Kawasaki is celebrating its Z 50th anniversary throughout 2022, and the company is eager to celebrate all year long. From special bikes to special, limited-edition merch to commemorate the occasion, Team Green wants to make sure all Z fans have the opportunity to get festive. After all, not every bike gets a 50th anniversary to start with—and if it does, that special event only happens once in a lifetime.
To that end, Kawasaki partnered with a select group of artisans, both in Japan and elsewhere, to craft some limited-edition items. At the time of writing on February 7, 2022, there are currently five of these items—but it appears there are plans for additional ones to be made available as the year progresses. We’ll link to the official Kawasaki page (link in Japanese) about these items in our Sources so you can bookmark it if you want to stay on top of things.
From a crystal tumbler to a pair of special straight-cut jeans emblazoned with Kawasaki Z 50th anniversary logos and orange accent stitching, the curated collection certainly contains a variety of ways to celebrate. Let’s take a look.
Kawasaki partnered with Japanese leather specialist Tochigi Leather Company to craft a special Z 50th Anniversary key chain. It consists of a leather strap, metal ring, and metal medallion. The keychain comes in two colors, red and orange—both of which are dyed, and feature a debossed Z50th logo on the medallion, along with the Kawasaki brand on the strap portion of the keychain. MSRP is ¥ 3,333, or about $29.
If that doesn’t ring your bell, don’t worry—Kawasaki has an actual Z50th Anniversary bell charm that’s sure to do the trick. It’s meant as a rider protection charm, similar to the St. Christopher medal that comes in all Icon apparel. The bell is shiny silver, nickel-plated, and comes in a black drawstring bag. One side features the Z50th Anniversary logo, while the other side features the Kawasaki river mark logo. MSRP is ¥ 2,750, or about $24.
For those who want to more boldly show off their Z50th Anniversary excitement, Kawasaki is also offering a set of five commemorative Kutani Ware plates, a traditional craft from Ishikawa Prefecture. These beautiful, colorful plates feature traditional motifs around the edges, along with a different piece of Z50th anniversary artwork in the center of each plate. These also come in a special box, which makes them perfect to give as a gift to the ultimate Z fan in your life. MSRP is ¥ 9,680, or about $84.
Gallery: Kawasaki Z50th Anniversary Commemorative Line
Team Green is also offering special crystal Baccarat tumblers engraved with Z50th Anniversary logos, for those who count their Zs among the finer things in life. A single tumbler comes in a red box, wrapped with a festive white ribbon—great to give someone else, or yourself. MSRP is ¥ 14,965, or about $130.
Last but not least, Kawasaki and Kojima Jeans collaborated on a special pair of Z50th Anniversary jeans for fans who prefer to wear their Z love. They’re a straight-cut pair of dark blue jeans, with Kawasaki and Z50th anniversary leather accents at the waistband and on one rear pocket, as well as a small amount of contrasting Kawasaki orange stitching along the selvedge for anyone who likes to turn up their jean cuffs. The jeans come with a cream-colored Z50th Anniversary tote bag, as well. MSRP is ¥14,850, or about $129.
All of these items will be produced in limited quantities, although Kawasaki does not specify exact production numbers. Unfortunately, if you wanted a pair of those jeans, the preorders for them have already sold out—so you’ll have to wait to see if someone eventually sells theirs on the secondary market. At the time of writing on February 7, 2022, the plan is to begin offering at least some of these items through Kawasaki Plaza locations throughout Japan sometime in April, 2022.
