Jikatabi (traditional Japanese footwear) is being proposed in line with modern lifestyle by a company located in Kurashiki.
Marugo Co., Ltd. was founded in 1919 as a manufacturer of jikatabi for outdoor work.
In the modern era, over 100 years later, they continue to utilize the technology developed in making jikatabi to propose stylish jikatabi that can be worn in daily life.
MARUGO KURASHIKI is the third directly managed store of Marugo that opened in the Bikan Historical Area.
I visited the store filled with colorful jikatabi and spoke with the store manager Kobayashi Yuri about the store's concept and their commitment to the products.
Here are some highlights of MARUGO KURASHIKI.
Introduction to MARUGO KURASHIKI
MARUGO KURASHIKI is a specialty store for jikatabi that opened on April 28, 2022, in the commercial area of Bikan Historical Area, Kurashiki SOLA.
What is MARUGO KURASHIKI?
MARUGO KURASHIKI is the third directly managed store of the jikatabi manufacturer Marugo Co., Ltd.
It is located along the Kurashiki River, which can be considered the main street of the Bikan Historical Area, where the streets from the Edo period remain. The store offers the largest selection of jikatabi as a directly managed store, with about 80 types available.
While Marugo's jikatabi can be purchased at select shops and on their website, visiting MARUGO KURASHIKI allows you to see and touch various designs of jikatabi.
Marugo Co., Ltd.
Marugo Co., Ltd. is a jikatabi manufacturer based in Chayamachi, Kurashiki City. Since its founding in 1919, it has been a long-established company in Kurashiki that has continued to make jikatabi.
Utilizing the industry of Kurashiki, which prospered as a textile town, they fused tabi and rubber to create jikatabi as footwear for outdoor work.
Even after more than 100 years, they continue to propose jikatabi that can be used not only for work but also in daily life.
What is jikatabi?
What exactly is jikatabi?
If we talk about tabi, you can imagine the footwear worn with traditional Japanese clothing.
Let me introduce a little about jikatabi.
Jikatabi: An old yet new footwear
Jikatabi is a type of footwear that has a rubber sole attached to traditional tabi.
In fact, jikatabi is not an old existence.
During the Meiji period, when Western technologies spread, rubber materials also became available in Japan.
Jikatabi was born by fusing tabi and rubber as footwear for outdoor work, such as during festivals, agriculture, and construction.
In a culture with a history of over 1000 years, jikatabi was born only about 100 years ago. While 100 years may seem long, from the perspective of Japanese history, jikatabi is a new existence.
Marugo's jikatabi
The jikatabi available at MARUGO KURASHIKI are not for work. They are new jikatabi with fashionable designs.
Based on the idea of applying the technology developed over 100 years of making jikatabi to everyday use, fashionable jikatabi have been proposed.
For example, there are cute designs made from Kurashiki canvas fabric and jikatabi made from leather.
Jikatabi have the characteristic of allowing the big toe to move freely, which brings out the natural functions of the foot and is considered beneficial for health.
To pass on the goodness of jikatabi to future generations, jikatabi that can be used in daily life have been proposed.
The building of MARUGO KURASHIKI
I visited MARUGO KURASHIKI to see the store's appearance.
Exterior appearance
MARUGO KURASHIKI, located in the Bikan Historical Area, has an interesting building.
The store is housed in a building constructed during the Meiji period, which was originally used as a private clinic. The black-painted walls are a remnant of the time when they were painted over with ink to avoid detection during air raids.
It is also noteworthy that they are utilizing a building that perfectly matches the over 100-year history of Marugo.
Interior appearance
The linear divisions of space created by the pillars and beams and the curves created by the shelves displaying products are impressive.
The charming wooden pillars and beams harmonize well with the modern design of the product shelves. The black pillars and beams are original from the time of construction, while the orange parts were newly created during renovations.
Being both old and new, the characteristics of jikatabi are reflected in the design of the store.
Product introduction of MARUGO KURASHIKI
When you visit MARUGO KURASHIKI, which has about 80 types of jikatabi on display, you will be overwhelmed by the diversity of jikatabi designs.
I would like to introduce a few of the jikatabi that caught my attention. There are many more jikatabi available, so please visit MARUGO KURASHIKI to enjoy the jikatabi visually.
tabiRela
tabiRela is a type of underground tabi designed for everyday use. It is said to fit comfortably on the foot, providing a sensation as if walking barefoot.
Utilizing local materials, there are products made with fabrics crafted by Kurashiki Canvas and KUROKI. From products made with leather, I felt a sophisticated impression that overturns the image of traditional underground tabi.
hitoe
hitoe is a barefoot running shoe that can also be worn by runners. It is thin and feels very light when you pick it up.
The seamless, three-dimensional structure is due to a special manufacturing method called Whole Garment. The structure, which does not constrain the toes as traditional underground tabi do, is said to bring out the natural strength of the foot.
Visiting MARUGO KURASHIKI
By visiting MARUGO KURASHIKI, I understood that underground tabi are "both old and new".
The underground tabi, which were created by the fusion of traditional Japanese tabi and rubber during the Meiji era when Western technology became widespread, are a relatively recent development in the context of Japanese history, indicating that underground tabi are a new existence.
Moreover, even after 100 years, the ability of underground tabi to adapt to modern life is due to the excellent functions inherent in them.
The MARUGO KURASHIKI store is located in a building with charm, featuring modern design, creating a space where "old" and "new" coexist.
I encourage you to visit MARUGO KURASHIKI, where modern versions of underground tabi with a 100-year history are displayed, and experience the feeling of "both old and new".
Data on MARUGO KURASHIKI
| Name | MARUGO KURASHIKI |
|---|---|
| Address | 1-4-13 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, inside Kurashiki SOLA |
| Contact | 086-489-6948 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | None |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Website | 【Official】Marugo Online Shop |
