JUBAN - T-shirt

Introducing our new item: the "JUBAN - T-shirt."

The development of this piece began with the original goal of creating "undergarments to be worn with kimono." As kimono users are well aware, it is modeled after the "nagajuban," the traditional undergarment for kimono.

Although created for kimono use, the finished product can be worn alone like a regular T-shirt (in fact, it turned out to be less than ideal for wearing under a kimono).

Once I actually made it, I found it to be far more comfortable than a Western-style T-shirt—to the point that I felt Japanese people might have lost something significant when they stopped wearing traditional clothing.

Because the JUBAN - T-shirt is based on kimono dimensions, it is exceptionally well-suited to the Japanese climate.

 

 

V-necks look great on Japanese people

When I broke down the kimono as a garment to understand what makes it what it is, I identified the V-neck as one of its key components. A "V-neck" is essentially a "KIMONO"—it is a new, minimalist form of traditional wear.

In traditional Japanese dress, a V-neck is referred to as *horyo*. Terms like *suiryo* or *tarikubi* are also synonymous.

More precisely, *horyo* refers to overlapping a rectangular collar in the front, so a valley-shaped neckline made from a single piece of fabric might not technically be called *horyo*.

However, I believe the V-neck element is one of the reasons why kimonos look so good on Japanese people. Crew necks are standard for Western T-shirts, but from my perspective, having grown accustomed to kimonos, the crew neck feels a bit too restrictive around the neck for a Japanese person.

Incidentally, a collar like a crew neck is called *banryo* (or *agekubi* / *marueri*). Even so, I suspect that a *banryo* in traditional Japanese clothing has a bit more ease than a Western shirt collar.

 

The size and fit of traditional Japanese wear

Western clothing is fundamentally designed with tight openings around the neck, wrists, and ankles, as a form-fitting silhouette is considered beautiful—this is especially true for formal Western attire.

While I think this works well in the dry air or high-latitude regions of the West, it is undeniably less comfortable in Japan's hot and humid climate.

As a garment based on the kimono, the JUBAN - T-shirt is designed with a wide body width. As mentioned later, it offers the same level of freedom around the armholes as a kimono.

The design dimensions are roughly 7 sun 7 bu (29.5 cm) for the armhole depth and 7 sun (26.5 cm) for the sleeve opening. The 7-sun sleeve opening is the same size as a man's kimono, allowing you to feel the air circulating through.

The JUBAN - T-shirt is unisex and available in two sizes: M and L.

 

Armhole positioning

One detail that is easy to overlook is the "position of the sleeve attachment." Specifically, I am referring to the ratio of shoulder width to sleeve length (using the apparel definition of sleeve length here).

It is said that in the teachings of the legendary Seitai practitioner Haruchika Noguchi, there is a reference to the position of the shoulders.

He reportedly stated that "the position of the kimono's sleeve attachment is close to where Japanese people feel the 'boundary between the shoulder and the arm' lies."

It’s a bit of an abstract explanation, but try feeling with your fingers from your neck toward your arm to find where you consider your "shoulder" to be. Then, try the reverse, feeling from your elbow toward your shoulder to see how far up you consider your "arm" to be.

I suspect many people feel the boundary between the shoulder and arm is about 5 to 10 cm from where the arm attaches to the torso.

Recently, there has been a long-running trend of oversized Western-style T-shirts, so there are many loose-fitting shirts out there.

However, the concept of shoulder positioning differs between Western and traditional Japanese clothing; Western clothes seem to define the shoulder-arm boundary at the point where the arm emerges from the torso. Therefore, even when I wear an oversized T-shirt, the sleeves feel too close to the shoulder, which feels a bit unsettling to me.

In fact, the JUBAN - T-shirt provides a great sense of freedom around the shoulders, which contributes significantly to comfort in the summer.

The orientation of the fabric

Most people probably won't understand what this is about, but when the sewing factory made the samples, I felt a sense of unease as a kimono shop owner regarding the orientation of the fabric used for the sleeves.

The reason is that, as shown in the photo below, the weft direction of the fabric followed the gray line.

In the case of a kimono, the weft direction should follow the red line. For someone in the kimono business, this is considered a matter of course.

By rejecting these Western-style "common sense" practices and incorporating the standards we value as kimono experts, we are creating a new form of traditional wear.

 

Materials

We are announcing four types of materials. Staying true to our "Play KIMONO" concept, we have used high-quality, luxurious fabrics for each one.

 

KAJIF

Composed of 68% polyester and 32% cotton, this is an incredibly comfortable synthetic blend that brings out the best of both fibers.

It is also multifunctional, featuring stretch, antibacterial and odor-resistant properties, quick-drying capabilities, and water repellency.

The first sample I made was using KAJIF fabric, and I found myself reaching for it every morning—I spent 90% of the summer wearing this shirt.

 

Available colors

White, Gray, Blue, Bordeaux, Black

 

Linen

This is a 100% linen knit fabric that was specially woven for us. Hemp (linen/flax) is a popular material for summer kimonos. To be precise, the bast fiber commonly used in kimono is *choma* (ramie), but for this project, we chose linen.

Linen is a natural material that boasts excellent water absorbency, quick-drying properties, breathability, and durability.

Because the thread has a certain stiffness, it has the weakness of potentially stretching if pulled with force, but it returns to its original shape if wetted (normal wear is not an issue).

Please wash dark colors separately, as there is a possibility of color bleeding in the beginning.

Since it is a loose knit, it is quite sheer.

For that reason, this linen JUBAN - T-shirt is the perfect piece for mid-summer, allowing you to feel the breeze passing through.

 

Available colors

Beige, Gray, Purple, Black

 

Washi Inlay

Composed of 70% Japanese paper (Washi) and 30% polyester.

Inlay fabric is similar to sweatshirt material, but it is firmer and less prone to stretching.

Washi is noteworthy for its functional properties, including water absorption, quick-drying, deodorization, antibacterial effects, and the ability to absorb both water and oils. Even though it is a thick fabric, this is a luxurious JUBAN - T-shirt containing 70% washi. It is thinner than a typical sweatshirt, so it can be worn in the summer as well.

 

History

Because producing fabric containing washi requires advanced technology, it is often considered a cutting-edge material. However, it has been used by Japanese people as clothing for over 1,000 years; for instance, it is used for *kamiko* (paper garments) worn during the *Omizutori* ritual at Todai-ji Temple, and it was also worn by the monk Shinran.

Even in the modern kimono market, there are products such as *shifu* (woven paper cloth), though they are extremely rare.

It is a material that also shares a high affinity with the "Play KIMONO" concept.

 

Seasonality

Due to its fairly thick, reliable fabric feel, this T-shirt is designed to be worn from spring through autumn, taking into account the long summers we experience these days. In addition to the comfort of natural materials, its various functional properties make it wearable across a wide range of seasons.

Combined with our upcoming Haori coat, this is a piece that you can look forward to wearing from early spring to late autumn.

 

Available colors

White, Beige, Blue-Gray, Black

 

Washi Jersey

A knit composed of 60% Japanese paper (Washi) and 40% polyester.

It is made using a jersey knit and is lighter than the Washi Inlay.

 

Seasonality

It is designed as a T-shirt that can be enjoyed for a long time, including throughout mid-summer.

 

Available colors

White, Beige, Black