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2016.10.18 update

[Roundtable Discussion] Men captivated by Panther, a Showa-era athletic shoe overflowing with the charm of Made in Japan（1/5）

In the 1960s, during the Showa era in Japan, there was a sneaker called Panther. It was a time when it's even questionable whether the word "sneaker" existed. "Athletic shoes" was the correct term. Wearing athletic shoes as a fashion statement was not yet recognized; athletic shoes were strictly for physical education classes or club activities at school, and were nothing more than shoes for exercise.


Panther was born in 1964, a time when the Tokyo Olympics were being held and the demand for sports shoes was rapidly expanding. Panther was overwhelmingly popular among elementary and junior high school students, mainly through school sales. At that time, you could always find well-worn, dusty Panthers in the entryway of a home with children. However, with the rise of overseas brands, domestic sneaker brands began to decline. Panther, a product of its time, was also swept away by that wave.


From left to right: Tomoyasu Tabata (Mitsukoshi Isetan) , Masayuki Yahagi (Sekaicho Union) , Hideyuki Kunii (Mita Sneakers) , Tomohiro Ichinose (WISM)

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