Prince Co. / Yokosuka “Anniversary 50th” Phoenix Hou-O & Palm Tree Padded Souvenir Jacket | Navy Blue × White Gold Embroidery | Vintage Japanese Sukajan

Description

A magnificent Prince Shokai / Prince Co. 50th Anniversary Yokosuka sukajan, created in the old-school spirit of the souvenir jackets that made Yokosuka an international symbol of postwar Japanese-American fashion.

This extraordinary piece takes one of the most traditional sukajan subjects, the hō-ō / phoenix, and surrounds it with an enormous fantasy landscape of feather-like palm fronds sweeping almost continuously across the shoulders, sleeves and back.

Against the deep midnight-navy satin, the almost monochromatic white, ivory and pale-gold embroidery has an unusually elegant presence. Instead of relying on the explosive multicolor palette common to many sukajan, this jacket achieves its drama through scale, texture and contrast.

Across the upper back is the unmistakable embroidered word:

yokosuka

and at lower right:

**By Prince Co.

Anniversary 50th.**

That inscription is the heart of the garment. Surviving Prince Shokai examples are documented as 50th Anniversary models, and period-market references identify this anniversary series with 1997, making this not merely a retro-style jacket but an authentic piece from Prince Co.'s commemorative line.

A genuine collector-grade Yokosuka jacket with enormous visual presence. 🦚✨

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Identification

Brand / Maker: Prince Shokai / Prince Co. / プリンス商会
Origin / Association: Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan
Series: Anniversary 50th
Approximate Period: 1997-era 50th Anniversary model
Garment Type: Sukajan / Yokosuka Souvenir Jacket / Embroidered Bomber
Tagged Size: Appears to be L
Primary Color: Deep navy / midnight blue
Embroidery: Ivory, white, pale gold
Primary Motif: Hō-ō / phoenix, feathered palm foliage
Back Inscription: “yokosuka”
Anniversary Inscription: “By Prince Co. Anniversary 50th.”
Construction: Padded / insulated satin souvenir jacket
Closure: Front zipper
Collar / Cuffs / Hem: Striped rib knit
Lining: Quilted pale silver-gray lining

Prince Shokai 50th Anniversary phoenix jackets continue to appear in Japanese collector markets, including documented examples specifically described as プリンス商会 50周年記念 鳳凰 and others sold under the same Anniversary 50th designation.

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A Genuine Yokosuka Heritage Piece

Prince Shokai occupies an interesting position in sukajan collecting because its identity is directly tied to Yokosuka, rather than merely borrowing Yokosuka style as a contemporary fashion motif.

That distinction matters.

The sukajan was born from the cultural collision surrounding American military presence and Japanese embroidery workshops after World War II. Japanese artisans applied dragons, tigers, eagles, Mount Fuji, maps and other imagery to lightweight jackets that could be purchased as souvenirs.

Over succeeding decades, this hybrid garment evolved into its own Japanese fashion category.

Prince Co. remained associated with the Yokosuka tradition, and surviving 50th Anniversary Prince jackets have become increasingly collectible, particularly examples carrying lavish phoenix, dragon and eagle embroidery. Current secondary-market records show Prince 50th Anniversary jackets regularly trading in Japan and being offered internationally at significantly higher collector-facing prices.

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The Hō-ō: Japanese Phoenix

The central creature is best understood as a hō-ō, the Japanese phoenix.

Unlike the Western phoenix defined primarily by death and rebirth through fire, the East Asian phoenix derives from the Chinese fenghuang tradition and developed its own visual vocabulary in Japanese decorative arts.

Its long layered feathers, extravagant wings and ceremonial presence made it an especially powerful subject for:

Kimono textiles
Temple decoration
Screens and paintings
Lacquerware
Tattoo art
Sukajan embroidery

On this jacket, Prince Co. renders the bird almost entirely in ivory and gold.

The result feels less like a cartoon mascot and more like embroidered heraldry.

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Monumental Back Composition

The back is the masterpiece.

At the center, a large phoenix flies outward with both wings fully extended.

Its body is picked out in cream and gold, while the tremendous layered plumage surrounding it radiates across nearly the entire jacket.

Behind and around the phoenix grows an enormous symmetrical palm or feather-like botanical structure.

The composition expands upward, outward and then down the sleeves.

Rather than treating the sleeves as separate decorative panels, the embroidery creates the illusion that the entire jacket is one continuous artwork.

This is one of the defining visual strengths of the piece.

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“YOKOSUKA” Embroidery

Across the upper back:

yokosuka

is embroidered in flowing gold script.

That word instantly identifies the cultural territory from which the jacket emerges.

Unlike generic modern “Japan” bomber graphics, Yokosuka lettering on an anniversary Prince Co. garment has genuine contextual meaning.

