Japanese Shoes: Bespoke & RTW Super Thread

[clee1982]

I haven't been to Japan for over 2 decades (once when I was a kid, once when I was a teenager) definitely want to go again, though given we have a 3 years old now, whenever I go back to Asia it's going to be Taiwan first, China second, so unless I can get half of the relatives to Japan it's probably not happening...

 

[Stefan88]

I haven't been to Japan for over 2 decades (once when I was a kid, once when I was a teenager) definitely want to go again, though given we have a 3 years old now, whenever I go back to Asia it's going to be Taiwan first, China second, so unless I can get half of the relatives to Japan it's probably not happening...

Taiwan is great. Me and the wife want to go there, but we have the opposite problem. Usually with family in Japan ?

 

[thatshoeotaku]

Absolutely!
I didn't realize you hadn't launched yet. I figured the return trip back to Japan was launching time, unless the return trip has yet to happen ?.

When launch time does occur, I know a guy who can help and hinder. Help you with a little exposure and name dropping. Hinder us because you will be delayed and raise prices.

@j ingevaldsson would be the guy. It is because of him and that damn site of his I can't even look at a pair of Eiji Murata shoes due to wait time. ?

Having some hiccups with my suppliers etc, there's no infrastructure in Singapore at all.

Well currently still in Singapore so we'll see how things go. Just got my lasts so hopefully things move along smoothly now.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Ah, I didn't realize there was a modified last. Yes, seems nice!

Quick other question for you, while I have you. I'm reading your review of a Miyagi Kogyo semi-brogue, and I see you mention that Japanese lasts "can sometimes have a slightly different shape to European." I was wonder if you could expand on that all?

When it comes to RTW lasts they are sometimes lower and with a more inwards shaped top back heel, to accommodate Japanese standard foot shapes. But it's not that big differences and in most cases people from West can wear things without problems, same way as Asians can wear European lasts in general without problems.

For bespoke makers it's more different though, since the in general very "fleshy" Japanese feet normally are much easier to fit and have "under measurements" to a much higher degree than the more skinny, bony and sensitive European or American feet (all generalisations). Know several Japanese makers finding it a challenge at first to learn how to make for international clients.

There's a lot of rumours on who makes what, and it shouldn't always be trusted. I believe though, that the handwelted stuff he makes himself.

Well, as I wrote before the info came from Central Shoes themselves, wouldn't say info from the actual factory is rumours... And Nutcracker is also well informed in general. But to put it like this, what fact do you have to say that Central doesn't (or at least did) make Corno Blu's RTW? ?

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

There's a store in Fukuoka called Gentry Complex carrying handwelted shoes styled similar to EG for quite nice prices. Believe it's all order based, and obviously they had nothing in my size... ?
And, Fukuoka is the best city in Japan. Would recommend a trip there. Best food and chill atmosphere ? Corno Blu is there too!

Had heard many great things about Fukuoka. I was close to there as well, as I was visiting Nagasaki.

Next time will make that a priority then! Mostly for the food though. Do love Japanese food ?. A shoe order, for once, would be a side venture

 

[Stefan88]

Had heard many great things about Fukuoka. I was close to there as well, as I was visiting Nagasaki.

Next time will make that a priority then! Mostly for the food though. Do love Japanese food ?. A shoe order, for once, would be a side venture

Nagasaki is lovely. Let me know if you head to Fukuoka. Know some great motsunabe, sushi, yakiniku, gyukatsu, kare and yakitori places ?

 

[clee1982]

make me hungry already

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Nagasaki is lovely. Let me know if you head to Fukuoka. Know some great motsunabe, sushi, yakiniku, gyukatsu, kare and yakitori places ?

Personal favorites from here have to be:
Motsunabe using pork, yakitori (of any sorts), yakiniku is fantastic but Japanese folks just need a few more burnt parts on there haha, kare (is there a rice Japanese do not make well).. And of course, Sushi!

Nagasaki was nice. I believe once you've done the trip it doesn't require a second visit. Within that area though, something about Kumamoto appealed to me.

 

[clee1982]

always an add bonus to visit Japan or Italy, I can take my wife and go, try this nice restaurant (then get some shoe and suit on the side!)! now if you do bespoke in London, well you got to try harder with the food part, the random find a place sit down and have something not the great turns out is a lot likely to happen in London...

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Speaking of other loves, I am a huge baseball fan. Japanese baseball is awesome.
I saw the Carp (Hiroshima) playing the Tigers (Hanshin) when I was in Hiroshima. I was fortunate enough to see 6 different teams play.
It wasn't all work, food, and shoes ?.

 

[Stefan88]

always an add bonus to visit Japan or Italy, I can take my wife and go, try this nice restaurant (then get some shoe and suit on the side!)! now if you do bespoke in London, well you got to try harder with the food part, the random find a place sit down and have something not the great turns out is a lot likely to happen in London...

Over three years I don't think I've ever encountered bad food in Japan. And I've basically lived at the Juso shotengai for 3 months ?

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

always an add bonus to visit Japan or Italy, I can take my wife and go, try this nice restaurant (then get some shoe and suit on the side!)! now if you do bespoke in London, well you got to try harder with the food part, the random find a place sit down and have something not the great turns out is a lot likely to happen in London...

As cosmopolitan as London is, the food options are not the best out there. But, like my other love, the football is ??.

Italy is my wife's favorite place which is why I have been there many times. I tend to favor Italian suiting, cuisine, and culture (although not Italian time schedules), that's always a much easier trip to convince the misses to take compared to any where else.

We were going to do a trip to Japan March 2021 (even had plane tickets for the whole family), but sadly we had to cancel due to Covid uncertainty. My misses response was "well we can take the boys to Italy" ?.

 

[j ingevaldsson]

Over three years I don't think I've ever encountered bad food in Japan. And I've basically lived at the Juso shotengai for 3 months ?

That's the most impressive part to me, that everything always is tasty and well-cooked. That one can go to relatively fancy restaurants and be served amazing food isn't really anything, but that everything from the noodle place with paymachine outside to the Asakusa tourist restaurant with English menus also serve good stuff is incredible.

 

[BColl_Has_Too_Many_Shoes]

Over three years I don't think I've ever encountered bad food in Japan. And I've basically lived at the Juso shotengai for 3 months ?

I challenge you to say the same about London. Let's not talk about Manchester and Liverpool ?.

 

[clee1982]

I think that's generally true in Asia (walking around sit down in some rando can at least met expectation), in Europe I think Italy is the case as well, didn't feel that's the case say in Germany..., France I guess depends on where you're these day, feels like Paris jus gets more and more tourist trap (still have good stuff, but more and more tourist trap)