I wanted to get some geta (traditional Japanese wooden sandals) as a gift for someone. Being December these are at least 6 months out of season. There is a shop on Teramachi-dori called Yamanaka (established 1909) that specializes in this unique footwear. I'd passed it dozens of times before. I was hoping it wasn't a seasonal shop, or that they would now be selling snow boots.
It was open and a full range of geta and zori (traditional Japanese sandal for women worn with kimonos) were on display. A kindly old woman wearing a work apron greeted me and after explaining what I wanted in Japanese she wasted no time showing me a variety of styles.
The geta in Yamanaka are something like a made-to-measure suit. They are not completely bespoke (custom-made), but they are not ready-to-wear either, that is, a single manufacturer's standard. Geta are made from a single block of wood called a dai. One can select the shape and style of the dai here. The hanao, or thongs, are also customizable with a variety of cotton fabric patterns to choose from.
After I selected the dai and the hanao pattern the proprietress told me it would take about twenty minutes to assemble the geta. In the 21st Century where it seems everything is instant, it is unusual to wait for anything. I found this was not an inconvenience, but a pleasure. It is a joy to watch someone work that really knows his or her craft. I imagine this woman could probably assemble geta blindfolded.
Sitting on her zabuton (cushion) she worked with a set of well-worn specialized tools. The hanao was secured to the dai with a hemp cord using a variety of attractive knots - no glue! The geta were finished with a small Yamanaka logo which she tapped into the heal with a brass stamp.
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