In 2021, Tokyo Kimono Shoes founder and president, Shotaro Kawamura, rationalised the use of discarded kimonos to create bespoke sneakers with cowhide leather features, enabling him to embrace sustainable fashion while providing livelihoods for seasoned shoe-craftsmen elders with a 70-year heritage – Kodowari.

Tokyo Kimono Shoes – a Mottainai company – began in 2022 as an online sales platform. It is now leading the pack into global markets of upcycled Kimonos crafted into bespoke sneaker designs. New product ranges are being launched this year. It is estimated that there are around 800 million kimono(s) throughout Japan, representing a value of ¥30 trillion – many discarded without ever being worn again.

So, what is Mottainai ? Mottainai teaches us that objects and nature have intrinsic value, for life. While retaining Japanese cultural values with contemporary recycling/ upcycling innovations. But when you consider that Japanese design sensibilities crafted over many centuries are considered the most authentic in the world – you fully understand their ‘intrinsic nature’ of timeless and simple beauty.

Kawamura, created a new career path for himself after the decline of Japanese electronics to Korea and China – an industry he worked in as a logistics executive.  Tokyo Kimono Shoes were first sold online.  Then in January 2023, Kawamura opened his first retail boutique store in Asakusa, Tokyo, a comfortable distance from the tourist haunts, with a traditionally designed Japanese entrance. During the Edo period (1603-1868), Asakusa became a popular entertainment district, known for its theaters, teahouses, and restaurants. It was also a center of education, with many scholars and artists living and working in the area.

Each kimono renders 15 to 20 pairs of sneakers, and the kimono sash (called the obi) produces up to four pairs. They have a two-month lead time from the order to international delivery. Kimono are typically made from a single bolt of Japanese tanmono fabric –  a narrow-loomed cloth about 40 centimeters wide and 12 to 15 meters long — therefore Kimono fabric is perfectly designed to be reused, and a sturdy fabric often of a brocade weave.

Kimonos are traditionally regarded as family heirlooms and passed down through generations, but today, Kimonos are piling up in Japan’s second-hand markets as the garments fall out of fashion and the country’s population shrinks. The history of the kimono can be traced back to the Heian period (794-1192).

Around four in five customers are non-Japanese with prices starting at US$435.  Some 40% of these foreign shoppers are from the United States, with approximately 20% each hailing from Europe, Oceania, and Southeast Asia, respectively. Tokyo Kimono Shoes have garnered loyal international customers from international social media campaigns and are also the result of limited design editions and delivery, creating a fever for the product.

Tokyo Kimona Shoes employs six Kodawari shoemaker artisans at their Asakusa, Tokyo, store, with craftsmanship of a respected 70-year legacy.

More familiar Japanese lifestyle principles are Kaizen –‘always seek to improve’. Ikigai – “reason for being” or “purpose in life” – think of Jiro Ono san- a living treasure Chef in Tokyo at Sukiyabashi Jiro. And Kodawari – which represents every Japanese traditional craftsmen in ‘persistence in perfecting the craft’.

With over 2,200 pairs sold globally annually made of 100% silk upcycled kimono, and cowhide, and each sneaker being one-of-a-kind with no shoe identical, the need to reach out to shoemakers in other parts of Japan, such as Osaka and Okayama was needed to assure customers of a reliable supply chain and to continue economic growth for small communities.

Kawamura plans to expand the product range, incorporating kimonos into clothing and accessories. They have incorporated shoe bags made of kimono or obi fabric and handcrafted by people with disabilities. Mottainai, Community, and Kodawari are at their core.

Leading Image Source: Madeleine Morrow       Tokyo Kimono Shoes: to order one-of-a-kind Mottainai kimono & leather sneakers