The sukajan, from Yokosuka
What is a sukajan jacket?
A sukajan is an embroidered satin bomber jacket that began in post-war Japan. The name is short for Yokosuka jumper: American servicemen at the Yokosuka naval base had bombers embroidered with dragons, tigers, eagles and cherry blossom as souvenirs, and the jacket became one of the most copied pieces of Japanese streetwear. A sukajan keeps the bomber cut, with a ribbed collar, cuffs and hem, and the embroidery covers the back. It differs from a kimono jacket, which is unstructured and open at the front, although some shops sell the sukajan as a kimono bomber. Amaji sells five sukajan jackets from £69, in polyester, in sizes XS to 2XL, with chest measurements of 115 to 120 cm. The designs include a nine-tailed fox and a phoenix. Orders ship to 33 countries, free over $45 USD, with returns within 30 days of delivery.
Where the sukajan comes from
Sukajan is short for Yokosuka jumper. After the Second World War, American servicemen stationed at the naval base in Yokosuka had satin bomber jackets embroidered with Japanese imagery as souvenirs: dragons, tigers, eagles, cherry blossom and maps of Japan. The jacket travelled home with them and became one of the most copied pieces of Japanese streetwear.
A sukajan is an embroidered bomber jacket, first made in Japan as a souvenir in the postwar years.
Some shops sell it as a kimono bomber jacket for the Japanese embroidery, but the cut is a bomber. The recipe has barely changed. A satin bomber, ribbed at the collar, cuffs and hem, with embroidery that covers the back.
The nine tailed fox
Kitsune, the fox, is one of the most powerful spirits in Japanese folklore, and a fox's tails are said to multiply as it grows older and wiser. Nine tails marks the oldest and strongest of them. On this jacket the fox runs across the back in raised thread, with cherry blossom carried over the chest and down one sleeve.
The five here
The Phoenix Sukajan Bomber Jacket is the place to start. Black polyester satin with a phoenix embroidered across the back in pink and plum thread, its tail sweeping down through blossom. The front comes three ways: gold wings at the shoulders, red wings, or gold wings with white flowers and falling petals. Each is unlined or padded for colder weather. MA-1 cut, stand collar, front zip, XXS to XL.
The Japanese Raijin Souvenir Jacket carries Raijin, the thunder god, embroidered across the back inside his ring of taiko drums. Matte shell rather than satin, zip front, welt pockets, ribbed at collar, cuff and hem. It comes in black, and in a Black Padded version with a wadded lining for colder weather.
The Nine Tailed Fox Sukajan Jacket is a polyester satin bomber that catches light without looking wet, with the fox running across the back in raised thread and cherry blossom over the chest and down one sleeve. Ribbed collar, cuffs and hem, a snap front and two tone raglan sleeves.
The Men's Reversible Phoenix Sukajan Souvenir Jacket is the only one that turns. One face has a phoenix embroidered across the back in silver and gold thread, a second phoenix and a tiger squaring off over the chest, and cherry blossom along the shoulders. Reversed, it is plain black satin with navy sleeve panels. Satin polyester, full zip, welt pockets, raglan sleeves.
The Men's Embroidered Dragon Bomber Jacket carries the most thread of the five. A dragon is worked across the whole back in gold and silver, coiled through clouds and cherry blossom, with a second down each sleeve and a third breaking over the chest. Satin polyester, black body against contrast sleeves, zip front, with ribbing striped to match the sleeve.
All five are cut relaxed. The Phoenix Sukajan Bomber runs XS to XXL, the Raijin, the fox and the reversible phoenix XS to XL, and the dragon bomber XS to XXL.
How to wear a sukajan
Wear it over black and let the back do the talking. Everything else should be plain: a tee, dark or wide trousers, a clean shoe. It pairs naturally with Japanese trousers, and for a quieter Japanese jacket see the noragi and haori.
