Good Condition: A Showa-Era Striped Noragi That Survived Intact
Most vintage noragi that survive to the present carry the marks of their working life: staining, fraying, repairs, the particular wear patterns that come from years of farm labor. That is part of what makes them interesting — the evidence of use is the evidence of life. But there is another kind of noragi: one that was used carefully, stored well, and has arrived in good condition. Not pristine — it is still a vintage garment, still cotton that has been through decades of washing and wearing — but intact, complete, without the significant damage that characterizes heavily worn examples.
This noragi is that kind of piece. From the early to mid-Showa era — somewhere between 1926 and the 1960s — it is striped cotton with miyatsuguchi, in good vintage condition. The stripe is present and clear. The construction is intact. The garment is complete. For those who want to wear a vintage noragi rather than simply study one, or who want to use one as remake material without working around significant damage, this is the piece.
The Miyatsuguchi: Present and Intact
This noragi has miyatsuguchi — the traditional side-body openings at the underarm that connect it to the full vocabulary of Japanese clothing construction. In a garment in good condition, the miyatsuguchi is particularly significant: the opening is clean, the edges are intact, and the detail reads clearly as the architectural element it is rather than as a worn or damaged area.
The miyatsuguchi allows the arms to move freely without pulling the body of the garment — a practical detail from the working life of the noragi that translates directly into contemporary wear. In a modern wardrobe, it functions as a design detail: an opening in the side seam that gives the garment lightness and visual interest, that distinguishes it from any contemporary jacket, that rewards the attention of those who look closely.
The Stripe: Woven, Settled, Alive
The stripe of this noragi is woven into the fabric — the color is in the thread, not on the surface. In a garment in good condition, this matters: the stripe has not faded to the point of disappearing, has not been obscured by heavy staining, has not been interrupted by repairs. It is present and legible, the vertical lines running cleanly from shoulder to hem, giving the garment its structure and its character.
The cotton has the hand of fabric that has been washed many times over many decades: softer than new cotton, with a surface that has settled into itself. This is not the stiffness of unworn fabric or the fragility of heavily deteriorated fabric but something in between — the particular quality of vintage cotton that has been used and cared for and has arrived in good condition.
Wear It or Remake It: A Garment With Options
A noragi in good condition offers options that a heavily worn example does not. It can be worn as a shirt or light jacket in a casual modern wardrobe — over a plain T-shirt, with denim or wide-leg trousers — without the need to work around significant damage or explain the condition to those who see it. The 72.5cm length and 60.5cm chest give it a relaxed fit that works with contemporary proportions; the miyatsuguchi adds a detail that no contemporary jacket has.
It can also be used as handmade and remake material — and in good condition, the striped cotton offers more possibilities than a damaged piece. The fabric can be cut and used without working around holes or heavily stained areas. The stripe remains clear enough to be a design element in whatever is made from it. The cotton has the quality and character of Showa-era fabric that simply cannot be sourced new.
Size and Condition
Era: Early to mid-Showa (1926–1960s). Material: Cotton. Miyatsuguchi present. Back length approx. 72.5cm / 28.5in. Chest approx. 60.5cm / 23.8in. Shoulder width approx. 60.5cm / 23.8in. Sleeve length approx. 32.5cm / 12.8in. Sleeve width approx. 42.5cm / 16.7in. Cuff width approx. 14cm / 5.5in. Good vintage condition. Washed twice in-house. Vintage scent may remain. One of a kind.