Guardian Dragon Tee

守護龍 (shugoryū): "the guardian dragon."

Lake Ashi, high in the Hakone hills, once belonged to a nine-headed dragon that terrorized the villages on its shore. In the Nara period a traveling monk named Mangan came to the water and prayed until the dragon gave in. He bound it, and the beast repented and became the lake's protector, Kuzuryū, the nine-headed dragon god. His shrine still stands on the shore, and these days the people who make the walk out to it are mostly couples praying for a good match.

On the back a kabuki-style figure with red lines painted across his face and wild black hair grips a staff above a teal dragon with a gold mane, while navy and red clouds roll behind them. A smaller horned dragon head sits on the chest. There's no lettering anywhere, so the picture does the talking.

Kuzuryū's shrine draws couples hoping for a good match these days, so this one makes a fair gift for a partner who likes a protector with a temper. The chest dragon keeps the front from looking bare, and the other gods and guardians complete the shrine.

• 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.