Red Suikan Sugata

by Ishiyama Gen’tarou Yori’ie

The Suikan Sugata was everyday wear for men and boys of higher class warrior families. Boys would wear it when serving as attendants or messengers to royalty. In later period, it became considered more formal.

This outfit, or “sugata”, consists of:

• Tall “tate eboshi” hat
• Red “suikan” over-robe
• White “kosode” robe
• Red “sashinuki” pants

Both the suikan and sashinuki are embellished with “kikutoji”, which also reinforce the seams where they are attached.

In period, the clothing items in this outfit would have been made of silk or hemp fabric. Most likely, the suikan would have been a loose-woven hemp, the kosode silk, and the sashinuki a specially dyed silk. This suikan is made of a linen/rayon blend. The kosode is 100% linen. The sashinuki are a cotton print. The Japanese did have some cotton in period, and this print is very close to a traditional Japanese pattern known as "seikaiha". The kikutoji are hand crafted from silk yarn and silk thread.

I constructed this outfit for His Highness Sir Isenwulf of Æthelmearc to wear during opening ceremonies of Pennsic War XL in 2011.

This outfit won "Populace Choice" and "Baron and Baroness Elect's Choice" awards at The "Summer's End - Gion Festival" on Saturday, September 10th, 2011 in the Canton of Beau Fleuve, Barony of the Rhydderich Hael.