Japanese footwear basics lecture

They look same... which is right or left...??  

They are both same and there is no side.

Japanese foot wear like Geta and Zori are different from other shoes, there is no side.  (nowadays, you might find them somewhere.. )  Once you start wearing, the sole gradually scraped, but you can keep them for a long time by switching sides as they also get scraped by the way how you walk, only on cetain position.  By swtiching sides, those scratches get even and your foot wear will lasts long.


Heel out??  Really??   

Yes, it is a traditional way to wear them by 1-2cm heel out.

Most people are not familiar to put your heel out and feel "Is it too small??", but Geta is to be worn with heel out by 1-2cm so it is just right to choose such size.  Instead, if you choose big size and clogs stick out off your heel, it is "not right size!.  Please tighten the thongs or find another clogs.

 

Can I wear them immediately after purchase??  

Please try them on for a short while so that the thongs would be stretched to fit your foot.

After purchase, please try them on for a short while.  Wearing them will give a time for thongs to fit to your foot.  If you start wearing without this trial, things might be too tight and you will end up feeling pain.  For a long walk, please give thongs a time to fit to your foot.


How long will they last??  


If you wear them everyday, about 3 months is the time for a new pair.


At the bottom of the teeth of Geta, anti-clip clop rubber is attached.   Both gets scraped in the same manner.  It really depends of how you walk, but please consider 3month period for a new pair.  (For Japanese restaurant cooks, we consider about 1 month as they get worn with water.)

If no rubber is attached, you can wear them until the teeth is totally scraped, but it is generally considered to be right to purchase a new pair when the teeth are almost half of the original height.  If rubbered, please  replace with new one when you hear clip-clop.


 

Repair and maintenance.

1.  How to store them.

It is common to all kinds of foot wear, but please do not put them back into box after you come home.  Mosture will grow mold and will also cause damage.  When you come home, please dry them in the dry shade with a good ventilation.  Humidity is the enemy.  Please do not use inseciticides as it damages the thongs.

2.  How to clean them. 

When they get dirty, please wipe it off with a dry cloth.  If the dirt stays, please apply special cleaner for Zori or nail polisher and store in dry place.  Except leather or plastic Zori, please just wipe with wet cloth only.

Replace the teeth or rubber only??   We strongly recommend to purchase a new pair.


When the teeth gets scraped, they used to attached new teeth, but there is only a few customer requests to do so.  Acutally we did it at our shop in the past, but it is a proof you have worn them for a long time and Gets are dirty and in bad shape, so we usually recommend a new pair.

Rubber piece is glued to the sole of the clogs so we cannot replace them.  In this case, we also recommend a new pair.