represents the balance of earth and sky, a pairing seen across Japanese art long before it reached the souvenir jacket.
The Piece
This is the archetypal 1950s velveteen souvenir jacket, a tiger jacket in gold and cream thread on navy. The back shows a tiger springing down a rocky slope beside Mount Fuji and breaking waves, under Japan in pale script. Two roaring tiger heads face each other on the chest, and golden dragons wind through clouds down both sleeves.
The reverse is quilted ivory satin, now aged to champagne. On the back a hawk in blue, cream and brown swoops past pine and cherry blossom under Japan in gold, and Mount Fuji is embroidered on the chest. The cream ribbed trims are shared by both faces.
The tag inside is marked 大, large, and the zip is a brass YKK type, a detail collectors use to date jackets to the later part of the decade.
Measured flat: chest 55 cm, length 60 cm, sleeve from centre back 87 cm, a modern medium to large.
Details
- Designer: Unlabelled Japanese workshop
- Season: 1950s
- Model / ref: Reversible velveteen souvenir jacket
- Material: Cotton velveteen; acetate satin reverse; knit rib
- Colour: Navy and gold / ivory
- Made in: Japan
- Tagged size: 大 (Large)
- Measurements: Chest (pit to pit) 55 cm · Sleeve from centre back 87 cm · Length 60 cm
- Included: Jacket only
Condition
- Overall soiling, most visible on the ivory satin side.
- Some tears, including a small split at the right shoulder seam.
- Embroidery on both faces full and legible.
- YKK zip working.
Condition grade BC 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. Have it cleaned by a specialist for vintage textiles, or simply air it; brush the velveteen gently.
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.
Considered offers are welcome through Send an Offer, and each one is reviewed personally. Pieces over $1,000 may be reserved over several payments with Layaway Privilege™.
Continue browsing: Japan Luxury Archive
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