Sukajan

Sukajan (from 'sukajyan,' a portmanteau of Yokosuka and 'jumper') are embroidered satin jackets that originated in post-WWII Japan when American servicemen stationed near Yokosuka naval base commissioned local tailors to create souvenir jackets. These jackets featured elaborate embroidery—tigers, dragons, eagles, maps of Japan—combining Japanese craft traditions with American military jacket silhouettes. Originally seen as tacky souvenirs, sukajan were recontextualized by Japanese streetwear designers who recognized their cultural significance and aesthetic potential. Brands like WTAPS, NEIGHBORHOOD, and later Western labels incorporated sukajan into collections, elevating them from tourist kitsch to coveted fashion pieces. Vintage sukajan from the 1950s-60s command significant collector prices. The jacket represents streetwear's ability to find value in overlooked cultural artifacts and reframe them—the same impulse that elevated workwear, military surplus, and athletic clothing into fashion statements.