A monthly street fashion column by Yutaro Saito

yutaro saito street fashion — © Yutaro Saito

—January 4th, 2023, New Year’s in Sugamo.
With the double combo of the New Year and the festival day that falls on the 4th, Jizo-dori Shopping Street was exceptionally crowded. Okonomiyaki, tamakonnyaku (simmered konjac balls), grilled pork belly skewers, yakisoba, salt-grilled sweetfish, gohei-mochi, karaage... The street was filled with mouth-watering aromas from the food stalls.

Sugamo is known as a neighborhood for the elderly, and even the festival stalls seemed to be tailored to suit older visitors. The temple within the shopping street was packed with New Year’s worshippers. There were at least ten security staff and police officers stationed within the grounds, guiding and patrolling. Is New Year’s shrine-visiting in Tokyo really that dangerous?

After walking through the shopping street, I arrived at the front of Sugamo Station. There, three young men dressed like students from the early Showa* era were performing old songs in a street live performance. With just a guitar and vocals, the simple, nostalgic sound mixed with the New Year’s festive mood to create a warm and cheerful atmosphere. The soft winter sunlight, shining against them from behind, also contributed to the scene.

—And just beside this trio, sitting on the edge of a flowerbed, was an old man listening to the music, staring off into the distance in a fixed posture, almost like he was in a sauna. He was wearing a silver jacket reminiscent of the Hedi Slimane era Saint Laurent.

YT(Yutaro Saito): “Excuse me—!! That jacket is so cool! Would you mind if I took a quick photo of you?”

Since the live music was playing right next to us, I naturally raised my voice.

OJ(Ojiichan): “Sure—”

The old man answered in a soft, almost inaudible voice.

YT: “Thank you so much! Where’s this cool jacket from?”

OJ: “It’s a fishing one—”

At first, I thought it was from a sports brand, but when I looked closer, I noticed the word “SHIMANO*” on the chest.
What I had mistaken for Saint Laurent turned out to be from a fishing gear manufacturer.

YT: “Oh, I see! So you’re into fishing! Have you been wearing it for a long time?”

OJ: “From when I traveled around the world—fishing—back then—”

YT: “Wait, you traveled around the world fishing!? That’s insane!”

At first, I wondered if that had been his job, but it turns out fishing was simply a “hobby.” His actual job, he said, was as an “inventor.” From what I could make out from his raspy voice, he used to build railway-related machinery and supply it to JR(Japan Railway Company) and other train companies.

With the money he saved from his invention work, the old man embarked on a round-the-world fishing trip. This SHIMANO jacket had accompanied him on that journey. The ribbed cuffs were covered in pilling, and the print was faded in places—a clear sign of long years of use.

Even more astonishing: the man, now 86, said he took that trip after turning 80. It seems he harbors a passion and energy far beyond what his frail voice would suggest.

YT: “This cap is cool too! Did you buy that during your fishing trip as well?”

OJ: “This was from Alaska—went there twice—”

YT: “Alaska!? That’s awesome! Did you go fishing there too?”

OJ: “No—Alaska was—well, to see the aurora—”

Apparently, he had visited Alaska separately from his fishing trips, just to see the Northern Lights. He bought the cap during that trip. It had a beige body, with an embroidered scene of a grizzly bear catching a salmon.
The embroidery extended onto the brim, which was gray and slightly different in tone from the body, giving the cap a carefully crafted look. The dynamic spray of water expressed in embroidery was reminiscent of a VETEMENTS fire cap. Perhaps Demna’s inspiration came from souvenir caps like this.

In the end, I took one full-body shot and close-ups of both the cap and jacket. After thanking the old man and saying goodbye, the trio of musicians had also just finished their performance. As I walked toward the station, I glanced back. The old man had stood up and was handing one of the young performers a 1,000 yen bill. The young man smiled and thanked him warmly.

Sugamo really is a good town.

*Showa: The Showa era refers to a period in the Japanese calendar system lasting from 1926 to 1989.
*SHIMANO: A Japanese fishing gear manufacturer founded in 1940.