Japan's Relationship With Aloha Shirts

[Mulboyne]

[floatl][/floatl]Asahi: 'Aloha shirt' a poor fit for Japan's super cool biz summer
As part of the power-saving campaigns following the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant...the comfortable Hawaiian shirt seems to be a natural fit for Japan's "super cool biz" campaign. However...there remains a deep-rooted aversion to government employees dressed in Hawaiian shirts, commonly referred to as "aloha shirts" in Japan. That's ironic, because the aloha shirt has its origin in clothing manufactured by Japanese immigrants, said Ryoichi Kobayashi, president of Toyo Enterprise Co., and holder of the "aloha shirt" registered trademark in Japan. "The traditional 'yuzen' dyers in Kyoto printed patterns on fabrics and exported them to Hawaii through Japanese immigrants," he said. "The shirt was thus born out of Japanese technology"....Aloha shirts thus have close ties with Japan, but when postwar Japan began to "reimport" them from the United States, wearing one was seen as embodying the war conquerer's nation...more...

[BigInJapan]

Asahi: 'Aloha shirt' a poor fit for Japan's super cool biz summer
However...there remains a deep-rooted aversion to government employees dressed in Hawaiian shirts, commonly referred to as "aloha shirts" in Japan.

I used to enjoy wearing Hawaiian shirts in the summer, but my collection seems to have virtually disappeared. Might have something to do with my wife saying that I look like a yakuza while wearing them. (I have about a snowball's chance in hell of being mistaken for a yakuza, but whatever.)
Anyway, hopefully this apparent misconception that "aloha shatsu" are connected with thugs will fade away.
Reading the above article (not proofed by a native speaker it seems), apparently "half pants" are allowed by some local government offices.

One local government took it a step further and allowed its employees to work in "ultra cool biz," including half pants.

Can't wait to get a pair of these "half pants"...

[TennoChinko]

That's ironic, because the aloha shirt has its origin in clothing manufactured by Japanese immigrants, said Ryoichi Kobayashi, president of Toyo Enterprise Co., and holder of the "aloha shirt" registered trademark in Japan.

Not as ironic as one might think. Those Japanese immigrants were generally considered the unwanted flotsam of the lower classes (and below - burakumin etc) and doing the nation a favor by leaving Japan. Shedding The Unwanted: Japan's Emigration Policy.

[sirwanksalot]

Hawaiian shirts, commonly referred to as "aloha shirts" in Japan.

"Hawaiian shirts" are referred to as aloha shirts in Hawaii as well.

[matsuki]

Not as ironic as one might think. Those Japanese immigrants were generally considered the unwanted flotsam of the lower classes (and below - burakumin etc) and doing the nation a favor by leaving Japan. Shedding The Unwanted: Japan's Emigration Policy

Indeed....

Everytime I hear the word "Burakumin" I have a flashback to my old boss and his, "See, Japan has minorities too" speech. Fucking clueless...

[TennoChinko]

The original article seems to miss the fact that business attire utilizing aloha shirts in Hawaii doesn't include the often gaudy designs favored by tourists and comes out looking quite oyaji kusai as in this photo:



Shirt designs are more subdued with muted colors. And, get tucked into dress trousers or khakis (I did mention oyaji kusai, didn't I?)

[BigInJapan]

A couple of examples how NOT to wear an aloha shirt.
According to Wiki, apparently "aloha shirt" is the more common nomenclature.
And you thought "casual Friday" was a recent invention?
Think again. Been around since the 1960s as "aloha Friday". How about that.