Seem beyond Nike and Adidas and you will obtain that the planet of footwear is dominated by Japanese shoes.
No matter if utilized to a pair of sneakers or ergonomic sandals, the “Made in Japan” stamp assures the conscientious shopper that they are paying for a little something of the greatest excellent. At minimum, that is been the situation for the cult brand names that have emerged from the East Asian island, giving shoes that marry classic craftsmanship and design innovation.
It is no wonder that streetwear enthusiasts and collectors from all over the entire world frequently make pilgrimage to Japan, in particular its fashion capital Tokyo, exactly where sneaker culture is taken to another amount. It is that town where by the frenzy for Western sportswear giants 1st took off, but Japan previously experienced its personal heritage of general performance footwear relationship back to the ’50s thanks to models like Onitsuka Tiger and ASICS.
In the past ten years, the appreciation of Japanese makes has only developed many thanks to the streetwear boom. Nowadays, cult labels like Suicoke and Hender Plan have arrive out of obscurity many thanks to collaborations with worldwide luxury models.
So if you are on the lookout to enhance your footwear video game with Japanese shoes, in this article are all the manufacturers that should really be on your radar.
Onitsuka Tiger
When Uma Thurman rocked a pair of Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the Quentin Tarantino flick Kill Monthly bill, she solid a highlight on a single of the oldest shoe providers in Japan. The brand name started off off humbly adequate in 1949 in Kobe, the hometown of founder Kihachiro Onitsuka, who needed to develop the greatest shoe for athletes.
Onitsuka would uncover his remedy in an octopus salad, which motivated the suction mechanism in his 1st basketball sneakers. He would go on to build far more shoes that took centre phase at the Olympics.
While his business rebranded as ASICS in 1977, the Onitsuka Tiger label remains, reviving its hit models from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. But it is the striped Mexico 66 footwear, famously worn by Bruce Lee on the silver monitor, that is its most enduring style and design.
ASICS
ASICS is the acronym of the Latin phrase “amina sana in corpore sano”, which interprets to “healthy soul in healthy body”. In short, it is what the Japanese sportswear brand name hopes to offer you by means of its array of running trainers and general performance footwear, which are frequently boosted by its signature GEL cushioning.
In the earlier 10 years, the brand has also expanded into the entire world of life style sneakers, in particular by way of coveted collaborations with edgy vogue labels like Kiko Kostadinov and Vivienne Westwood. As a consequence, ASICS offers an comprehensive catalogue of footwear that can enchantment to all, irrespective of irrespective of whether you are seeking for form or functionality.
Mizuno
Although Mizuno was proven in 1906, the Osaka sportswear corporation only commenced creating waves with its managing shoes in the ’80s, which ended up sought soon after by American athletes. In 1997, it released the Wave Journey sneakers, showcasing the distinctive wave plate method that can now be found throughout a lot of of its footwear.
In the 21st century, the brand name has been propelled out of obscurity many thanks to collaborations with world-wide fashion brands like GCDS and Margaret Howell. This year, it has also tapped on Japanese artist Hajime Sorayama to just take its footwear into the foreseeable future.
Losers
Started in 1975, Tokyo-dependent streetwear label Losers is one particular of the coolest brand names in Japan, priding alone in curating types that are rooted in Japanese society. The brand’s sneakers incorporate the Japanese thought of “iki”, an expression of simplicity, sophistication, and originality. Therefore the Losers slogan, “Stick to your guns”.
And in fact Losers has, notably producing shoes using colours borrowed from the “48 browns and 100 grays” that popular Japanese people had been permitted to have on in the Edo period of time. The manufacturer has because built waves at trend exhibitions with its thoroughly clean and subdued footwear, marked by the trademark V-formed structure on the toe.
Visvim
Japanese menswear brand name Visvim was launched by Hiroki Nakamura in Ura-Harajuku in 2001. Given that then, it has grow to be a staple in some of the most coveted wardrobes. John Mayer’s like for the manufacturer, for occasion, has been well-documented given that he was launched to it by legendary rock musician Eric Clapton.
The brand name is very best regarded for amping up tried out-and-real silhouettes (imagine Adidas Stan Smiths, Nike Air Power 1s and Converse Chuck Taylors) with magnificent materials and putting them back again on the current market as something completely new. It also takes an progressive tactic to building its sneakers, no matter if by managing all-natural textiles with modern systems like Gore-Tex, or incorporating sturdy Vibram outsoles to its moccasin-inspired FBT footwear.
Suicoke
Although Suicoke initially released in 2006 presenting components, it afterwards carved its market in Japanese manner with its performance sandals. These utilitarian footwear kinds had been frequently crafted with several straps, complex materials, and long lasting Vibram outsoles.
In the past couple years, Suicoke’s cult adhering to has expanded further than Japan thanks to two things: the increase of father sandals like Birkenstocks, as properly as its considerably-hyped collaborations with brands like BAPE, Dr. Martens and Moncler.
Hender Plan
Launched in 2010 in Tokyo, Hender Scheme is the brainchild of Ryo Kashiwazaki, a leather-based artisan who sought to juxtapose basic Japanese “shokunin” craftsmanship with some of his favourite sneaker silhouettes. His materials of selection was raw leather-based: the untreated substance is able to decide on up the organic have on and tear of its setting, creating every single shoe exclusive to its proprietor.
Hender Scheme is most notable for reproducing well known sneaker styles such as Nike’s Air Force 1 and Air Jordan IV totally by hand in high quality leather as aspect of its Handbook Industrial Products (MIP) line. It has also these days collaborated with international brand names like Adidas, The North Encounter and Tod’s.
Comme des Garçons Play
Rei Kawakubo’s avant-garde style label Comme des Garçons barely wants an introduction. Its sub-label, Comme Des Garçons Perform, has its own merits as one of the pioneers of the Japanese cult sneaker scene. The manufacturer conquered the streets with its CDG Enjoy x Converse Chucks showcasing hearts and eyes. Whilst a streetwear staple in the 2010s, the sneakers could be observing a comeback in the new decade right after staying noticed on sneaker influencer Travis Scott.
Chucks aside, Comme des Garçons alone also has a longstanding collaboration with Nike for which it routinely revives forgotten silhouettes these kinds of as the ’90s Air Carnivores.
Header picture credit: ASICS