{"id":43943,"date":"2025-12-28T21:03:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T12:03:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com?p=43943"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T08:38:09","slug":"ohnoya-sohonten-en","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/shinise-en\/ohnoya-sohonten-en","title":{"rendered":"\u014cnoya Sohonten"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Founded in the An\u2019ei era (1772\u20131780)<\/p>\n\t

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A traditional Japanese clothing goods store that has always insisted on \u201ccreating by hand\u201d through every era.<\/h2>\n\n

Located in Shintomicho, not far from Ginza and Nihonbashi\u2014areas rich with cinemas, theaters, and cultural history\u2014is \u201c\u014cnoya Sohonten,\u201d a Japanese clothing goods store housed in a distinctive wooden building registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. The current owner is the 7th-generation Shigeo Fukushima.<\/p>\n\n

One of the products long produced at \u014cnoya Sohonten is the \u201cShintomi-style tabi.\u201d Although most products today are mass-produced by machine, every pair of tabi here is handmade by craftsmen. From cutting the fabric to the finishing process, everything is done in the workshop upstairs at the back of the store.<\/p>\n\n

The first step in making tabi is cutting ten pieces of fabric\u2014left and right combined\u2014for the inside, outside, and sole. The technique used is called \u201cthree-dimensional cutting,\u201d in which fabric is cut to match the customer\u2019s foot shape measured beforehand. Next, using a large treadle sewing machine that stands out in the workshop, the craftsmen sew the pieces together while changing thread thickness depending on the section. The most delicate part at this stage is the toe, which must be shaped while adding a rounded finish that follows the curve of the foot. After sewing, the tabi is placed on a wooden last modeled on the foot, and the seams are hammered with a mallet so they won\u2019t rub and cause pain while walking.<\/p>\n\n

\u201cWith the many steps and the craftsmen\u2019s delicate, highly refined skills, only then does the perfect tabi\u2014tailored to each customer\u2019s feet\u2014come to life,\u201d says Fukushima. \u014cnoya Sohonten\u2019s carefully crafted tabi are loved not only by the general public but also by kabuki actors, dancers, and Noh performers. At the storefront, handkerchiefs, tenugui towels, and kappogi aprons are also sold, and the uniquely colored and patterned masks created during the COVID-19 pandemic have become very popular.<\/p>\n\n

History<\/h3>\n\n
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\u014cnoya Sohonten began in the An\u2019ei era (1772\u20131780), when the first-generation Miyokichi Fukushima\u2014said to have had skilled hands since childhood\u2014opened a costume tailoring shop in Mita. His craftsmanship was so renowned that he received orders from the Satsuma domain residences.<\/p>\n\n

The shop moved from Mita to Shintomicho in Kaei 2 (1849). During the early to mid-Meiji era, when theaters such as Shintomi-za (formerly Morita-za) and Kabuki-za were built and the area flourished with geisha, the 5th-generation Fukutar\u014d created the \u201cShintomi-style tabi.\u201d As these tabi became loved by many actors and geisha, the name \u014cnoya became widely known.<\/p>\n\n

We always want to create products that meet our customers\u2019 expectations.<\/h3>\n\n
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Mr. Shigeo Fukushima<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
7th-generation proprietor of \u014cnoya Sohonten<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Our tabi are not only made to order but also available for purchase in the store. When purchasing, we select and offer the most suitable ones possible for each customer\u2019s foot shape and needs. It is all driven by our desire to \u201crespond to customer expectations with care.\u201d We hope you will visit \u014cnoya Sohonten someday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

This Notable Item<\/h3>\n\n
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Shintomi-style Tabi<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

White tabi with 4 clasps \u2014 3,960 yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The appeal of Shintomi-style tabi is that the sole is designed narrower than standard tabi and wraps the foot from above, making the foot look slim and elegant. Comfort is also prioritized, with the toe finished rounded and soft so that even long wear causes no tightness or pain. Made of durable cotton calico, they are known to last for many years.<\/p>\n\n

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Handmade Masks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

From 770 yen<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

They began producing masks during the COVID pandemic after customers asked, \u201cCould you make masks?\u201d Currently, two types are available: one made of six layers of 100% cotton gauze for moisture retention, and another made of linen that is comfortable even in summer. In addition to plain white, many unique patterns\u2014mainly floral and checkered\u2014are available, making mask-wearing enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n

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Spot Overview<\/h3>\n\n
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Address: <\/strong><\/th>2-2-1 Shintomi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo<\/td><\/tr>
Phone: <\/strong><\/th>03-3551-0896<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Business hours: <\/strong><\/th>9:00\u201317:00<\/td><\/tr>
Closed: <\/strong><\/th>Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays<\/td><\/tr>
Payment methods: <\/strong><\/th>Cash and QR code payment (PayPay)<\/td><\/tr>
External links: <\/strong><\/th>Online shop
Shinise Tsuhan<\/a>
Official website<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Information is current as of publication and may change. Please check before visiting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Founded in the An\u2019ei era (1772\u20131780) A traditional Japanese clothing goods store that has always insisted on \u201ccreating by hand\u201d through every era. Located in Shintomicho, not far from Ginza and Nihonbashi\u2014areas rich with cinemas, theaters, and cultural history\u2014is \u201c\u014cnoya Sohonten,\u201d a Japanese clothing goods store housed in a distinctive wooden building registered as a National Tangible Cultural Property. The current owner is the 7th-generation Shigeo Fukushima. One of the products long produced at \u014cnoya Sohonten is the \u201cShintomi-style tabi.\u201d Although most products today are mass-produced by machine, every pair of tabi here is handmade by craftsmen. From cutting the fabric to the finishing process, everything is done in the […]","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":40801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4040,4044],"tags":[5612],"area":[3991,4091],"class_list":["post-43943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-shinise-en","category-timeless-essentials-en","tag-star-en","area-tokyo-en","area-chuo-ward-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43943","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43943"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44800,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43943\/revisions\/44800"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43943"},{"taxonomy":"area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agatajapan.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/area?post=43943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}