mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
Episode 27
Wearing Geta in Winter
— A Geta Maker’s Dilemma and the Possibilities Ahead
As winter approaches, it becomes a season when our feet naturally seek warmth.
Thick socks, sturdy boots, soft indoor slippers —
Geta offer the comfort of wood, and many people tell us they love the warmth that travels gently through the soles of their feet.
Yet when we consider the depth of winter’s chill, it is also a time when we find it difficult to wholeheartedly recommend them.
At mizutori, we have long searched for ways to make geta enjoyable during the colder months.
In fact, over the years, we have taken on several challenges to create winter-specific designs.
One example was a sabo-style geta that paired the wooden base with soft suede.
As a pair that blended naturally into winter attire, it quietly gained popularity.
Another was a sabo-style model generously lined with plush mouton, combining a cocoon-like fit with warmth from the moment one slipped them on.
Customer satisfaction was remarkably high, and many told us,
“With these, I can finally wear mizutori even in winter.”
We also experimented with knitted hanao straps,
insulating cushions on the footbed,
and even faux fur details to visually evoke warmth.
Following our ideas wherever they led, we created many prototypes.
And yet —
Winter is a season filled with warm boots and highly insulated shoes.
No matter how much care and ingenuity we invested,
the reality remained that very few people would choose geta in winter.
In the end, those models did not remain in our lineup.
Still, we have not abandoned the pursuit of creating comfortable winter geta.
Sometimes, we find ourselves wondering —
If there were a new way to enjoy geta in winter,
what kind of pair might be born?
Perhaps —
• a design that envelops the entire foot in warmth
• a winter-specific silhouette that pairs easily with socks
• indoor geta designed especially for the colder season
• an evolved revival of the mouton model
• or even a completely new concept of footwear that “feels like wood” without necessarily using wood
These possibilities, not yet formed,
seem to rest quietly somewhere in mizutori’s future.
The answer is not yet clear.
Yet we believe that within each person who cherishes mizutori’s footwear,
there may arise a quiet thought —
“I wish there were a pair like this for winter.”
It is that small hope that gently lights the way forward.
mizutori will continue,
walking alongside the seasons,
quietly exploring new possibilities for wooden footwear.
