An imaginative design, this short-sleeved Malihini aloha shirt features two prominent symbols in Japanese culture.
The first is a colorful kabuto, or helmet worn by samurai. This particular helmet, a suji bachi kabuto, has cords that tie under the chin. These helmets often featured crests on the front, with recurving fukigaeshi, and the shikoro composed of hundreds of interlaced metal scales. This was an important part of the equipment of samurai.
The other is the tsuru, or Japanese crane, a symbol of happiness and eternal youth. In Japan, this sacred bird represents good fortunate and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years. On this shirt, the crane is both in an emblem, its wings outstretched, and in mid-flight.
