OSAKA 力

The Osaka collection is the 5C5V range built on 力 (chikara), the kanji for strength. It takes two strokes to write, fewer than any of the other four.

Osaka is Japan's third most populous city, with about 2.8 million people. It was long the country's main commercial centre: feudal lords were paid in rice, Osaka's merchants built the storehouses, and a rice exchange was licensed there in 1697. Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building Osaka Castle in 1583. One stone in its walls, the Tako-ishi or Octopus Stone, weighs 108 tons and was hauled more than 100 kilometres before it was laid in 1624.

I paired Osaka with strength because, in the 5C5V telling, the city stands for resilience and inner strength: confidence built through effort and consistency.

In the collection now: hoodies in black and French navy; oversized T-shirts; cuffed beanies in navy, light blue and light grey; fisherman beanies in five colours; a black cotton cap; acrylic and wool snapbacks in royal blue, black and navy; and the Retro 8-Bit hoodie from Neon Dawn. The KIROKU Sumi 002 tee, People are the Castle, paints that 108-ton stone. Everything is made to order.

Questions people ask

What does 力 mean?

力 is read chikara and means strength, force or power. It is written in two strokes. It is the virtue 5C5V pairs with Osaka.

How do the Osaka snapbacks fit?

They are structured six-panel caps with a flat brim and an adjustable snap at the back. They are one size, and the size chart on the product page runs from 51 to 60 cm.

What is the stone on the KIROKU Osaka tee?

It is the Tako-ishi, or Octopus Stone, the largest stone in the walls of Osaka Castle. It weighs about 108 tons and was set in place in 1624.