If you’re looking for a quality, lightweight jacket, consider Akashi-Kama’s Noragi. Here’s why I love mine.
It’s not every day you see a Noragi jacket. In fact, until I came across Akashi-Kama I’d never even heard of them before. In fact, I first encountered Akashi-Kama going through The Modest Man’s photo archives. TMM founder Brock McGoff tried out a navy cotton Noragi a few years back. Over time, I became more and more curious about this unusual lightweight jacket.
Akashi-Kama kindly agreed to send me one in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. In this article, I’ll share my experience with my Akashi-Kama Noragi Jacket so far.
About Akashi-Kama
Alec Nakashima founded Akashi-Kama in 2018 after a trip to Japan. Upon returning home to the States, he searched in vain for a modern twist on traditional Japanese clothing. As a result, he created Akashi-Kama. Nakashima’s brand offers made-in-America basics, such as hoodies, tees, and caps, alongside its flagship Noragi jackets.
What Is a Noragi Jacket?
A Noragi jacket is a traditional Japanese robe-like garment worn by both men and women. Akashi-Kama’s take on this jacket is shorter and more streamlined to better fit American tastes. It has slim sleeves, which are perfect for cuffing. It also features two waist-level front ties with gold-color aglets. You can wear the jacket tied or open. The length is comparable to a blazer.
Akashi also offers a Haori jacket, which is a short-sleeved version of the Noragi made for lightweight summer layering.
Akashi-Kama Noragi Jacket Review
Here are my thoughts on this jacket after over a month of testing.
First Thoughts
My first thought upon trying on this jacket was that it felt like wearing a black kitchen apron. The black twill polyester fabric and the ties at the waist brought a visceral memory of making cookies with my mom as a kid.
Honestly, I was disappointed by this jacket at first. I didn’t know if it was a style I could pull off, let alone want to pull off. This was all the more shocking when I quickly fell in love with my Noragi.
After trying it out at home, I quickly began trying to find excuses to wear it more and more. While the jacket’s not something you see every day, it doesn’t feel out of place in my wardrobe. I soon discovered that it’s super easy to wear. I like that it flies under the radar, but upon a second glance, people notice that it’s not a typical cardigan.
In fact, after a few wears, I began to think about how nice it would be to have a Noragi in a few colors and styles.
Fit
As we say here at The Modest Man, “Fit is king.” If a garment doesn’t fit well, it’s not worth owning. Luckily, my size small Noragi jacket fits great. For reference, I’m 5’6” and about 140 pounds. I’ve been losing weight recently, and at this point, I could probably just as well go with either an XS or a S.
The jacket’s body length is perfect. While the sleeves are a tiny bit long, they look great cuffed, so it’s not a problem. The sleeves are somewhat slim but not too tight. With the jacket tied, it fits similarly to an unstructured tailored jacket.
The closest piece of clothing I can compare it to is my denim jacket (which fits like a shacket). I think a Noragi and a denim jacket can fit similar niches in a wardrobe.
Features, Fabric, & Color
One of the jacket’s most distinctive features are the ties in the front. They’re a twill weave polyester — the same fabric as the rest of the jacket. The square gold-colored metal aglets are stamped with the name “Akashi” on two sides.
To be honest, I think I’d really prefer a cotton Noragi over a polyester one. That said, I’m surprised by how well the technical poly fabric wears. The same goes for the black color, too. I’m finding that it’s not hard to wear, even though dark navy would technically be more versatile.
My Experience
As I mentioned, upon first trying on this jacket it wasn’t love at first sight. However, it grew on me quickly. Within just a few days, I was trying to find excuses to wear it almost daily. I’ve worn it to church, to a barbeque, on dates, and just relaxing alone at home.
It feels like an inherently casual garment, at least to me. However, it’s easy to dress up. Although not really at home with a dress shirt and tie, it works great with chukka boots, a button-down, and dress pants.
I will say the ties took some getting used to. For one thing, they’ve gotten caught in a car door once or twice (which is not a great feeling and perhaps even dangerous). Less notably, when wearing the jacket with joggers, I’ve found it’s best to tuck the drawstring in because tiers of strings/ties aren’t a good look. I find that I wear the jacket untied most of the time. Having it tied seems to draw more attention, and I find it very comfortable to wear loose.
I’m surprised that it hasn’t received more comments. I’ve had a couple of friends and a few family members ask about it. But most people don’t seem to notice that it’s not your run-of-the-mill polyester Northface. I, for one, am just fine with that. I don’t like my style choices to shout, “Look at me!” — I’d rather they be discovered upon a second glance.
Overall, I’ve really enjoyed wearing my Noragi and trying to experiment with new ways to wear it.
5 Ways To Style an Akashi-Kama Noragi Jacket
Speaking of which, seeing as it may be difficult to envision how to wear a new addition to your wardrobe, here are a few ways to wear a Noragi jacket. Examples are arranged from casual to formal.