Souvenir jacket, sukajan, Yokosuka jumper
All three names describe the same jacket. Sukajan is the Japanese contraction; a souvenir jacket is what the servicemen who commissioned them called the thing they carried home; Yokosuka jumper is the long form. Japanese souvenir jackets are still made to the original recipe, and a men’s sukajan jacket bought today differs from a 1950s one mainly in the fibre of the satin.
The motifs, and what they mean
The embroidery was never decorative alone. Dragons stand for power and protection, tigers for courage, koi for perseverance upstream, the phoenix for rebirth, and cherry blossom for how briefly good things last. Eagles and maps of Japan came from the American side of the exchange — a record of where the wearer had been. Two of those turn up here directly: the nine tailed fox, the oldest and most powerful form of the kitsune, and the phoenix on the reversible jacket. The third takes a different route - Raijin, the thunder god, is a deity rather than an animal, and he is embroidered inside the ring of drums he beats to make thunder.
What to look for in one
- Embroidery, not print. Real sukajan work is raised off the satin and reads from the back of the cloth. A printed panel is flat and will crack.
- Ribbing at three points. Collar, cuffs and hem. Ribbing that has lost its stretch is what ages a satin bomber fastest.
- Satin with a dry sheen. It should catch light without looking wet; high-shine lining satin is the usual shortcut.
- A back that carries one idea. The tradition is a single large motif, not a collage.
Caring for satin and embroidery
Hand wash cold or dry clean, without bleach. Hang it to dry away from direct sun, and iron cool on the reverse so the satin and the stitching are never pressed directly.
For the history and the motifs on the back, read the sukajan jacket guide, and for a side-by-side of shops and prices, the best sukajan jackets.
Measurements come from the manufacturer's flat size table for each garment, converted to centimetres and mapped onto one size ladder. Available for 4 of the 5 garments here, last checked 2026-11-03. How we measure.
Sukajan Souvenir Jackets at a glance
| Piece | Fabric | Fit | Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's Kimono Bomber Jacket, Embroidered Phoenix Sukajan | Polyester | Fitted | XS–XXL | £69.00 |
| Men's Embroidered Dragon Bomber Jacket | Polyester | Loose | XS–XXL | £99.00 |
| Men's Reversible Phoenix Sukajan Souvenir Jacket | Polyester | Loose Fit | XS–XL | £168.00 |
| Men's Raijin Souvenir Jacket, Japan Sukajan | Polyester | Relaxed | XS–XL | £69.00 |
| Men's Japanese Bomber Jacket, Nine Tailed Fox Sukajan | 100% polyester | Loose fit | XS–XL | £99.00 |
Shop all Men's Japanese Jackets
Read the guide: What Is a Sukajan? Yokosuka Origins and Motif Meanings
More guides:
Frequently asked questions
What is a sukajan?
A satin souvenir bomber jacket embroidered with Japanese imagery. The name is short for Yokosuka jumper, after the naval base where the style began after the Second World War.
What does the nine tailed fox mean?
In Japanese folklore the kitsune gains tails as it grows older and wiser, and nine tails marks the oldest and most powerful.
Which sukajan here is reversible?
The Phoenix souvenir jacket. One face carries the phoenix, a tiger and cherry blossom; turned, it is plain black satin with navy sleeve panels.
How does the sukajan fit?
Relaxed, with ribbing at the collar, cuffs and hem. The Phoenix Sukajan Bomber runs XS to XXL, the Raijin, fox and reversible phoenix XS to XL, and the dragon bomber XS to XXL.
How do I wash a satin sukajan?
Hand wash cold or dry clean, do not bleach, hang to dry away from direct sun and iron cool on the reverse.
Where can I find a cheap sukajan?
At Amaji, the lowest-priced sukajan are the Men's Phoenix Sukajan Bomber Jacket with ukiyo-e embroidery and the Men's Raijin Souvenir Jacket. Both cost well under our reversible Phoenix, and each also comes in a padded version for colder weather. They are affordable everyday jackets made in China, not vintage or made-in-Japan collector pieces.