mizutori creates modern Japanese wooden sandals (geta) designed for comfort and everyday wear.
What Is mizutori?
Episode 58
The Best Thing About Geta?
How Easily You Can Slip Them Off
July has arrived,
and summer is finally in full swing.
Fireworks,
summer festivals,
travel,
visits home—
it is the season
when going out becomes especially enjoyable.
It is also the time of year
when geta seem to shine the most.
That said,
I myself wear geta
not only in summer,
but through most of the year.
People often say to me,
“I suppose that’s because
you’re from a geta-making family.”
And of course,
that is partly true.
But today,
I would like to share
a slightly more unexpected reason.
Even though I was born
and raised in a footwear workshop,
the truth is,
if I had the choice,
I would happily go barefoot
most of the time.
That is how much
I dislike having my feet feel restricted.
Unless it is truly cold,
I would rather not even wear socks.
My feet are wide,
so finding shoes
has always been difficult for me.
Whenever I wore stylish shoes
or sandals,
my toes would be pressed together,
causing blisters,
numbness,
and, at times,
even problems with ingrown nails.
For someone like me,
geta are ideal footwear.
My toes can move freely.
They let my feet breathe.
Even after wearing them for hours,
my feet never feel cramped.
That is why,
throughout the year,
I naturally find myself
choosing geta.
But if I am being completely honest,
even with geta,
there are moments
when I want to set my feet free.
And at times like that,
I always find myself thinking:
Geta really are wonderful footwear.
Not only because
they are comfortable to walk in.
But because
they are so easy to slip off.
Until now,
I have written many times
about walking in geta—
about comfort,
about the hanao straps,
about coordination,
and about how they feel on the feet.
But in truth,
what I love most
may not be the ease of walking itself.
It may simply be
that geta let my feet rest.
When I take a break at a café.
When I sit down at a movie theater.
When I ride the train
or the Shinkansen.
When I rest on a bench
and look out at the scenery.
With geta,
all I have to do
is slip my feet slightly
out of the hanao straps.
In that small moment,
my feet feel light again.
I can move my toes.
Stretch the soles of my feet.
Let them rest,
even just a little.
And then,
when I am ready,
I can start walking again
with comfort.
Of course,
being easy to walk in
is important.
But I believe
the time when our feet
are not being held tightly
is just as important
as the time we spend walking.
Geta are footwear made for walking.
And yet,
when you need to,
they let your feet
be free again
in an instant.
That is why,
even on long days out,
I can enjoy myself
without pushing too hard,
at my own pace.
At mizutori,
what we hope to create
is not simply geta
that are easy to walk in.
We want to make footwear
that lets you walk,
rest a little,
and then begin walking again
with a smile.
This summer,
from fireworks
and summer festivals
to travel,
city walks,
and quiet moments
at your favorite café,
we hope mizutori's geta
will bring comfort
and a touch of color
to your summer—
starting from your feet.
May you have
a beautiful summer.
