Yokosuka Launches New Sukajan-Embroidered Souvenir 'SUKACAP' for Online and In-Store Sale Starting June 6

SUKACAP and Special Packaging Box

Macmillan Inc. (Headquarters: Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President and CEO: Hiromichi Yokochi) and ICHI LLC (Headquarters: Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture; Representative Member: Benjamin Porten et al.) announce the launch of 'SUKACAP,' a new Yokosuka souvenir featuring embroidered sukajan designs, on June 6, 2026. Developed as part of the 'Next-Generation Sukajan Culture Creation Project,' which combines state-of-the-art embroidery machines with an online ordering system, the product will be priced from ¥4,400 (tax included). Customers can choose from 134 designs and specify embroidery placement at 8 locations on the cap, resulting in approximately 8,316 trillion possible combinations. The first release launches on June 6, with a second wave on June 20 introducing additional hat styles such as bucket hats and safari hats. Sales will be available online and in-store at 'ICHI Dobuita Main Store' on Yokosuka’s Dobuita Shopping Street.

SUKACAP Sales Page

What is 'SUKACAP'?

'SUKACAP' is a new souvenir that brings the iconic Yokosuka fashion—sukajan embroidery (featuring eagles, tigers, dragons, skulls, 'Japan,' etc.)—into everyday wearable caps. The design adopts the trendy DAD CAP style (a shallow baseball cap), creating a unisex, age-inclusive look suitable for all.

Variety of SUKACAPs

Design Examples

Customers can select from 134 original designs created by sukajan artist Hiromichi Yokochi and choose embroidery placement at 8 different cap locations. With combinations of hat type, design, and embroidery position, over 8,316 trillion variations are possible. From classic sukajan motifs to zodiac signs, food items like tacos, and kanji characters, users can express their individuality. In-store, color variations are also available, enabling nearly infinite combinations to create a truly one-of-a-kind item. Additional embroidery can be added later, allowing owners to enjoy the unique experience of 'growing' their custom cap over time.

All purchased items come packaged in a special box, making them ideal not only as souvenirs but also as gifts.

Development Background

This product originated from Macmillan Inc.'s 'Next-Generation Sukajan Culture Creation Project,' which won the grand prize in Yokosuka City’s startup contest. It was realized through collaboration with ICHI LLC. Both companies combined their strengths to jointly develop and market the product.

Macmillan Inc. … Provides embroidery using the latest industrial embroidery machines and developed the online ordering platform

ICHI LLC … Develops sukajan designs through its in-house sukajan artist and operates a physical store on Yokosuka’s Dobuita Shopping Street

By combining Macmillan’s 'technology' with ICHI’s 'designs and retail presence,' the collaboration enables small-lot, rapid-turnaround production of sukajan-patterned goods—something previously difficult to achieve. In-store orders can be completed and delivered in as little as 30 minutes.

Challenges Facing Dobuita Shopping Street

Despite sukajan being a specialty product of Yokosuka, the tourist destination Dobuita Street lacks unique, exclusive offerings, weakening its competitiveness against other tourist spots. This stems from three major challenges in the sukajan industry:

High unit cost … Even budget sukajans require millions of yen to produce store-exclusive versions, making it difficult for individual shops to offer unique products.

Long product development cycles … Limited factories capable of sukajan stitching mean production can take over a year. Given the fast-changing market demands, this poses high risks for product development.

Shrinking market … A lack of new product development leads to stagnant market growth and failure to attract new users, creating a vicious cycle of market contraction.

'SUKACAP' addresses these challenges by combining advanced embroidery machines, an online ordering system, and a rich library of original designs from a sukajan artist. It delivers 'exclusive products only available in Yokosuka' with short lead times. By lowering the barrier to wearing sukajan designs, it aims to expand the sukajan market, create future employment for artisans, alleviate the shortage of skilled embroidery machine operators, and pass Yokosuka’s traditional culture on to the next generation.

Market Context

Personalized consumption—where consumers seek one-of-a-kind items—is growing. Japan’s custom apparel market is expanding at an average annual rate of over 8%. Services like UNIQLO’s in-store embroidery service 'RE.UNIQLO STUDIO' are popular among foreign tourists, indicating rising interest in on-demand embroidery customization. However, on-demand embroidery services are not widely known, and unclear pricing structures have hindered broader adoption. 'SUKACAP' meets both tourist souvenir and personalization demands through transparent pricing (from ¥4,400), a wide range of designs, and the unique experience of receiving a specially boxed product on the spot.

Sources: Fast Retailing Integrated Report 2024 / Grand View Research (2024) / Dimension Market Research (2024) / Statista (2023) / WWD Japan (2024) / IBISWorld (2023) / and Macmillan Inc.’s estimates based on public data.

About Sukajan Artist Hiromichi Yokochi

Sukajan Artist Hiromichi Yokochi

Born in 1981 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. After studying cognitive psychology (experimental psychology) at Kobe University Graduate School, he worked as a planner and director at Kayac Inc. before becoming independent. In 2008, he moved to Yokosuka and began operating from Dobuita Street—the birthplace of sukajan—as the 'first-generation sukajan artist.' His life’s work is reviving traditional sukajan patterns from the genre’s early days (1940s–1950s), using a distinctive painting technique that fills surfaces while stitching embroidery lines, similar to chain stitching. He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Dobuita Shopping Street Association, actively contributing not only to design but also to regional revitalization and cultural preservation in Yokosuka.

Notable Achievements and Collaborations

Provided sukajan pattern designs for PUMA

Collaboration with GU (currently 4 items)

Appearance on TV program 'Mujin Bakkuru,' collaboration with Tokugawa Art Museum

Design of official licensed sukajan patterns for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo

Collaboration with the game 'Monster Hunter'

Created shopping street flags for Dobuita and Yokosuka’s sukajan-themed manhole covers, among many others

With a specialist sukajan artist overseeing design and bridging cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship, the project aims to promote sukajan culture from Yokosuka to the world.

Product Overview

Product Name

SUKACAP (Sukacap)

Launch Date

June 6, 2026 (First Release) / June 20, 2026 (Second Release adding bucket hats, safari hats, and other styles)