A Happi or Hanten: Kanji Pattern

mid twentieth century
36" x 48", 91.5 cm x 122 cm

This is delightfully patterned happi which is a jacket used as a uniform for the employee of a company. In this case the company is a collective, Marumo shoyu from Aoyama which manufactures soy sauce.

The all over, repeat pattern on the coat announces the name of the company in grey letters on a dark background. The cotton coat seems never to have been worn as it is in crisp, almost-new condition. It is entirely hand stitched.

This is a really charming, fun jacket whose dimensions above are listed as shoulder to hem x sleeve tip to sleeve tip.

This happi is a pleasure to behold.