Ultra-Casual Evelated: Off-White Tee, Super-Slim Joggers, and White Minimal High Tops
Starting things off, here I’m wearing an off-white T-shirt, skinny black joggers, and white minimal high–tops. I’m wearing the black Noragi untied with the sleeves cuffed. This is more of a streetwear look than I typically wear.
Next time I try this ultra-casual pairing, I think I’ll swap out the white sneakers for black footwear. The color-blocking here is a bit jarring. Especially since I’m a shorter, low-contrast guy, it’s not always best to have multiple strong contrasts in one outfit. Doing so can make you look shorter and otherwise draw away attention from your face.
Casual Androgynous: Red Long-Sleeve Tee, Slim Joggers, Vans, and Cartier Tank Watch
I’m really enjoying wearing this jacket in high/low combinations. By that, I mean mixing casual and formal elements within an outfit. For example, I love wearing my small Cartier Tank — a watch I frequently wear with a tuxedo — with laid-back looks. Here I wear it with my black Noragi with the sleeves cuffed.
Not only am I playing around with formality here, but I’m also toying with traditional gender expectations. While not looking outright feminine, almost all the components of this look are androgynous.
Take the watch, for instance. It’s the traditional tank size men wore from the 1910s until recently. These days, however, Cartier markets it as a women’s timepiece. It’s a far cry from the huge toolwatches that dominate the male horological landscape, and thus it can look dainty by comparison. The reddish-pink shirt, Vans, and joggers are likewise at least somewhat gender-neutral.
The jacket itself is also a unisex piece. While it can look somewhat feminine, as you’ll see, it’s also right at home in more traditionally masculine ensembles.
Smart Casual: Tee, Chinos, Sneakers , and Shades
Here’s the fit that inspired me to check out Akashi-Kama. In this photo, Brock is wearing cuffed chinos and a tee (both from Everlane), white minimal
This outfit teeters on the edge of casual and smart casual (but I think that the jacket and silver cuff tip it more towards smart casual). It’s a great example of off-the-clock style. The jacket wears just as easily as a hoodie but just makes you look so much more put together.
Relaxed Sunday Best: White Long-Sleeve Polo, Grey Flanner Trousers, and Chukka Boots
Bumping up the formality, here I’m wearing the black Noragi tied with a white long-sleeve polo, grey straight-cut flannel trousers, and grey chukka boots. To me, it’s a relaxed Sunday after-church ensemble.
Believe it or not, this is the kind of thing I often wear around the house. I know it kind of says, “Bond villain takes a stroll through his poison garden,” but hey — it’s both super comfortable and looks put together. (In fact, Lyutsifer Safin in No Time to Die wears a Noragi-reminiscent jacket around his secret lair.)
As the formality increases, the more I think that a Noragi in a natural fabric, such as cotton or silk, would be a better fit. I’m surprised at how easily this polyester jacket can be dressed up nonetheless.
Noragi-Formal: White Long-Sleeve Polo, Charcoal Grey Dress Pants, Suspenders, and Black Chelsea Boots
Lastly, here’s a look I call “Noragi-formal.” While not technically adhering to a formal dress code, this is about as formal as this Noragi can get. I’ve tried wearing it with a dress shirt and tie, but it didn’t quite work.
Instead, I’ve stuck with a white long-sleeve polo (one of my all-time favorite shirts) but swapped out the contrasting mid-grey trousers for a very dark pair of slim dress pants.
With the jacket being unusual, this combo is sleek and streamlined while still being visually interesting. I wore a few silver accessories, such as a ring and a cuff bracelet, to add even more dimension. This is something that I’d wear to the symphony or on a date to an art museum.
Alternatively, you could exchange the polo for a charcoal grey turtleneck for a more monochromatic style. I tried this a few days ago. It’s definitely more of an intense look, but I think it worked.
FAQ
Here are answers to some common questions about Akashi-Kama:
Do You Have To Be Asian To Wear a Noragi Jacket?
No, you don’t have to be Asian or have Asian heritage to wear a Noragi jacket.
Who Founded Akashi-Kama?
Alec Nakashima founded Akashi-Kama in 2018.
My Reccomendation
While I love my Noragi, it’s not a piece for everyone. This jacket, in my opinion, does feel a bit feminine. There’s something about how it flows, along with the tassels — either dangling or tied at the waist in a tidy knot — that feels a bit gender-bendy. It is, in fact, a unisex garment. I don’t mind at all, but keep in mind that I write about style for a living.
I’m not sure that the average dude in middle America would want a Noragi. That said, I think that it’s a super versatile piece a lot of guys could wear if they’d give it a chance. I’d recommend an Akashi-Kama Technical Noragi for men who are at least somewhat fashion-forward and are looking for a quality lightweight jacket.
Would you wear this uncommon jacket style? Let me know in the comments below!
