The more that I find new Japanese shoemakers, the more that I feel that there is a whole world of discovery out there, that will only be unearthed through a proper visit to the land of shoes: Japan. This lovely pair of brogued derby boots is made by Miyagi Kogyo, who apparently is a custom (bespoke/MTO) shoemaker that has been making shoes since 1941 (or at least the family name has been around since then). While it’s hard to get the true appreciation of the colors of this boot, due to it being Instagramified, I must say that I love the idea of the scotch grain paired with suede, along with a nice contrast stitch. While it might be something hard to wear in London, I can imagine this getting a lot of time underneath a pair of jeans if I were to own it….I have always wanted to go to Tokyo and each time that I see yet another Japanese shoemaker, this yearning for travel grows stronger. My next proper 2-week holiday will find myself venturing there and I only hope that I at least discover 10 more makers to visit by that time!
ENOUGH of pisstagram already, it truly murders these works of art. I demand my shoe porn raw and in daylight!
I looked this one up and it seems to be a pretty big MTO operation; kind of a Japanese Allen Edmonds!
I have to say their pics showed some really nasty embossed “scotchgrain” that I wouldn’t fancy much. But there seems to be a lot of choice.
Anyway, back to the point, there do seem to be a lot of awesome artisan Japanese makers, even if this isn’t exactly one of them. Your holiday sounds like a great idea – but check how many of these guys are actually anywhere near Tokyo before you pick your destination!
Also, I agree about the grain/suede combo. I would definitely wear this boot.
You can find similar things form an English shoemakers (like the Hamish Tween Boot by Alfred Sargent – http://www.afinepairofshoes.co.uk/collections/boots-price-asc/products/alfred-sargent-exclusive-hamish-tweed-boot).
Benjy – i wish I could get all of the pictures that I do from instagram in a natural setting, but I can’t, so Instagram will have to do….
Alex B – I can see what you mean by the website, but trust me, these makers are top notch…they just don’t show it but I will when I post more pics of them later….Their soles are phenomenal, like C&J handgrade but better….will show you soon. Plus, in this pic, you can surely see the quality of not only the leather, but the finishing, the pattern and the construction…it’s tip top
-Justin