Sho’s team takes charge of the entire integrated process, from kimono procurement and shoe design to manufacturing and supply chain management, always staying true to its ethos of delivering to the world high aesthetically-valued products made purely in Japan.

The shoe’s upper leather, toe cap and heel notch could either correspond with the kimono’s colour scheme or be deliberately understated to lend more prominence to the rich fabric. From brilliant navy blue to luxurious gold and splendid silver, the cowhide leather is sourced from a dealer that specialises in Japan-made leather, giving credence to the label that proudly professes to have every component produced to the country’s renowned standards of excellence.

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Tokyo Kimono Shoes are customised upon pre-order, with collections typically snapped up within a day of its launch on social media. 

Alternatively, customers are also welcome to browse available items at the only brick-and-mortar outlet in Asakusa, Tokyo, which feature kimono-clad sneakers, sandals and boots, and adorable kimono-fused handbags. One can also browse and select from neat bundles of kimono fabrics in a glorious myriad of hues and designs, and customise a pair of sneakers to be delivered later. 

The delicate question emerged: What happens in the future if incoming demand for Tokyo Kimono Shoes far exceeds their supply capabilities or when age inevitably catches up with the elderly artisans?

Sho had obviously given this some thought. “We are currently reaching out to shoemakers in other parts of Japan, such as Osaka and Okayama, to collaborate,” enabling fellow artisans to benefit from Tokyo Kimono Shoes’ early success.

“But a longer-term solution requires a different approach,” he said.

Noticing that Japan’s university design graduates frequently joined other industries to seek higher salaries, Sho is working with his friend, a design lecturer, to kickstart a revolutionary movement: inculcating into students the notion and inherent responsibility of creating high-value, made-in-Japan products that would propel the rich tapestry of Japanese culture onto the global platform.

This also entails greater effort on his part to demonstrate the immense potential to be tapped into.

Producing one-of-a-kind kimono shoes with price tags starting at 41,000 yen was just the first stage, Sho revealed. Future plans include an entirely new series of everyday products, incorporating the kimono into clothing, accessories and bags. Visitors to the Asakusa outlet can also help make their own kimono-themed tumblers.

Expanding the product range would also help utilise the tonnes of salvaged kimonos. “We are only scratching the surface of what is currently going to the landfill,” lamented Sho. “This is our essential contribution to the sustainable economy.” And in upping the socially responsible factor, Tokyo Kimono Shoes recently swapped wooden shoe boxes for shoe bags made of kimono or obi, and handcrafted by people with disabilities. 

A year on, Sho remains clear of his mission. “It is our duty to pass on our rare technology into the hands of the next generation.” He opined: “If we can change the mindsets of younger-generation artisans that exporting Japan’s unique brand of design and manufacturing excellence is our cultural mandate, an ecologically-conscious imperative and a commercially viable venture, we have a chance of making Japan great again.”

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