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The Kit Archive · Away kit

Japan 2006 Away

The white counterpart to the 2006 blue home, from Zico's Germany World Cup cycle.

Japan 2006 away shirt, front: white with a subtle tonal graphic, blue adidas stripes, red trim and the JFA crest.

Product image via japansoccer-jersey.com · source

At a glance

Officially confirmed
Maker
adidas
Cycle
2006
Type
Away kit
Colorway
White, with a subtle tonal graphic, blue adidas stripes and red collar and cuff trim
Crest
JFA crest featuring the Yatagarasu
Rear neck
Japan flag at the back neck
Editions
Replica · Player issue
Rarity
Scarce
Japan 2006 away shirt, back: white with a subtle tonal curved graphic and red collar trim.
Back
Japan 2006 away shirt detail: the JFA Yatagarasu crest on the white body.
Detail
How to read this page
  • Officially confirmedConfirmed directly by the manufacturer, the JFA, FIFA, or official product / launch materials.
  • Sourced reportingReported by reputable specialist kit media where the original primary material is not directly accessible. Sources are listed at the foot.
  • NBN editorial guidanceNippon Blue Nation's own analysis: buying advice, sizing, counterfeit and market reads. Not official statements.

The story

The white change shirt of the Germany 2006 cycle, and the mirror of the blue home: the same adidas Teamgeist cut, flipped onto a white body with blue adidas trim, red collar and cuff detailing and a soft tonal graphic across the front. A cleaner, quieter piece from Japan's golden generation, and a scarcer find than the blue today.

The design

Sourced reporting

Theme: adidas Teamgeist template

The 2006 away sets adidas's Teamgeist template on a white body: blue adidas three stripes on the shoulders, red trim at the collar and cuffs, a subtle tonal graphic across the front, and the JFA crest with the Yatagarasu. ClimaCool construction, with the Japan flag at the back neck.

Sources: Football Kit Archive — Japan 2006 away

The buying companion

NBN editorial guidance

Which version should you buy?

As with the home, decide original versus reissue first. Originals are scarce and priced up; faithful reissues are cheap. Then check condition and authenticity.

  • Original or reissue?

    An original 2006 adidas away (replica or the slimmer player version) is the collector's piece, scarce and priced accordingly. Faithful retro reissues look the part for far less but are modern remakes. Decide which you want.

  • Short or long sleeve?

    Short sleeve is the common find in both originals and reissues.

  • Which patches?

    A World Cup shirt should carry the official 2006 badge; a friendly wears none. Match the patch to the competition the shirt claims.

  • Which nameset?

    Use the adidas 2006 World Cup font for a Germany shirt and the standard nameset otherwise.

  • What size?

    For US-market stock, follow the US size chart. Japanese domestic stock is labeled and measured differently, so check the Japanese size chart or garment measurements. Reissue sizing varies by maker, so measure.

  • Where to buy?

    Originals live on resale: authenticity-checked marketplaces and eBay, or a proxy for Japanese stock. Reissues are sold new by retro specialists.

The versions

Officially confirmed

Replica vs authentic

Replica

The everyday fan version. Original stock is resale-only; reissues are sold new.

Fabric
ClimaCool
Fit
Regular, stadium cut
Badges
Standard fan-spec

Player issue

The on-field player version: slimmer cut, at a premium.

Fabric
Player issue (on-field spec)
Fit
Slim, on-field cut
Badges
Player-spec

Which one is right for you is in the buying companion above. This table is just what each version is.

Patches & nameset

Officially confirmed

Patches

multiple
  • · No competition patch (friendlies / qualifiers)
  • · FIFA World Cup 2006 badge (tournament shirts)

Match the patch to the competition the shirt claims.

Nameset

multiple
  • · adidas 2006 World Cup nameset
  • · Standard JFA/adidas nameset for non-tournament matches

Match the nameset to the shirt's competition.

Before you buy

NBN editorial guidance

How not to get burned

  • Original versus reissue: a reissue sold as an original at original prices.
  • Condition on a white shirt this age: staining, cracked prints and fading are common.
  • Counterfeit exposure is high on older Japan kits: authenticate carefully.
  • A reseller who will not send wash-tag and product-code photos. No tag photos, no bid.
  • A price far below the going rate for a clean original: too cheap is the tell.

What a fair purchase looks like

Know which market you are in. A clean original commands a premium and condition drives price; a reissue should cost a small fraction. Treat a 'cheap original' as a reissue or a condition problem until proven otherwise.

Sizing

US market

Buying from US-market original stock: follow the US size chart. The player version runs slim; the replica is a fuller fit. Reissue sizing varies by maker, so measure.

Japanese domestic stock

Buying Japanese domestic stock: Japanese labels and measurements differ from US sizing, and a Japanese 3XL is not a US 3XL. Compare the garment measurements or the official Japanese size chart, and expect to need a larger Japanese-labeled size than your usual US size.

Spotting a fake

First establish original versus reissue: match the wash tag, product code and construction against verified images of the original 2006 shirt, and be wary of reissues sold as originals. On an original this age, condition and tag era matter as much as the print. Be cautious if a seller will not share detailed tag and code photos.

The market read

NBN editorial guidance

Retail status

Sold out

Availability

Scarce

Counterfeit risk

High

Price position

Premium

Demand

Steady

Confidence

Medium

As of the review date, a vintage kit: originals are out of production, scarce and priced at a premium, with condition driving value, while faithful reissues sell new for a fraction. Provenance, original versus reissue, is the whole game. This is a time-sensitive read; check current resale pricing in the Buying Guide.

NBN editorial assessment, not live market data. Reviewed Aug 8, 2026; next review Nov 8, 2026. Current retailer stock and pricing live in the Buying Guide.

Where it was worn

Officially confirmed

The white change shirt of Japan's 2006 cycle around the Germany World Cup.

Where to buy

Shopping for this era?

See NBN's complete guide to sizing, authentication, retailers, and Japan-only marketplaces.

Open the Buying Guide →

Keep exploring

Sources

Image credits

  • Hero: Product image via japansoccer-jersey.com (Editorial use) · source
  • Back: Product image via japansoccer-jersey.com (Editorial use) · source
  • Detail: Product image via japansoccer-jersey.com (Editorial use) · source

Nippon Blue Nation is an independent fan project and is not affiliated with adidas, ASICS, the JFA, or FIFA. Product images are used editorially to identify and discuss the kit, with each image's source credited above. Buying guidance is editorial and vendor-neutral; some outbound links may be affiliate links, noted where they appear.

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