This short-sleeved aloha shirt by Hookano is nod toward the Asian-inspired prints and fabrics that were popular in the ’30s, when tourism to Hawai‘i was booming. The patterns of these shirts depicted many different Asian symbols, from the pheonix that represented long life to tigers that symbolized courage and strength. This shirt features paper lanterns, each depicting a different scene. One shows a torii, a traditional Japanese gate; another a two-tiered pagoda. One features a mikoshi (palanquin) upon which a shrine’s kami (Shinto deity) is carried during matsuri (festivals). All of these paper lanterns are set against a swirling blue and white backdrop, as if they are floating on a river. Along the way are red, gold and dark purple maple leaves, indicating autumn’s arrival.