It refers simultaneously to:

• the city
• the history of the souvenir jacket
• the regional embroidery tradition
• the postwar cultural exchange from which the sukajan developed
• Prince Co.'s own identity within that tradition

For a collector, this is one of the most desirable kinds of inscription a sukajan can carry.

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“By Prince Co. Anniversary 50th.”

At the lower back is a small but critically important embroidered inscription:

**By Prince Co.

Anniversary 50th.**

This transforms the garment from a normal Prince sukajan into a commemorative model.

Prince 50th Anniversary jackets are well represented in Japanese auction archives, including phoenix examples and full-order anniversary jackets, with recent domestic results around the ¥28,000–¥50,000 region depending on design, condition and size.

International asking prices can be considerably higher. Current resale aggregators show 50th Anniversary Prince Shokai phoenix jackets offered around the high hundreds of US dollars, illustrating the significant premium that specialized overseas sellers sometimes place on these pieces.

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Front Embroidery

The front is much calmer than the monumental rear.

Two small matching phoenixes face inward across the chest.

They are rendered in the same white-and-gold palette as the back, creating visual continuity without overwhelming the wearer from the front.

That restraint is particularly effective.

From the front, the jacket reads as a refined vintage satin bomber.

Turn around, and the entire composition erupts.

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Extraordinary Sleeve Embroidery

The sleeves are among the best features of this particular jacket.

Long white feather or palm motifs sweep from the shoulders almost all the way toward the cuffs.

Because these forms visually connect to the massive botanical imagery on the back, the embroidery appears to wrap around the body rather than sit on top of it.

Many sukajan concentrate their expense and workmanship in the back panel.

This one spreads embroidery across an enormous surface area.

That makes it significantly more sculptural when worn.

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Color Palette

The combination is superb:

Deep midnight navy

Ivory white

Pale silver

Muted gold

There are almost no competing bright colors.

That restraint gives the piece a very different mood from red, yellow or multicolor souvenir jackets.

It feels:

Regal
Formal
Graphic
Architectural
Almost monochrome

The embroidery resembles illuminated threadwork against a night sky.

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Material & Construction

The Japanese care label visible in the supplied photographs identifies:

Outer / 表地: Nylon 100%
Lining / 裏地: Polyester 100%
Padding / 中綿: Polyester 100%
Rib: Acrylic / Nylon
Embroidery Thread / 刺繍糸: Rayon 100%

The interior uses a pale silver-gray quilted lining.

This is therefore a padded sukajan, rather than an unlined lightweight summer souvenir jacket.

That gives it additional body and structure and makes the embroidery sit beautifully across the back.

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Quilted Interior

The diamond-quilted interior is another attractive period detail.

Rather than leaving the reverse side exposed, the jacket is insulated with a polyester fill beneath a light silver lining.

This gives the piece:

• greater warmth
• a fuller bomber silhouette
• better structural support for the heavy embroidery
• more substantial vintage hand-feel

It also differentiates it from many lightweight modern souvenir jackets produced primarily as fashion shells.

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Ribbed Trim

The collar, cuffs and waistband use classic striped knit ribbing in:

Navy
White
Navy

This varsity-inspired treatment is fundamental to the traditional sukajan silhouette.

It visually frames the dark satin body while echoing the white embroidery.

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Size

Tagged Size: appears to be L

The small size tag visible near the collar appears consistent with L.

As with virtually all Japanese vintage clothing, the label size should not automatically be converted into a contemporary Western size.

Depending on production era and intended silhouette, a Japanese L can fit substantially differently from current US or European sizing.

Exact flat measurements should therefore take precedence when available.

Recommended buyer-facing fit wording:

Tagged L. Likely suitable around a contemporary men's M–L depending on desired fit and body type. Please rely on actual garment measurements when provided rather than the letter size alone.

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Period

Evidence strongly supports this as part of Prince Co.'s 50th Anniversary series.

An international listing for another Prince Co. 50th Anniversary model explicitly identifies the series as Japan / Yokosuka 1997, while Japanese auction archives repeatedly document Prince Shokai 50th Anniversary sukajan in several embroidery configurations.

Accordingly, a careful public-facing description is:

Circa 1997 Prince Shokai 50th Anniversary commemorative sukajan.

This places the jacket at a particularly interesting moment when authentic Yokosuka souvenir-jacket makers were becoming increasingly influential on the Japanese vintage, rockabilly, biker and emerging global streetwear scenes.

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Prince Shokai 50th Anniversary Collectibility

Prince 50th Anniversary jackets occupy a particularly attractive niche.

They are not simply reproduction jackets based on 1950s imagery.

They are themselves now vintage commemorative pieces representing the history of one of Yokosuka's established souvenir-jacket traditions.

Recent Japanese auction results show a range of Prince Shokai pieces, including 50th Anniversary jackets, commonly changing hands from roughly the ¥20,000s into the ¥40,000–¥50,000 range depending upon embroidery, condition and scarcity. A phoenix Anniversary 50th example sold around ¥36,000, while other anniversary phoenix pieces reached roughly ¥37,500–¥50,000.

