Tanaka Hat Shop Alma Boater Hat

The boater hat is a staple straw hat for women.

Unlike classic styles with short brims, the longer brim casts a good shadow over your face, also functioning as sun protection.

In addition, the wide brim offers a pleasing face-slimming effect for women.

Straw hats are mainly made from barley stalks.
The material is "straw braid" woven into a Sanada-himo (braided cord) shape using seven strands of barley.
Straw allows air to pass through well, releasing heat that tends to accumulate inside the hat, thus preventing heatstroke.

In Japan's humid summers, you can truly appreciate the benefits of traditional straw hats.

Of course, they also make a delightful gift.
The "Tanaka Hat Shop" tag on the inside of the hat is a testament to the careful craftsmanship of Japanese artisans.

"Straw hats" are a traditional craft of Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture.
Currently, there are few factories in Japan that can mass-produce them, and among them, Tanaka Hat Shop is a long-established company boasting over 100 years of history and tradition.

Straw hats are made using a unique sewing method where seven strands of straw are woven into one, and each one is sewn circularly by hand, layered by artisans.

"Straw," a natural material, is breathable and perfect for sun protection, making it an essential hat for summer.

Tanaka Hat Shop continues to carefully make popular straw hats for men and women of all ages, one by one, using traditional methods.

Straw braid, softened by soaking in water, is sewn using a hat-making machine.
Sewing begins from the "crown," the top of the hat called "uzu" (vortex), and proceeds in overlapping circles.

The process is carefully advanced, occasionally checking the size with a wooden hat block.
The finer the material, the more difficult the sewing becomes, and only a skilled craftsman can create a beautiful shape.
Hats sewn with highly skilled techniques are not only aesthetically pleasing but also exceptionally comfortable to wear.

Straw hats are sewn from autumn to winter in preparation for the following spring.
After softening the material by soaking it in water, the sewn straw hats are sun-dried.

This process often takes place during the cold, dry winter months, hence it is called "kanboshi" (cold drying). The sight of straw hats laid out across the ground has become a "seasonal tradition" in Kasukabe City.

Using a dedicated blocking machine with attached molds, the hats are pressed with water pressure to form their shape.
Depending on the design, the crown and brim may be shaped separately using different wooden molds, steamed by hand one by one.
Having numerous molds allows for the creation of various hat designs by combining them in different ways.

After blocking, decorations such as sweatbands and ribbons are added.
All processes are done by hand, and the ribbons, which serve as accents, are carefully sewn on one by one by skilled artisans.

For the finishing touch, fine straw burrs are removed.
When straw braid is woven, the surface skin of the straw may peel off or buds may protrude.

If worn as is, it would feel prickly and uncomfortable.
For the sake of the wearer, these are carefully cut one by one by rubbing the hat with the palm of the hand.
This is the thoughtfulness of the craftsmen, considering the comfort of the wearer.