Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[nutcracker]

Shoes Blessing Festival, 11/23~11/24 @ Tamahime Inari Shrine, Tokyo

Located in Asakusa, Tokyo, the Tamahime Inari Shrine is the patron shrine for the countless of shoemakers and related businesses that surround the area. During the annual 'Shoe Blessing Festival' (Sat 23 ~ Sun 24 this year), a Thanksgiving for Shoes' of sorts, local shoe manufacturers, together with the local community, show their gratitude with plenty of noise and festivities. For anyone residing here in Tokyo, and also for those currently visiting Tokyo, this should be a fascinating event to participate in.

Old, worn out shoes (brought in by the owners) are given proper appreciation for completing their duties.... prayers are offered at a memorial service.

Shoe shaped shrines on the march!!

Leather shoes/bags/wears made by the local manufacturers are offered for 60%~90% off!!!

Coinciding with the festival..... An attempt to shatter the World Record for a Simulaneous Shoeshine! (currently held by the United Arab Emirates).... 800+ people are anticipated to show up to the event to shine their shoes together.

Image courtesy of the Official Homepage for the event

 

[chogall]

Man...

So awesome for having world class local bespoke makers...

 

[nutcracker]

... and the result for the Shoe Shine Challenge that happened today...

Readyyy~~ Go!

Waiting for the result....

World Recooord!! approved by the Guinness World Records

well... the result was a given, considering the event mobilised 800+ people (way over the previous record of 451 ppl). Still, must have been a fun event!

Video

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]


Official Home Page

 

[FlyingMonkey]

Oh, wow, I am there - this is just down the road from me, but I am racing tomorrow out in Kanagawa (Warrior Dash Japan!), so I'll try to pop by on Sunday...

 

[nutcracker]



Oh, wow, I am there - this is just down the road from me, but I am racing tomorrow out in Kanagawa (Warrior Dash Japan!), so I'll try to pop by on Sunday...

I just saw a youtube clip on Warrior Dash.... looks pretty crazy
Have fun and be safe

 

[nutcracker]

Central & Miyagi Kogyo MTO Order Fair 11/16 (Sat) ~12/1 (Sun) @ World Footwear Gallery

Central and Miyagi Kogyo, two of the highest regarded shoe factories in Japan, each have their own high end RTW line that are offered exclusively at the WFG. Tokyo. The ongoing Pattern Order (MTO) Fair offers a rare opportunity to order any of them from a variety of leathers and soles.

Central Shoes: MTO price starts from ¥59,800 yen. Aside from the standard French calfskin (Annonay), a variety of textured leathers and pull up leathers are offered. Single soles with fiddle waists are standard, and could be opted for spade or double soles.

Central's collection is distinguished by its sharp lasts with chiseled toes.

Nice looking boots.

Miyagi Kogyo RTW shoes: 6 models, 14 leathers (including Shinki Cordovan) to choose from. MTO price starts from ¥58,800.

Double monks in Calf (center), and Shinki Cordovan (left and right)


from World Footwear Gallery

 

[Betelgeuse]

Central & Miyagi Kogyo MTO Order Fair 11/16 (Sat) ~12/1 (Sun) @ World Footwear Gallery

Central and Miyagi Kogyo, two of the highest regarded shoe factories in Japan, each have their own high end RTW line that are offered exclusively at the WFG. Tokyo. The ongoing Pattern Order (MTO) Fair offers a rare opportunity to order any of them from a variety of leathers and soles.




Central Shoes: MTO price starts from ¥59,800 yen. Aside from the standard French calfskin (Annonay), a variety of textured leathers and pull up leathers are offered. Single soles with fiddle waists are standard, and could be opted for spade or double soles.


Central's collection is distinguished by its sharp lasts with chiseled toes.

WOW! Those two dubmonks boots are insane!

 

[Gianni Cerutti]



Betelgeuse,I agree. Would you like to see more shoes?　 Please use this as reference. http://ilquadrifoglio.tumblr.com/

BEAUTIFUL COLOR

 

[FlyingMonkey]

The shoe-blessing festival was as quirky as you might have expected: as shakuhachi flutes and taiko drums played in the background, piles of crappy old shoes were handed over to be burned, and piles of crappy new ones were being sold! This was some distance away from the super bespoke of nutcracker's posts down at the bottom end of the RTW market. Fun, though, and nice weather for it...

 

[nutcracker]



The shoe-blessing festival was as quirky as you might have expected: as shakuhachi flutes and taiko drums played in the background, piles of crappy old shoes were handed over to be burned, and piles of crappy new ones were being sold! This was some distance away from the super bespoke of nutcracker's posts down at the bottom end of the RTW market. Fun, though, and nice weather for it...

That sounds like good ol' fun! The youtube video I linked above (the shoe shine event) had kids' marching band performing right before the start.

The vast majority of shoe manufacturers in Asakusa aren't high end at all, but most of them (that have survived) have been operating for a very long time, and I'm sure there is a good amount of community spirit and pride that ties them together...

 

[nutcracker]



BEAUTIFUL COLOR

The top one has a patinated finish.....I recall the base color (leather) is very light blue, and a mixture of blues and violets have been applied.... they look quite stunning in person!!

The bottom one with antique buckles is actually made from a very dark shade of green (Moss Green) with black wax polish applied on the toe. The color have since faded/lightened over the years of display, and I must say it looks even better with age.

 

[nutcracker]

It's been a while since I posted shoes by the inimitable Marquess

Side Elastic Shoes in Chisel toe
Carl Freudenburg Impala leather in Bordeaux

Side Elasic Shoes in Chisel toe
Carl Freudenburg in Chocolate calf

Wing Cap Oxford Shoes in 'Marquess Round' toe
Ebony Calf

Semi-Brogue Oxford Shoes in 'Marquess Square' toe
Carl Freudenburg Chocolate calf

All four pairs are bespoke shoes for his fortunate clients

Marquess Blog

 

[luk-cha]



It's been a while since I posted shoes by the inimitable Marquess

Side Elastic Shoes in Chisel toe
Carl Freudenburg Impala leather in Bordeaux

Side Elasic Shoes in Chisel toe
Carl Freudenburg in Chocolate calf

Wing Cap Oxford Shoes in 'Marquess Round' toe
Ebony Calf

Semi-Brogue Oxford Shoes in 'Marquess Square' toe
Carl Freudenburg Chocolate calf

All four pairs are bespoke shoes for his fortunate clients

Marquess Blog

awesome, lovely balance to these lasts and designs

 

[nutcracker]



awesome, lovely balance to these lasts and designs

Totally agree.... IMO best not to tinker with....

 

[Gianni Cerutti]

The top one has a patinated finish.....I recall the base color (leather) is very light blue, and a mixture of blues and violets have been applied.... they look quite stunning in person!!

The bottom one with antique buckles is actually made from a very dark shade of green (Moss Green) with black wax polish applied on the toe. The color have since faded/lightened over the years of display, and I must say it looks even better with age.

Thank you very much for your kind reply.

But according to you and who do you think is the best bespoke shoemaker in japan? I am very curious of your answer, very important to me.

According to you it is better to Fukuda or Saion?

And what is that which makes bespoke shoes more comfortable? And what better to finish?