Many popular sneakers, including the Asics GT-2160, are on display at the Atmos Sendagaya store in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.
1:00 JST, October 31, 2024
Sports sneakers from Japanese brands are becoming increasingly popular among enthusiasts. Old models of running shoes have found new life as walking shoes, and they seem to be turning heads because they are both fashionable and easy to walk on.
The atmos Sendagaya store, a sneaker specialty store in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, is lined with a colorful array of sneakers. The store manager said foreign tourists often visit the store, and “many of them come here for Japanese brand sneakers.”
Among the products of Asics Corp. from Kobe, which are prominently featured in the store, include the Gel-Kayano 14, based on a model that hit shelves in 2008, and the GT-2160, which has a design reminiscent of a series released in the 2010s.
An employee of Asics Japan Corp. said they fit well with Y2K fashion, which incorporates trends from around 2000, and “normcore” fashion, which emphasizes average, non-flashy fashion.
Mizuno Corp., headquartered in Osaka, also revamped its running shoes in the late 1990s and 2000s. The top-end Wave Prophecy series, which combines stability and cushioning in the soles, is very popular. “It has a reputation for being stable, easy to break in and having an innovative design,” said an employee at Mizuno Tokyo’s flagship store.
Left: A range of Asics sneakers
Right: A man wearing sneakers from Mizuno’s Wave Prophecy series at Mizuno Tokyo’s flagship store
Showa retro popularity
Sneakers with a retro design also attract customers.
The Panther sneaker brand from Okamoto Industries, Inc. from Tokyo was launched in 1964, the same year as the first Tokyo Olympics, and the Panther Dera, first released in 1968, has become a flagship model. This fall’s new line includes vibrant black and yellow shoes and other color combinations. The brand name written in katakana letters on the shoes creates a retro feel from the Showa era (1926-1989).
Moon Star Co. of Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, a long-standing company that processes student shoes and other products, introduced the Jaguar Jog 1, based on sports shoes. The retro vibe, with mesh and elevated materials paired with lightweight, thickly padded soles, has been recreated to suit modern lifestyles.
