Fire God Tee

火の神 (hi no kami): "the fire god."

In the Kojiki, Japan's oldest chronicle, finished in 712, the goddess Izanami dies giving birth to the fire god Kagutsuchi. Her husband Izanagi, wild with grief, draws a sword ten hand-breadths long and cuts the fire down, and new gods spring from the blood on the blade. Fire still gets treated with care in Kyoto. Every July 31, people climb Mount Atago through the night for a shrine charm warning the kitchen to beware of fire.

White line work on black: a wild-haired, white-bearded figure leaps across the back barefoot, sword raised behind his head, smoke and wind whipping around him like a fire catching. In the box beside him the circled character is 天 (ten), "heaven," and the side panel begins 三尺三寸 (san-jaku san-zun), "three shaku, three sun," about 39 inches. A smaller figure sits on the chest.

Whoever always ends up running the grill at a cookout is exactly the person Kyoto would trust with that charm. The thin white line shows up well after dark, and there are more gods and guardians where this one came from.

• Fabric: 100% combed cotton, 230gsm, pre-shrunk and soft-washed
• Print: direct-to-garment (DTG)
• Color: black
• Fit: unisex, regular; size up for a boxier, oversized look
• Sizes: S to 3XL
• Size reference: 6 ft 2 in wears L; 5 ft 7 in wears M

Measurements for every size are in the size guide.