The brand is JAPAN UNDERGROUND, a new apparel brand that seeks to support and revitalize areas of Japan using designs from each prefecture's local manhole cover designs. Incidentally, this is also the reason behind their name, which is an homage to the underground water and sewer system.

JAPAN UNDERGROUND has already had several media appearances on TV, and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Beginning in July 2021 around the Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Hokuriku regions, the brand is currently planning to scope out designs in the Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Shikoku, Chugoku, and Kyushu Regions in the near future as well. An Okinawa trip also appears to be in the works.

However, they can't simply snap a photo and slap it on a t-shirt that easily. There's actually a detailed process to adopt prefectural manhole designs for fashion.

The goal is to adopt at least one local design per prefecture to decorate their apparel in 2022. But because the designs are owned by local governments, the people behind JAPAN UNDERGROUND must directly negotiate with each local government in order to obtain permission to use the designs on their shirts.

To do this, they travel around Japan in a van and scope out the manholes in person, selecting only the most stylish manhole designs, and requesting permission to use them. They also regularly share these designs on social media.

The Manhole x Apparel collection offers customers the opportunity to learn more about the city or town each design represents, and to discover a newfound appreciation for their own hometown.

With this initiative, the brand hopes to encourage travel to these areas, and revitalize the economy through increased tourism, public transportation use, and visits to local restaurants, shops, and accommodation facilities. They also hope to raise environmental awareness and the importance of the underground sewer system through their fun and lighthearted depictions.

Here's a quick look at some pieces from their latest collections!

The Hokkaido Collection features manhole cover designs from five cities: Otaru, Wakkanai, Sapporo, Kushiro, and Ishikari.

The Tohoku Collection features designs from the following six cities: Kamaishi (Iwate Prefecture), Higashine (Yamagata Prefecture), Higashimatsushima (Miyagi Prefecture), Aomori (Aomori Prefecture), Minamisoma (Fukushima Prefecture) and Akita (Akita Prefecture).

The Hokuriku Collection features manhole designs from the following six cities: Ojiya and Sanjo (Niigata Prefecture), Katsuyama and Fukui (Fukui Prefecture), Namerikawa City (Toyama Prefecture), and Komatsu (Ishikawa Prefecture).

T-Shirt Specifics
・Sizes: S / M / L / XL
・Available Colors: White, black
・Price: 4,200 yen (tax included)
・Shipping: 800 yen nationwide, excluding Hokkaido and Okinawa (which are 1,500 yen).
*Tax not included in shipping price. Please note that as of April 1, 2022, the official website does not state whether international shipping is available.

Only Available Online:
https://japanunderground.shop


T-shirts are a common, comfortable clothing item that fit into any wardrobe, and that people can use year-round. Because of this, JAPAN UNDERGROUND hopes that their t-shirts and the causes they support will become more than just a temporary trend, and continue to inspire customers and local communities for a long time to come.

Source: PR Times