mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
Episode 2
The Beginning of mizutori
Mizutori Kogyo, the company behind the brand “mizutori,” was founded in the early Showa era.
At that time, it was undeniably geta and setta that adorned people’s feet.
Shizuoka flourished as one of Japan’s three major production centers for geta, alongside Hiroshima and Oita. In its early years, Mizutori Kogyo specialized in processing and selling traditional wooden bases for Japanese geta.
Shizuoka’s craftsmanship culture was built on a community-wide division of labor. Many households in the surrounding area were engaged in work related to geta — from hanao strap processing to the final attachment of the straps.
Adapting to the Changing Times
As lifestyles evolved, the mainstay of footwear shifted from geta to sandals, and eventually to shoes.
In response to this major transition, Mizutori Kogyo redirected its focus toward producing sandal footbeds and shoe insoles. The processing of shoe insoles — a crucial component that determines comfort — continued until 2023.
Within Shizuoka’s long history as a footwear-producing region, Mizutori Kogyo consistently adapted to the demands of each era.
A Turning Point
A major turning point came in the late 1980s.
With the rise of inexpensive overseas products, the company’s work as a material supplier was exposed to intense price competition.
To overcome this challenge, around the beginning of the Heisei era, the company began searching for “something no one else was doing.” What they ultimately returned to was their origin: the production of wooden geta bases.
But this was not simply a return to the past.
Drawing upon decades of experience in crafting sandal footbeds and shoe insoles — in other words, the expertise of creating footwear that fits the sole comfortably — they began developing a new kind of geta base. One that would overturn conventional notions of geta and be gentle on the feet.
Initially, the plan was to sell these newly developed wooden bases as materials to other manufacturers.
However, at the time, the footwear industry was dominated by synthetic materials. Few manufacturers were willing to embrace the warmth and potential of wood.
“If not, then we will do it ourselves.”
Encouraged by those around them, Mizutori Kogyo decided to move forward as a manufacturer producing finished products in-house.
Thus began the development of mizutori’s signature work: Geta Monogatari.
Episode 3
