Kutsunugi (removal of shoes)

As Japanese houses are built with a raised floor to facilitate ventilation underneath, this naturally causes a level difference from the doma (dirt floored entrance). This gap has come to be regarded as the boundary to separate the inside from the outside and is likely to have given rise to the custom of kutsunugi, which is removing one’s footwear when stepping up into the house, so as to not bring dirt inside. A horizontal wooden bar, placed on the level between the doma and the floor, is called agarikamachi. This, along with kutsunugi-ishi (a large rock for placing one’s shoes on) and shikidai (the step that is inserted when the agarikamachi is too high), serves as a welcoming space for the guests.

Indoor footwear

During the Middle Ages, socially high-ranked members of society used indoor footwear. One of these, uwazori (indoor slippers or sandals) were depicted in Boki Ekotoba (painted scrolls) from the early Muromachi period (14c-16c). In the painting, the uwazori worn while walking on wooden floors are removed on the tatami floors, suggesting that the tatami floors were considered to be “further inside” the house than the wooden ones. Even in modern times, indoor footwear (slippers) is used on wooden floors, toilets, and other such areas, but not on tatami floors. In schools, it is customary to change from outdoor shoes to indoor shoes at the shoe locker. That is to say, the concept of distinguishing the inside and the outside by changing one’s footwear is deeply rooted in Japanese sensibility.

The big toe and hanao (corded) clogs

In Japan, where rice cultivation was the center of daily life, most of the work in the rice paddies was carried out barefoot other than wearing farm tools like ta-geta. The early Yayoi people, found in the ruins of ancient rice paddies, had much bigger toes compared to modern humans. They are thought to have developed so by planting the bare feet firmly on the ground when working in the paddies. Hanao (corded) clogs, which are worn with the big toe separated from the others, take advantage of this action, and tabi (Japanese toe socks) and jika-tabi (rubber-soled Japanese toe socks) are believed to have similar origins. For the Japanese people, who spent much time in their bare feet, the big toe was an important point of leverage in the feet.

Rationality behind the making of the geta (clogs)

The geta (clogs) were originally used as a farm tool but spread widely among commoners as everyday footwear at the start of the Edo period (17c-19c). The making of the geta starts by splitting a single log. The split log is further cut into smaller pieces of wooden blocks, and then halved with a fretsaw in the shape of the two ha (the blocks under the sole of the clogs). This is an efficient cutting method that produces no waste. Machines were introduced in the Meiji period (19c-20c) which helped to facilitate geta making, resulting in this footwear reaching even more users.

Japanese footwear system

Traditional Japanese footwear can be broadly divided by two characteristics: “armored” footwear that covers the entire foot, and “corded” footwear that exposes the instep of the foot. “Armored” footwear was the attire for the nobility, but commoners also used it for long-distance walking and feet protection in snowy regions. Tabi and yuki-gutsu (snow boots) are typical examples of such “armored” footwear. “Corded” footwear was made primarily from straw. The excellent permeability of the material and structure is thought to have contributed to the prevention of diseases like athlete’s foot. It can be seen that both types of footwear were designed to protect the feet and keep them healthy from the humid Japanese climate.

Development of Japanese footwear

Japanese footwear has developed in myriad ways under the influence of lifestyles and cultures that changed with time. In the Meiji period (19c-20c), when marathon shoes were non-existent, the first Japanese Olympic marathon runners ran in tabi, which resulted in knee injuries from a lack of cushioning. Improvements have been made to the footwear since, and tabi with rubber soles were developed for running. This led Japanese athletes to victory twice in world championships. The “heel-less shoes” that gained popularity for their eccentric design and are loved by the singer Lady Gaga, originate from the geta worn by oiran (courtesans). While retaining its traditional form, Japanese footwear continues to evolve to adapt to the times through new applications and combinations of different materials.