Custom dyed and made in the USA. Introducing our new custom dyed Kuma shirts with Semamori ( 背守り) embroidery! This line of apparel passes on a unique Japanese tradition from the Edo period in which parents would embroider special symbols onto the backs of their child's kimono in order to protect them from evil spirits. This specific symbol on the back of our Kuma line is Asanoha which represents longevity.
Kuma means bear in Japanese. These specific Japanese black bears are also known as moon bears or "tsukinowaguma" because of their special crescent-like symbol on their chest. The bear on the front is also a mascot here at Kiriko, representing the Pacific Northwest and old Japan. Screenprinted with soft inks and made to last.
*Due to the dyeing process, we recommend going up a size