On September 2nd, 1945, Japanese envoys represented by Foreign Minister Mamora Shigemitsu and Gen. Yoshijiro Umezu signed an instrument of unconditional surrender to U.S. forces represented by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Commander in the Southwest Pacific and Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. From then on — and for the following seven years — the United States military under MacArthur’s command would occupy Japan, enacting reforms and transitioning its government from a monarchic to a democratic model.
The Japanese delegation signs the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, 1945. - (Image by History)
American sports, clothing, and culture more broadly were hugely influential to the Japanese during this period, leaving remnants that are still felt today. However, this cultural exchange flowed in both directions, with American servicemen touring the country and coming into contact — many for the first time — with the Japanese people and their customs. An interesting and little-known encapsulation of this cultural exchange exists in the realm of menswear, taking the form of a humble jacket that has recently found its way back into the zeitgeist following many years of sartorial dormancy.
Called sukajan in Japanese or a “souvenir jacket” or “tour jacket” in English, the term describes a simple blouse jacket in the varsity or bomber style that features depictions of Japanese scenes, motifs, and American military insignia or dates of service. Meant as a memento of a tour of duty, they were made by local craftsmen who either embroidered the serviceman’s own military-issued coat or created one from scratch. Originating near the U.S. Naval base at Yokosuka, they're said take their Japanese name from “Yokosuka” and janpa, the Japanese term for “jumper.” (The origins of the term have multiple explanations and may never be firmly established.)
Mid-1950s Style Velveteen x Acetate Quilted Souvenir Jacket - KOSHO & CO. x BUZZ RICKSON'S Special Edition - 334th FTR-BOMB SQ. CHITOSE JAPAN x JAPAN MAP - (Image by Hinoya)
Numerous lustrous materials were used for sukajan, among them silk (including that from decommissioned parachutes), rayon, nylon, and acetate, depending upon what was available. Hand-embroidered, they took on a unique, colorful quality that became prized by local Japanese youth. Depictions of servicemen’s unit insignia and tour dates were common embroidery themes, as were Japanese motifs such as maps of the country, dragons, Mt. Fuji, koi fish, and more. While larger designs adorned the back of the jackets, smaller designs were relegated to the front.
The varied and eye-catching look of the sukajan helped it spread beyond American bases to Tokyo, where it proliferated amongst the working-class Japanese youth and took on a spirit of sartorial rebellion. Those local Japanese who shied away from — or outright resented — the adaptation of American preppy culture often adopted the sukajan instead, which eventually led to ties with the Yakuza and gave the jacket a negative connotation. (A 1961 Japanese film, Pigs And Battleships, did little to help the sukajan’s cause amongst more high-minded Japanese — its protagonist, a member of the Hitori gang meandering around the Yokosuka naval base and its nearby red light district, is seen prominently sporting one through the film — but certainly helped boost its popularity amongst younger generations.)
A sukajan worn by the protagonist in Pigs and Battleships (1961). - (Image by Clutch Cafe)
Later, during the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Vietnam War (1955-1975), American G.I.s continued the tradition of picking up souvenir jackets commemorating their tours of duty, but often had the embroidery done directly onto their military-issue cotton field jackets such as the M53 and M-65. During the Vietnam War in particular, it was common to find American-issued jackets embroidered with phrases such as “When I die I’ll go to heaven because I’ve served my time in hell,” making for a darker take on the sukajan that reflected the somber tone of that conflict (as opposed to the sunnier feeling of post-War Japanese service). Still, such practices helped spread the sukajan beyond the Japanese mainland.
In the 1960s and 1970s, rock stars such as Mick Jagger began wearing the sukajan, anticipating a trend that would be picked up in the 2010s by myriad musicians and actors. However, as American military involvement in Asia wound down in the 1980s, there would first ensue several decades during which the souvenir jacket somewhat faded from prominence. It took Danish screenwriter and director Nicolas Winding Refn and his 2011 film Drive — in which Ryan Gosling wears a custom-made white sukajan embroidered with a yellow scorpion — to bring it back to the sartorial fore. Since the debut of that important cultural touchstone, numerous celebrities have been seen wearing the sukajan, including Katy Perry, Pharrell, Kendall Jenner, and Drake.
Mick Jagger wearing a sukajan in the 1960s - (Image by Bonnegueule)
Unique among menswear staples for its hybrid military-civilian origins, the sukajan is a fascinating sartorial microcosm of the American-Japanese post-War relationship — and this is before one even considers the truly breathtaking handcraft and artwork that adorns many examples. Available in a wide variety of styles, it’s truly a piece of wearable art.
The Modern Sukajan Jacket to Buy
Tailor Toyo Sukajan (~$452+)
Tailor Toyo Sukajan - Acetate Souvenir Jacket - WHITE DRAGON x EAGLE - (Image by Hinoya)
Kosho-Syokai, the predecessor to modern company Toyo Enterprises, delivered sukajan and other clothing products to U.S. military bases in Japan in the post-War period. Today, Tailor Toyo produces nearly note-for-note reproductions of vintage souvenir jackets from the 1950s. Featuring an acetate base and lining, rayon embroidery, and acrylic ribbing, their sukajan are hand-embroidered in China, not Japan — but don’t let that fool you. They’re almost laughably beautiful. They’re also reversible, with each side featuring a completely different (but complementary) color scheme and design.
In addition to acetate models, the company also produces versions in Velveteen and even luxurious t-shirts that feature sukajan-like embroidery. If you happen to be in Japan, Hinoya — a Tokyo menswear shop specializing in repo military ware — has several locations in Ueno that stock these sukajan. Considering their high quality and the often low quality of other modern reproductions, we would recommend buying a Tailor Toyo model.
