Ginza (shopping district in Tokyo)Japanese Accessoriestabi
Founded in the An’ei era (1772-1780) and relocated to its current location in Shintomi-machi in 1849, “Ohnoya So Honten” has been making Tabi Shoes for generations. The company still produces Tabi Shoes based on the footprint of each individual, and also produces handkerchiefs, yugari (Japanese bathrobes), and other Japanese accessories. For this interview, we spoke with Shigeo Fukushima, the seventh generation of Ohnoya Sohonten, together with Kenichi Saito, a cultural entrepreneur.
〜first partArticle by ~.
Forest:After the various innovations of the fifth generation, have there been any major changes or initiatives?
Mr. Fukushima:The fifth generation passed away when he was a little over 60 years old, but my father has been doing it for a long time since then. I managed to overcome the difficult times when ordinary people were gradually changing from kimonos to western-style clothes and the demand for kimonos was decreasing.
Please introduce us to the various new initiatives in our generation.
The Corona disaster made it difficult to hold theater performances, tea ceremonies, and flower gatherings due to the mood of self-restraint, and the artisans who make tabi socks had less work to do. So we made masks out of the hemp material used for summer tabi socks!Then. thenandmove (in go, shogi, etc.)is also comfortable to wearand. hempMasks made of linen for tabi socks in particular are very fine and prickly. Especially, hemp for tabi socks has a very fine texture and does not prickle.
Hayashi: The feel of the skin is important.
Ms. Fukushima: If you use it on the side that touches your mouth, it feels very comfortable. Nowadays, non-woven masks are recommended, but you can double it by putting this on the inside, or if you use it as a cover for a non-woven mask, I think you can enjoy it by matching it with the color of your clothes.
Since last year, this mask has been a hot topic in various media,sumI think the main reason is that the color palette incorporates the colors of the
Ms. Fukushima: In fact, we are not limited to Japanese, but are also working on dogs, horses, cats, and many other things. There are quite a few people who like the pattern of their own dog, and it is very popular.
They are made with the materials and techniques of tabi socks, but the colors and patterns are adapted to the modern age.
Mr. Fukushima: Yes, that’s right. Not only masks, but also kappogi (Japanese cooking gowns). The gauze products are made from fabrics of handkerchiefs and tenugui (hand towels) that we originally made. We still make gauze masks, but linen is more popular because it is more comfortable to wear.
How to make it, materials, tools …… “not change” as much as possible for the customer.
Please tell us about other innovations in your generation.
I think it’s about not changing things as much as possible. The way we make our products, the materials we use, the tools we use, and so on. Good tools and materials from the past are no longer available, and our first priority is to continue to make products that satisfy our discerning customers as much as possible.
Do you have any thoughts about Tabi Shoes, such as “I want people to use Tabi Shoes this way” or “I want to make Tabi Shoes this way”?
Since we rarely wear kimonos in our daily lives anymore, we sometimes make things that can be worn like slippers. There is a type of socks called “Han Tabi Shoes,” in which the part where the kohaze attaches is made of rubber.
Hayashi: I wonder how you use tabi socks. I think they should be worn when going to a tea ceremony room, but I wonder if they should or should not be worn when walking around town in a yukata and having a drink in the street.
If you wear zori, you must also wear tabi socks.the one wearingis a good idea. If you wear them barefoot, they may get dirty. I think it is better to wear snow shoes.
Hayashi: Basically, you wear tabi socks when you wear kimono.
Yes, I think you should wear them.
What should I do if I go out wearing zori and tabi socks and go up to your house somewhere?
If it is a tabi for tatami room, you can go up as it is. We sell indoor tabi socks.
That way, there is no rudeness. As Japanese people, we would never go up to someone’s house barefoot, but you can go up in tabi socks as well.
Yes, it is.
Is there such a thing as “matching tabi socks in this way is chic”? If you could also tell me how to choose one, please.
Basically, white tabi socks are the official type. For fun, it would be interesting to match the color and pattern with your kimono.
This is another difficulty (laughs).
After all, a formal place is bad if it is not white, so what kind of place is it to go?
That’s right. So, if you are going to a barbecue restaurant in town, you may not need to wear white tabi socks when going up to the tatami room, but if you are going to a tea ceremony or a kaiseki banquet, it is polite to wear white tabi socks.
Yes, I do. When going on stage, especially on a Noh stage, you are required to wear white tabi socks.
Hayashi: That’s right. Onoya offers such socks for the stage as well as for everyday use.
Yes, we do. And we also have a lot of kabuki in our house. Every month for every monthly performance.
It’s this location.
We deliver them to playhouses such as the Kabuki-za Theater and the Shinbashi Enbujo Theater.
People don’t know that there are many types of tabi socks.
This one is used in the Kabuki play “Sukeroku”. Usually, the four-piece kohaze is made up of two pieces, and the outside of the kohaze is folded. The visual effect is to make the legs look slimmer, longer, and stronger.
I see!
The color is again this yellow, making his feet stand out. He is a fashionable person, and after all, he has always been particular about his feet.
Hayashi: Just like Sukeroku’s character. Do some of you wear this kind of shape on a daily basis?
There are very few of them. However, the one with an elastic back is similar in shape to a yakko tabi sack. They are also good for everyday use.
We want to preserve “kimono culture” through Tabi Shoes.
Yes, in your room. I would like people to wear tabi socks instead of “room shoes. Is there anything new you would like to aim for or do in the future?
Yes, after all, the culture of kimono and the practice of wearing kimono should not be discontinued.Incense, maybe.Kyudo, tea ceremony, and flowers, of course, but tabi socks are a set with such Japanese culture.
It’s really true of everything that has a “path” attached to it.
That is what I would like to see you try one of those places, not cheap socks.
Hayashi: Yes, that’s right. So when a beginner visits you to buy tabi socks, how should he/she do?
Mr. Fukushima: UsageThe Tabi Shoes we recommend will vary depending on the type of Tabi Shoes you are looking for. For those who want a Tabi Shoes for dancing, we recommend a tight-fitting Tabi Shoes that will not wrinkle, and for those who spend a lot of time sitting on the floor, we recommend a slightly loose-fitting Tabi Shoes with room for the ankles and feet. Since these socks shrink slightly when they are exposed to water, we recommend a socks that fits snugly when they are shrunken.
You don’t know until you hear about it. So, which is better at first, to have a custom-made piece or to choose from a selection of shapes?
If you start practicing and use a lot of them, you may want to have them custom-made, but there are many different kinds, so please choose one of them first. If you can’t choose the right one, we suggest you get a custom-made one. If you have a special long thumb, or four fingers are longer, or the crotch is too shallow and it gets sore easily, etc….
As you use them, you gradually come to know what suits your taste and body shape.
Yes, I think so. There are some areas that actually change, like the size of your feet. Just like you get fat in Corona or your body shape changes.
I think it’s because I’m getting older.
Yes, I think so. Those things can be adjusted.
Finally, do you have a message for everyone?
Yes, we do. I hope you will take this opportunity to try our Tabi Shoes. We do not have a company motto, but like the Omi merchants’ “Sanpo-yoshi” (“Good for customers, good for employees, and good for the world”), we will continue to produce products that will please our customers. If you would like to try a slightly better Tabi Shoes, we would be grateful if you would contact us.
The seventh generation says he wants to preserve the culture of wearing kimono through Tabi Shoes. In other words, he does not want to let the Japanese tradition die out. With this in mind, “Ohnoya Sohonten” continues to make each and every Tabi Shoes today with great care.
*If you would like to see this dialogue on video.here (place close to the speaker or where the speaker is)
