A Century Since Its Inception Jikatabi, or Tabi Shoes, Making Their Way from Kyobashi to the World

“Since opening this store in August, we have welcomed customers from over a dozen countries who have come to purchase our products.” (Masato Hayashi, manager of Marugo Tokyo / photo above)

Marugo Tokyo has already become a hot topic in several countries. As you can see in the photo, the store features a stylish design, both inside and out, making it hard to believe it specializes in traditional tabi shoes.

Among the non-Japanese customers at this shop, a significant number are visitors from Asian countries, particularly South Korea and China. In Korea, tabi shoes are becoming increasingly popular as a fashion item, especially among the younger generation.

“The popularity of tabi shoes in Korea began when the members of BTS, a globally popular K-pop boy band, shared a photo of themselves wearing them as fashion item on Instagram. Not just in Asia, but international customers from other regions are particularly drawn to tabi shoes because of their design.”

Actually, it was more than a decade ago that the design of tabi shoes first attracted attention as a fashion item. For example, Maison Margiela, a renowned high-fashion brand, has been releasing shoes with designs reminiscent of tabi shoes for nearly 20 years.

“I believe we started developing tabi shoes with intricate designs about 12 years ago. It all began when we received an inquiry from a French designer interested in redesigning Marugo tabi shoes for local sale. It was likely around that time that we started receiving inquiries about purchases from general customers overseas. Today, Marugo tabi shoes are available for purchase on the US version of Amazon.

Interestingly, tabi shoes are referred to as “Ninja shoes” in Europe and the United States. These are exactly the kind of shoes ninjas would wear.

Meanwhile, in Japan, the appeal of tabi shoes has been rediscovered in recent years. What people are valuing is the functionality of tabi shoes, especially during activities like running, as highlighted in the 2019 historical drama Idaten.

“The design of tabi shoes separates the big toe from the rest of the toes, and the thin soles enable the foot to move as if it is directly gripping the ground. As a result, tabi shoes allow for more natural foot movement compared to regular sneakers. When running, for example, wearing tabi shoes makes it easier to maintain proper posture, allowing for more efficient movement. Additionally, during core training, you can better sense the distribution of weight on your soles and your center of gravity. So, since 2014, Marugo has been developing wellness products, such as training shoes that incorporate the characteristics of tabi shoes, which have been especially well received by athletes.”

Marugo’s wellness products, backed by a dedicated department established within the company, are popular not only for their functionality but also for their attractive design. Of course, they have also been well received by international customers.

By the way, Marugo employees supervised the tabi shoe manufacturing scenes featured in the drama series Idaten, although the company name was not credited in the program due to its public broadcasting nature. At the event marking the opening of Marugo Tokyo, the employee who supervised the tabi-making scenes in the drama demonstrated the ancient process of tabi shoe production in the store.

Marugo is adopting innovative strategies that are surprising for a century-old manufacturer. These include emphasizing the fashionable aspects of tabi shoes and venturing into the development of functional footwear. Marugo was the first company in the world to market work shoes known as safety sneakers, which combined safety and lightness by incorporating a protective cover at the toe. However, these shoes are not available at Marugo Tokyo.

However, if we look back at Marugo’s origins, we see that tabi shoes—the heart of the company that shaped its current identity—were considered a revolutionary and modern product at their inception.

“I heard that tabi shoes, with rubber soles attached to the bottom, were first created in the late Meiji period (around the early 1900s). It was in 1917 that Itaro Fujiki, the founder of Marugo, invented rubber-soled tabi shoes using rubber originally used for rickshaw tires. Then, in 1919, Narugo Tabi was established, and it is believed to be the first company in Japan to manage the entire process of tabi shoe production and sales.”

<<Now it’s the mail; in the past, it was courier services. With waraji now outdated, it’s time for Marugo* Tabi>>
*Back then, Marugo was written using a logo featuring a circle and the number five.

As this advertising copy from that time suggests, tabi shoes first gained popularity among mail carriers, rickshaw drivers, and other professionals who relied on their feet for work. In 1927, the company organized the Okayama Chayamachi Marathon to promote its rubber-soled sport shoes, which were already on the market, and to widely disseminate their appeal. This was also an innovative strategy.

What caught my eyes was the Marugo logo mark used on the poster from when the marathon event was held. I heard that they have used a logo combining a circle with the Arabic numeral “5” since the company’s founding. What does all of this mean?

“I believe it represents the founder’s desire to create products that can be shipped and sold across all five continents. They intentionally used the Arabic numeral “5” instead of the kanji character for 5, which was the mainstream choice in Japan at the time, so that the logo would be easily accepted around the world. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the top bar of the letter “5” curves upward at the tip, right? I’ve been told that this design is meant to resemble a horse’s tail as it gallops around the world.”

It has been 100 years since the logo was created with the vision of spreading tabi shoes worldwide, and now that dream is finally becoming a reality. However, I wonder if Itaro Fujiki, the founder of tabi shoes, ever imagined that tabi shoes would one day gain worldwide attention as a fashion item.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Marugo Tokyo opened in Kyobashi in August 2019. The choice of this location was primarily based on convenience, as the Marugo Tokyo Office is located in the same area. However, according to manager Hayashi, opening the first retail flagship store here also holds significant meaning for the future of Marugo, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“There are many long-established companies in the Kyobashi/Nihonbashi area with a history that predates ours. A strong Japanese tradition has been passed down in this area. Although we are newcomers, we hope to draw inspiration from the people who work and live here. Although we are based in Okayama, we believe there is common ground with the culture rooted in this area, as we deal in tabi shoes, which are traditional products uniquely Japanese. We would like to effectively promote the positive aspects of Japan to the world through collaboration with local communities and businesses.”

When Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, even more international customers are anticipated to visit the store in search of Marugo tabi shoes. When it was first released, this was the only shoe in the world with a separated big toe, making it a truly original Japanese tabi shoe. In 2011, Marugo relocated part of its production to Japan and plans to further focus on tabi shoes as part of its commitment to appreciating Japanese culture.

Currently, Marugo Tokyo is the only place where you can try on tabi shoes just like you would in a regular shoe store. We encourage you to visit Marugo Tokyo to experience the many innovations incorporated into tabi shoes’ traditions, as well as the new products that have been created from them.

Related website
Marugo:　https://www.marugo.ne.jp/
Marugo Online Shop:　https://marugo-online.jp/shop/

Author: Toshiro Ishii
Photograph: Tomoya Suzuki