Before Tokyo was Tokyo, it was Edo. From 1603 to 1868 the shōguns ruled Japan from there, and the city produced a lot of the art people still picture when they think of Japan: woodblock prints, ink painting, Hokusai's Mount Fuji. The Edo Collection is my homage to that period.
This post goes through what's on each shirt and what it means. When someone asks what your shirt says, you should be able to tell them.
What every Edo shirt has in common
On the front, left chest, there's 江戸, the kanji for Edo, with a small red seal under it. That's the mark of the collection.
The artwork carries the mark of 五哲彩堂, which roughly means "The House of Five Philosophies". It's the name I release the art pieces under, a nod to the five cities and five virtues the rest of 5C5V is built on.
Every design is original artwork made for 5C5V. Some are inspired by real Edo-period prints, but none of them are copies or licensed reproductions, and I'd rather say that up front.
The four seasons: 春 Faint Bloom, 夏 Blue Haze, 秋 Fading Ember, 冬 Silent Light
It started with winter. Silent Light was the first of these I made, and when it was finished it felt cold. Dark ink, a lot of empty space, one figure walking into it. It looked like the last weeks of the year, so I went back and gave him the rest of the year to walk through.
On the back of each shirt, a lone traveller in a straw hat and kimono walks away from you, painted in quick, broken brushstrokes, as if he's only half there. He never changes. The season around him does:
- 春 Spring, Faint Bloom: blossom caught in the ink, pink and already falling. The year just starting to open.
- 夏 Summer, Blue Haze: blue bleeding through the strokes, like heat shimmering off a road, or rain you can't get out of.
- 秋 Autumn, Fading Ember: orange sparks lifting off him. Everything burning a little brighter before it goes out.
- 冬 Winter, Silent Light: nothing but dark ink and cold. The quietest of the four, and the one that started it.
Down the side of each runs 其儚き光 (sono hakanaki hikari), "that fleeting light". Japanese has a phrase for the feeling behind it, mono no aware: the quiet ache of knowing something beautiful won't last. The blossom falls. The haze lifts. The embers go out. The cold settles in. He keeps walking.
Each season comes in White or Vintage White. Vintage White is a warmer off-white that makes the ink look older.
Shōgun 将軍
Shōgun is the boldest print in the collection. On the back, a shōgun stands in ink wash under a red sun. The shōgun was the military ruler who actually ran Japan through the Edo period, while the emperor sat in Kyoto. It's a figure about power and discipline, and the red sun is the only colour on the print.
Also in White or Vintage White.
The Hokusai homages (裏 Editions)
Katsushika Hokusai (1760 to 1849) is the most famous artist of the Edo period. You know his wave even if you don't know his name. Two shirts in the collection are homages to his work.
They're 裏 Editions (here is where the 裏 comes from). 裏 (ura) means "reverse" or "the other side", and on these the artwork moves from the back of the shirt to the front.
- Katsushika Hokusai 裏 Edition: inspired by Red Fuji (Fine Wind, Clear Morning) from his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. A red mountain over blue water, framed like a print.
- Seán Seachtain 裏 Edition: a special piece by the designer Seán Seachtain, made for the collection. A black pine bough reaching across a low rust-red sun, in ink and wash on an aged-paper background, finished with red seals.
The shirt itself
The whole collection is printed on the same heavyweight tee:
- 100% combed ring-spun cotton, 7 oz/yd² (237 g/m²), a proper heavyweight.
- Boxy, oversized cut with dropped shoulders and a ribbed collar that holds its shape.
- Unisex, sizes S to 4XL.
- Made to order, so nothing gets printed until someone wants it.
On fit: it's meant to be roomy. If you want the relaxed, oversized look, take your normal size. If you want it closer to a regular tee, go down one.
If you're ordering from the US, here's how shipping, duties and returns work.
Frequently asked questions
What does 江戸 mean?
江戸 (Edo) is the old name for Tokyo, and the name of the period from 1603 to 1868 when the shōguns ruled Japan from that city.
Are these official Hokusai prints?
No. Every design in the Edo Collection is original artwork made for 5C5V. Some are inspired by Hokusai and Edo-period woodblock prints, but none are copies or licensed reproductions.
What does 裏 Edition mean?
裏 (ura) means "reverse". On a 裏 Edition the main artwork is printed on the front of the shirt instead of the back.
What does the text on the four seasons shirts say?
其儚き光 (sono hakanaki hikari) means "that fleeting light". It's about how short each season, and each moment, really is.
How do Edo Collection tees fit?
Boxy and oversized, with dropped shoulders. Take your usual size for an oversized fit, or size down for something closer to a regular tee.
What's the difference between White and Vintage White?
White is a clean bright white. Vintage White is a warmer off-white that gives the ink a slightly aged look.
Questions about sizing or the designs? Email matthew@5c5v.co.uk. It comes straight to me.
Keep reading
- Why our Hokusai tees say 裏
- Why Edo? The thinking behind the Edo Collection
- The meaning behind the kanji on every 5C5V collection
Written by the founder of 5C5V. I design every collection from Copenhagen, built around five Japanese cities and the virtue each one stands for. More about 5C5V.
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