An unused L-size Prince 50th Anniversary phoenix sukajan was also documented at ¥50,000 on Mercari.

International collector pricing can be considerably stronger. One Prince Shokai 50th Anniversary phoenix example has been aggregated at approximately US$783.60.

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Condition

This is a genuine vintage / pre-owned garment.

From the photographs, the satin retains strong visual luster and the embroidery remains exceptionally commanding.

Natural signs of age and use may include:

• satin creasing
• minor surface marks
• light rubbing
• embroidery thread movement
• slight discoloration
• ribbing wear
• zipper patina
• lining wear
• small age-related imperfections

The pale quilted lining appears intact from the supplied view, while the embroidery remains the overwhelming visual focus of the garment.

Please study all supplied photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

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Why This Particular Design Stands Out

There are plenty of sukajan featuring eagles.

There are plenty featuring dragons.

There are plenty featuring tigers.

This one is different.

Its enormous white phoenix and botanical feather composition makes it almost architectural.

The restrained color palette also allows it to sit between several collecting categories:

Vintage Sukajan
Japanese Americana
Yokosuka Heritage
Rockabilly
Japanese Biker Fashion
Tattoo Culture
Y2K Japanese Archive
Wearable Textile Art

The result is flamboyant without becoming visually noisy.

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Sukajan as Wearable Japanese-American History

The beauty of the sukajan is that it has never belonged entirely to one culture.

Its form borrows from American military and athletic jackets.

Its embroidery comes from Japanese textile craftsmanship.

Its iconography mixes Japanese dragons, tigers, Mt. Fuji and phoenixes with eagles, maps and military insignia.

Its modern afterlife stretches from rockabilly to punk, biker fashion, Japanese Americana and contemporary luxury streetwear.

This Prince Co. anniversary jacket carries that cultural layering particularly well.

It feels simultaneously Japanese and international.

Vintage and timeless.

Military-adjacent yet fantastical.

That tension is precisely what has made the sukajan endure.

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Display Potential

Displayed on a wall, this piece practically functions as a textile panel.

The large white embroidery has enough contrast that the design remains legible from across a room.

It would work especially well in:

• Japanese vintage collections
• fashion archives
• Americana displays
• biker / rock interiors
• tattoo studios
• menswear boutiques
• Japanese cultural spaces
• collector rooms

Under directional lighting, the navy satin and rayon embroidery should create an especially dramatic contrast.

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Styling

Japanese Americana

Raw selvedge denim, engineer boots, white T-shirt.

Minimal Contemporary

Black trousers, monochrome sneakers, plain inner layer.

Rockabilly

Cuffed denim, boots, vintage tee.

Streetwear

Wide trousers, retro sneakers, understated cap.

Archive Fashion

Black technical pants, silver jewelry, simple footwear.

Because the jacket already contains such an enormous embroidery composition, very little additional styling is necessary.

The jacket is the entire sentence.

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Why Collect It?

✓ Genuine Prince Shokai / Prince Co.

✓ Authentic Yokosuka-associated maker

✓ Anniversary 50th commemorative series

✓ Circa 1997

✓ Rare phoenix / hō-ō design

✓ Massive back embroidery

✓ Extensive sleeve embroidery

✓ “yokosuka” gold script

✓ “By Prince Co. Anniversary 50th.” inscription

✓ Elegant navy × ivory × gold palette

✓ Padded construction

✓ Quilted lining

✓ Vintage Japanese souvenir-jacket heritage

✓ Strong international collector potential

✓ Wearable textile art

This is precisely the type of sukajan that rewards both wearing and preservation.

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Purchase, Shipping and Vintage Policy

This is a vintage / pre-owned collectible garment sold in its present condition.

Please carefully review all photographs before purchasing. Vintage clothing naturally may display fading, creasing, marks, embroidery movement, ribbing wear, discoloration, hardware patina and other evidence of age and previous ownership. Such characteristics are part of the individual history and authenticity of vintage clothing.

Vintage Japanese sizing often differs from contemporary Western standards. The tagged size should therefore be treated as a reference only. Actual garment measurements should always take precedence when evaluating fit.

Unless materially misrepresented, photographed vintage characteristics, normal age-related wear and subjective sizing or fit are not grounds for return, exchange or claim.

Worldwide tracked shipping is available, including EMS where appropriate.

Preparation, shipping and handling normally takes 5–10 business days or earlier.

Respectful offers may be considered.

If you are looking for this design or model in another size, please feel free to message us. Although availability cannot be guaranteed, we may be able to locate the same or a closely matching piece in a different size through our sourcing network.

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Material Tags

Nylon Satin, Polyester Lining, Polyester Padding, Rayon Embroidery, Acrylic Rib, Nylon Rib, Metal Zipper