What the Cuff Says: A Showa Striped Noragi and the Character of Its Construction
Every hand-made garment has proportions that belong to it specifically. The sleeve width of this noragi is 25.5cm — relatively narrow. The cuff width is 18cm — relatively wide. The relationship between these two measurements is not standard; it is the result of a specific maker's choices, a specific body's requirements, a specific understanding of how a work jacket should fit and move. These proportions cannot be found in any contemporary production garment. They exist only here, in this piece, made during the early to mid-Showa period by hands that are no longer present.
This noragi is 71cm from back neck point to hem — a length that sits between the shortest Uwappari and the longer everyday kimono, practical for work without being restrictive. The chest is 61.5cm, the shoulder 64cm — a broad-shouldered cut that gives the garment presence and allows free movement of the arms. The striped cotton is the fabric of Showa-era workwear: woven, not printed, the color in the thread rather than on the surface. The miyatsuguchi — the traditional side-body openings at the underarm — are present.
The Stripe: Woven, Not Printed
The stripe of this noragi is woven into the fabric — the color is in the warp threads, present in the structure of the cloth rather than applied to its surface. This distinction matters for durability: a woven stripe does not fade in the same way a printed stripe does, does not crack or peel, does not separate from the fabric with washing. The stripe of this noragi has been through decades of washing and wearing and is still present and legible, still defining the visual character of the garment.
The fading that is present is the fading of the base fabric — the overall lightening that comes from time and washing — rather than the fading of a surface print. The staining is consistent with age and use. These are the marks of a garment that was worn, that did the work it was made for, that has arrived with the honest character of fabric that has been through time.
The Miyatsuguchi: The Opening That Makes the Garment
The miyatsuguchi of this noragi — the traditional side-body openings at the underarm — are the detail that connects it to the full vocabulary of Japanese clothing construction. In a work jacket, the miyatsuguchi is primarily functional: it allows the arms to move freely without pulling the body of the garment, which matters when the arms are doing work. But it is also a visual detail, an opening in the side seam that gives the garment lightness and distinguishes it from any contemporary jacket.
In contemporary wear, the miyatsuguchi functions as both: the practical benefit of free arm movement remains, and the visual detail — the opening in the side seam, the glimpse of the interior — adds a quality that no contemporary production garment has. It is a detail that rewards attention, that distinguishes the garment to those who know what they are looking at.
Size and Condition
Era: Early to mid-Showa (1920s–1950s). Material: Cotton. Miyatsuguchi present. Back length approx. 71cm / 28.0in. Chest approx. 61.5cm / 24.2in. Shoulder width approx. 64cm / 25.2in. Sleeve length approx. 31cm / 12.2in. Sleeve width approx. 25.5cm / 10.0in. Cuff width approx. 18cm / 7.1in. Fading and staining consistent with age. Washed twice in-house. Vintage scent may remain. One of a kind.