Kamakura Maker's Shirts: A Japanese Gem
A Deeper Dive into Japanese Craftsmanship, Store Offerings, and the “Vintage Ivy” Collection
Upon exiting an ANA Boeing 777-300ER at Haneda Airport in Tokyo (sorry for the Avgeek in me) I had a few activities on my mind that I couldn’t wait to explore. As I ventured the city for the first few days of my trip I learned truly how big the coastal megopolis was. It is large beyond comprehension with the vastly different neighborhoods that within themselves dwarf many large US and European cities.
Nestled inside of one of the largest shopping districts on earth in Ginza City was the Kamakura Maker’s Shirts store. In the US when I had read up on the brand it seemed as if they were few and far between for lucky American consumers who could find them at a good price. The website is sparse and most information can only be found in store.
Let’s Talk Shop
Entering the well lit and displayed store I immediately notice the scale of the brand in Japan. From tourists like myself, to young Japanese financiers, to 80 year old men looking to find bespoke jackets and shirts for their holiday gatherings. We all found shelter in the same store, what seemed like a Japanese institution built to serve the old and young in an admirably impeccably dressed Japanese society.
The store was busy (I had to wait a long time to get those photos people-free) and the staff knew everything there was to know about the brand and fittings in both Japanese and English. On display they had a wall of their shirts in many materials, from wool to tropical cotton and linen. They had a variety of seasonal offerings: cable knit sweaters, merino crew necks, wool overcoats, and corduroy trousers.
On top of these seasonal offerings they had their latest collection labeled “Vintage Ivy” which contained corduroy and chambray shirts, classic oxford shirts with the University Stripe pattern, and interesting socks that were personally not my cup of tea.
I also visited the store in Osaka later in my trip and noticed similarly friendly staff and the same store offerings although perhaps worse English comprehension.
Styling
When talking about styling It was clear that many of their shirts were tailored for the Japanese buyer although they did have larger sizes but fitting slimmer than many would be used to. Even myself being over 6 ft (180cm) tall and on the slimmer side was able to find a shirt off of the sizing chart that fit nicely but perhaps I should have gotten the sleeve length a cm longer.
For the Vintage Ivy collection shirts they lean more towards the American styling we are used to and are definitely my favorite of the bunch. Around Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka I noticed many people on the street wearing Kamakura shirts which I identified from the interesting 3 button collar on the Vintage Ivy collection and the slim mother of pearl buttons. When speaking to some locals they immediately recognized the brand and were surprised to hear that I knew about their existence.
Although I didn’t purchase any for myself the accessories felt and looked fantastic. From ties to pocket squares and everything in between. Cuff links made with fantastic attention to detail and nice patterns. Ties in silk and wool, knitted and woven, patterned and solid. If my other experiences are anything to go by I imagine the quality is great as well
The trousers were definitely on the pricier side even with the weak yen but pricing we will talk about later. The chinos felt comparable to anything you would find at Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren with perhaps slightly better craftsmanship around the belt loops and hems, plenty left for alterations. The material choices were excellent with the same style it used across all the trousers in their lineup. The incredibly soft flannel used in the wool pants stood out as very premium. I could not find artificial fibers anywhere in the store, and believe me I did try.
Construction
As for the quality of the shirts themselves, let’s start with the buttons. The buttons are incredibly tightly bound to the placket of the shirt, so much so that taking the buttons out of the holes is not the easiest one-handed affair. The buttons are made of real mother of pearl and are noticeably thinner than the usual buttons you find on shirts.
On both the Vintage Ivy OCBD and their standard shirts from the shelves, the collar and shoulders both use a welt seam that is tight and sturdy. On the Denim shirts they have a faux double welt look in the collar which I believe this is a stylistic choice rather than a structural one. Both of the shirts lack substantial tuckaway material which is a gripe that I most feel with the Vintage Ivy edition. The last button ends above my waistline which proves a challenge with the material underneath. This could be more of a personal problem for myself but definitely something worth noting. I just wish they would have added some material or an extra button. This is less noticeable on the regular line shirts which have an extra button and slightly more material. Although the Vintage Ivy shirts do have a hanging ring which is a cool detail.
“While I can’t give a certain answer to the longevity of these shirts I would be confident in telling you that they will last a long while.”
The material they use feels substantial although when put on the scale they weighed significantly less than a comparable shirt from Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren which were around 340 grams while the Kamakura shirts weighed in the 290g range. This difference could be attributed to the extra material on the other shirts. The sleeves on the shirts differ with the normal shirts having 2 buttons on the sleeve while the Vintage Ivy line only has the one button at the wrist making it easier to roll up. Overall the quality is fantastic and can rival anything stateside. While I can’t give a certain answer to the longevity of these shirts I would be confident in telling you that they will last a long while.
Pricing
Even though the brand does technically import to the US (I believe the USD prices in the photos are the foreign prices) the prices for imported goods are nothing special for their increased price although they definitely rival the other big brands. In Japan the prices are truly spectacular especially for foreigners using the comparatively strong Euro, Pound, or Dollar (Subject to exchange rate shifts of course). I paid two different prices for their shirts, for which from what I could find they have 3 in total.
Standard: 6,900 JPY (approx. $40)
Premium/Vintage Ivy Collection: 9,800 JPY (approx. $60)
High-End/Special Materials/Tailoring: 12,000 JPY (approx. $75)
This seems almost comical compared to the pricing we see from MiUSA products from J Press, Brooks Brothers, O’Connells, and Ralph Lauren. Mind you, all of their products are made in Japan and nothing that I found was offshored.
From my trip to Japan I can say that it didn’t take long to recognize that the Japanese artisans have tremendous respect and skill for whatever craft they pursue. Tailoring, textile manufacturing, cobbling, blademaking, auto manufacturing, they can absolutely do it all. It’s a part of their history after all: learning, practicing, mastering, and teaching. During the Meiji Restoration Era the Japanese had an influx of western trade come into the nation; keeping the faith and values of Buddhism and Shinto close to their hearts while embracing and mending many western products and practices into a distinctly Japanese society. I have developed an incredible appreciation for the crafts in the country and will absolutely return if given the chance even just for the Kamakura shirts and handcrafted kitchen knives.
Nice deep dive on Kamakura. The pricing delta between domestic and import is wild, especailly at $40 for the standard tier in Japan versus what Brooks Brothers charges stateside for comparable construction. I picked up a few of their oxfords in Kyoto a couple years back and the collar roll on the Vintage Ivy line is actually one of the better implementations I've seen, even if the tuckaway material thing is annoying. That mother-of-pearl button tightness you mentioned is intentional btw, they use a denser thread and smaller button holes to reduce gapping over time.