mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
Episode 32
At Your Feet on a Special Day
A new year has begun.
As the festive mood of the holidays gradually gives way to everyday life,
2026 has quietly begun for mizutori —
with thoughts of how we will walk through the year ahead.
Once again, through this small series,
we hope to gently and faithfully share
the warmth and stories that reside in each pair of footwear.
Not long after the New Year,
my niece attended her coming-of-age ceremony at her alma mater.
It is a meaningful milestone.
Dressed in a vibrant kimono passed down from her mother,
she looked forward to reuniting with friends
and celebrating the start of adulthood together.
As she prepared for the day,
the one thing she worried about most was simple:
“Will I be able to walk comfortably?”
Since the days she first learned to walk,
she had grown up wearing mizutori’s geta.
Changing sizes as she grew,
geta had always been a natural part of her daily life.
Perhaps because of that,
she felt uneasy about wearing rented formal zori sandals —
wondering if her feet might hurt
or if she would tire too quickly.
She wanted to visit the shrine in her kimono,
walk through town, take photographs,
and fully enjoy her long-awaited reunion with friends
who had each begun their own paths after graduation.
Because it was such an important day,
she wanted footwear she could trust.
And so, she chose mizutori’s geta.
Traditionally, formal Japanese attire is paired with zori —
often made with brocade fabric and a modest heel of about five centimeters.
Wooden geta can make their characteristic sound as you walk,
and are generally considered more casual footwear.
With that understanding,
we did not suggest our geta to her.
All the more,
it meant a great deal to us
that she chose them for such a significant occasion.
On the day itself,
she stepped out wearing lacquered geta
with sakura-patterned hanao
that beautifully complemented her pink kimono.
In every photograph, her smile remained natural.
She walked, talked, laughed —
never once seeming concerned about her feet —
and fully enjoyed her special day.
Later, she told us
that some of her friends, unaccustomed to formal zori,
had experienced sore feet.
She, on the other hand,
hardly noticed her footwear at all.
In fact, she enthusiastically explained the comfort of geta
and even found herself promoting them.
Perhaps we did something right after all.
To spend irreplaceable time with cherished people —
without worrying about discomfort —
is something we deeply value.
For those of us who make footwear,
there is no greater joy.
Footwear carries its own traditions and conventions.
Respecting those customs is important.
And yet,
if mizutori’s geta can be known
as one possible choice
for special occasions,
we would be grateful.
The pair my niece chose was from our existing collection.
However, with sufficient time,
we can also create original geta
to harmonize beautifully with formal kimono.
As a presence that adds both comfort and delight
to a special day —
If you find yourself thinking about what to wear
for an important milestone ahead,
we invite you to explore mizutori’s geta.
Should you ever wonder,
“Is there a pair that would suit this outfit?”
“Could something be made to order?”
please feel free to reach out.
In this new year as well,
we hope to continue crafting, with care,
pairs that walk gently alongside your time —
step by step.
