Most noragi were cotton. Plain, practical, and fast to make.

This one is different.

The fabric has a quiet sheen — the kind that plain cotton does not carry.
A blended weave: cotton mixed with silk or rayon, woven together in the early Showa era
when new materials were beginning to reach rural Japan,
and someone chose to use them — not for a formal garment, but for a work jacket.

That decision is what makes this piece unusual.
And worth finding.

→ Browse more Noragi in our collection

■ A Moment When Tradition and Change Met

The early Showa era was a period of transition.
Western materials and manufacturing methods were entering Japan,
but in rural Tohoku, clothing was still made by hand — at home, for the body, for the work ahead.

A blended weave noragi sits at that intersection.
Not purely traditional. Not modern.
A garment that reflects exactly the moment it was made.

The dark-toned stripe is composed and understated.
The hand-stitching throughout — uneven in rhythm, honest in execution —
is the mark of a garment made in daily life, not produced in a factory.

■ Noragi as Mingei — Folk Craft

Noragi was not designed. It was made.
By the person who would wear it, from the materials available,
shaped by the conditions of the land and the season.

That is what mingei means: folk craft born from necessity,
beautiful not despite its function, but because of it.

No two noragi are alike.
This one — with its blended fabric, its dark stripe, its hand-stitched seams —
exists nowhere else.

■ Why the World Is Looking for This

Demand for Japan vintage workwear has grown steadily across Europe and North America.
Collectors and buyers are drawn to what fast fashion cannot replicate:
handmade construction, aged textile, and the irreplaceable presence of real use.

A blended weave noragi from the early Showa era is rarer still.
Most collectors never find one.

■ Specifications

Era             : Early Showa period (approx. 1926–1940s)
Origin         : Tohoku, Japan
Material      : Blended weave (believed to be cotton-silk or cotton-rayon blend)
                     ※ Fiber composition cannot be confirmed definitively; please refer to images.
Pattern        : Dark-toned vertical stripe
Construction : Hand-stitched throughout
Miyatsuguchi : None

■ Measurements

Body Length (back neckline to hem)                           : approx. 91 cm / 35.8 in
Chest Width (underarm to underarm, straight)               : approx. 58.5 cm / 23.0 in
Shoulder Width (shoulder to shoulder, straight)            : approx. 63 cm / 24.8 in
Sleeve Length (shoulder point to cuff)                       : approx. 32 cm / 12.6 in
Sleeve Width                                                         : approx. 34.5 cm / 13.6 in
Cuff Width                                                             : approx. 18.5 cm / 7.3 in

※ Measurements are approximate. Minor variations may occur.
Model height: 171 cm

■ Condition

Partial stitch loss along the collar. Some fraying and fabric slippage in areas.
This is a vintage piece — signs of wear are part of its history.
Please do not purchase if you are uncomfortable with the natural characteristics of aged garments.

Laundered twice in-house. A faint vintage scent may remain.
Damage, scent, or changes after washing or wearing post-purchase are not eligible for return or exchange.
Items are compressed for shipping — minor creasing may occur in transit.
Styling props and additional garments shown in photos are not included.

One of a kind. Once it sells, it’s gone.

For questions about sizing, international shipping, and returns, please visit our FAQ.