A shirt from the "Hinomoto Aloha" line, made by Ningyo no WatAya in Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture. Rather than remaking an old kimono, each shirt is tailored from a fresh bolt of kimono cloth, turning classic kimono patterns into an aloha shirt you can wear every day or on your travels. It can be washed in a household washing machine, so care is simple.
The pattern is hanaeda, flowering branches. On a pale young-grass green ground, vermilion blossoms bloom in clusters while green leaves and slender, supple branches stretch diagonally across the fabric. Small yellow-orange flowers are scattered here and there among them. A faint floral motif in the same tone as the ground floats beneath, and the fresh, vivid coloring lifts the spirits of whoever wears it.
The material is a polyester bolt of the kind also used for fine kimono. Compared side by side with silk, the hand feels almost indistinguishable. It stands up to water, resists wrinkling, and wears exceptionally well. Because the cloth is new, there is none of the fading or staining you find in an old kimono.
Unisex and cut with a relaxed fit. Size M suits a chest measurement of 90 to 95 cm.
The sewing is done by hand by artisans within Tochigi Prefecture. From cutting the bolt to the final finish there are as many as ten stages, and a single artisan can complete only one shirt in a day.
Perfect for strolling the city, sightseeing, or a resort stay. It pairs easily with trousers or shorts, and makes an excellent everyday piece. Do experience for yourself a high-quality kimono aloha shirt made by hand.
The Hinomoto Aloha is not an old kimono remade. We source new bolts of cloth and, in repeated consultation with our sewing artisans, make each shirt by hand from cutting to stitching. Even a seasoned hand can finish only one shirt in a day. What follows is an account, in order, from the choosing of the cloth to the final pressing.
Bolts of cloth have long been woven in a wide range of materials and widths, suited to the climate and customs of Japan. We seek out and acquire new bolts of this kind, and make them into aloha shirts. The polyester bolts we use — a cloth found in fine kimono as well — resist water, seldom crease, and can be washed at home with ease. Nor is there any fear of the fading or staining that comes with an old kimono.
The first step is the cutting of the cloth. The front panels, the back panel, the sleeves, the collar — each is cut away in turn. From a single bolt, only two shirts can be made. Cutting allows no error; of all the stages of sewing it is the most laborious, and the one that demands the greatest care.
The sewing comprises ten stages: pocket, yoke, brand label, sleeves, side seams, collar setting, hem, buttonholes. Of these, setting the collar is the most exacting; a single shirt takes a full day to complete. For buttons we use domestic bamboo rather than the coconut customary to aloha shirts. It has a quiet lustre, and sits well with the cloth.
Other pieces from the same hands.
This item can be washed with water at home. Please place it in a laundry net before washing. To preserve its texture for years to come, we recommend dry cleaning.
