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		Geta (Japanese clogs) are Japan's traditional footwear. It is generally considered that they were originally used by farmers working the rice paddies, but from around the Edo era they began to flourish as an item of fashion. From about the middle of the Meiji era to the start of the Showa era they spread through the general population and saw their greatest popularity. With the Westernization of most activities from 1945, the demand for geta as an item for use in everyday life underwent a sharp decline. In the present day, geta are generally worn only with a kimono or 'yukata' (light summer kimono), but with the recent kimono boom young people are taking them up as a new item of fashion. They have also been gaining attention as a health product.

The town of Shido faces the quiet waters of the city of Sanuki in Kagawa, famous for its Sanuki udon noodles. It is a town proud to be Japan's premiere producer of paulownia wood geta. From 1907, paulownia geta production in Shido has been its defining traditional craft and has made up 60% of Japan's total production.

Around Shido, there are no areas that produce paulownia wood. However, paulownia must be dried for one year in natural sun, and the clear weather of the straights around Shido are thus ideally suited to paulownia geta production. This, along with the local abundance of labor and a number of other factors, led to the development of Shido as the dominant area of paulownia geta production. Shido continues to select only the highest-quality wood grown in the north-eastern regions to make its high quality geta. The production of paulownia geta is complicated, involving about forty stages, and there are still many businesses diligently hand-making geta one by one.

In the past, many varieties of wood were used to make geta, but in the present day the paulownia, which has an image as a high-class timber and is often made into chests of drawers and household shrines, is used. Its ability to retain warmth, its lightness, and its superior absorption - allowing it to absorb sweat from the feet - are among the qualities lending it to geta production.

Wooden models for over 100 types of geta. The beautiful grain with its tight rings show the paulownia geta's true worth. Paulownia from the south of Iwate, Aizu paulownia from Fukushima and Echigo paulownia from Niigata are well known. As the rings of paulownia raised in the harsh cold and damp of the north-east regions are tight, the grain is beautiful and so this became the wood used for geta. Because of the remarkably fast growth of wood imported from other countries, the rings are few and so international timber is rejected in favor of local wood.

The underside of a geta that has finished machine processing. To the untrained eye this looks enough, but the work of a craftsman who won't accept compromise is just beginning.   The corners, the gaps between the teeth, and the other parts too fine to be processed completely by machine are all worked one by one by hand. In the twinkling of an eye, the surface is carved to a smooth finish. One doesn't usually look at the underside of a geta, but there is a beautiful chrysanthemum pattern hand-carved into it. If you put them on you don't usually see it, but if you look closely you can catch a glimpse of the spirit of Japanese refinement, and the pride of the craftsman maintaining a long tradition without compromising. Inserting dowel into holes made in the underside of the geta. This makes the geta stronger. If there are paulownia dowels in the underside when you turn a geta over, that is the proof of a fine Japanese product.

A, B: The polishing stage. A luster is added, and the grain of the wood is further made to stand out. C: Polishing powder used in the polishing stage. D: The soles of the geta which have been polished. Once the strap has been added, they will be complete. E: The 'uzukuri', a tool for polishing wood. It is a bundle of the thinnest parts of the same plants used for thatching roofs. These days difficult to obtain and very valuable. F: Using the uzukuri, the geta are polished one by one. G: The wood grain's beauty stands out.

	Third-generation proprietor of the Yamanishi Store, established in 1922. Annually produces 80,000-12,000 pairs of geta for shoe wholesalers all over Japan. From special orders for courtesan-style geta to various finishes such as lacquering or special carvings, whatever the request, if it is for paulownia geta it is being undertaken. For more information, please contact us. here
Click to see scenes of production.

The ukon geta, the signature of which is its smooth flowing line, is a convenient piece of footwear for everyday use. Because it has a streamlined shape, it's a popular shape difficult to get tired in even if worn for a long time or if you're new to geta.

Women's Men's

Women's Men's

Applying the scorched finish. The geta's surface and sides are scorched with a gas torch. Effort is made to reduce residue when scorching the geta black with a torch, but because the sole of the foot may become slightly black when worn initially a plain wood base is recommended to those intending to wear geta with socks.

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	This is a rare geta. The one-toothed geta, colloquially called the 'tengu geta' ('goblin geta'), was used in special circumstances by street performers and mountain priests. It was not a particularly popular geta, but has recently become so thanks to attention from martial artists, mountaineers, chiropractors, the media and those suffering from body pain.
	It is said that practicing walking in one-toothed geta naturally improves balance and gives a martial artist-like sense of body awareness, as well as being effective in preventing against and aiding recovery from back and knee pain.
Initially, it may be difficult to balance in this footwear. Please be careful to avoid falling over.

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The 'masa geta' is a particularly high-class double-toothed geta. An old-style favorite that lets you feel the warmth of the wood. Traditionally termed a 'horse geta', every time you walk in it you can enjoy the cooling 'clip-clop' noise particular to paulownia wood. A traditional geta that no Japanese outfit can lack.	Women's
	Men's

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A new design where the front is neither round nor rectangular: 'square' paulownia geta. Won't you try them with casual clothes for a chic look?

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For more information, please contact us. here

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Women's Men's M 22.5-23.5 M 24-25 L 24-25 L 25.5-26.5 2L 25.5-26.5 2L 27-28 Free 23-24.5 3L 28.5-29.5     Free 24-25.5 The heels of customers with larger feet may extend over the ends of the geta, but, unlike with shoes, this is not a problem. It was originally intended that the heel protrude when wearing Japanese footwear; this is said to be chic and cool.

We will adjust the straps so that you can wear the geta comfortably. Please tell us the following measurements: 1.Foot length： using paper and pencil, trace the shape of your foot. The longest distance is your foot length. 2.Foot width： measure the width from the protruding part of the bone at the base of your big toe to the protruding part of the bone at the base of your little toe. 3.Big toe thickness： stand a ruler next to the base of your big toe and measure. 4.Instep height： stand a ruler next to the instep of your foot and measure. Please have a friend or family member help you take these measurements. Stand straight up, open your feet slightly and place your weight evenly on both feet. Measure both feet. It is normal that the size of the left and right foot differ slightly. Please tell us of the size of your larger foot. (In practice, it is very difficult to accurately measure foot size. Even if the size is temporarily slightly incorrect, as the strap can be adjusted to suit your feet it is not actually a significant problem.)

A mark indicating a traditional craft product of Kagawa Prefecture. Indicates an product for use in everyday life recognised as being created using traditional materials and techniques passed down from at least the Meiji era.