"We want to carefully craft shoes that will become the standard for Japanese footwear," says Otsuka Shoe Co., Ltd., which boasts a 145-year history, as its new label OTSUKA+ M-5 makes its debut at Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building B1F, Men's Shoes. All eight styles from the first collection will be available, and pattern order will also start from November 1st (Wednesday).

Otsuka Plus M5 Pattern Order

□From Wednesday, November 1st

□ Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , B1F = Men's Shoes

■Price: From 81,000 yen

■Delivery: Approximately 4-5 months later
*Please note that the delivery date may vary slightly depending on production status.

By fusing two of Otsuka Shoe's flagship labels, we have created a more evolved classic.

When I visited Otsuka Shoe Co.'s Hiyoshi factory (Yokohama factory) for an interview, I was greeted by Koji Kobayashi from the company's Planning Department, Product Development Office. The Hiyoshi factory produces only men's shoes, with a monthly production of approximately 3,000 pairs and an annual production of approximately 40,000 pairs. Mr. Kobayashi, who studied shoemaking at a shoe school in Italy, guided me through the shoemaking process, from the three-step lasting (shaping) of the length, width, and heel, to sole attachment, wrinkle removal, and finishing.


The new label launching this fall, Otsuka Plus M-5, combines the OTSUKA M-5, a meticulously crafted shoe with a limited monthly production run and currently a one-year waiting list online, with Otsuka+, which has been in development since 2014. "As a company specializing in classic shoes, we created this new label as a new take on classics. We've completely revamped the design and last (shoe mold), and improved the 'flexibility,' a weak point of the Goodyear welt construction, using new ideas. The result is a leather shoe that feels comfortable right from the first wear," says Kobayashi.


The new label, Otsuka Plus M5, features a classic look with a short nose, updated by slightly shortening the balance of the straight tip. The result is a classic look for 2017. Another feature is the clear distinction between the two newly created lasts, "round" and "square," to make it easier for customers to choose. Both lasts are designed to fit Japanese feet, embodying the history of Otsuka Shoe Manufacturing.

Furthermore, the uppers of the eight designs in the first collection use leather from the French company Annonay. And the masterpiece model, which is limited to one pair per size, uses domestically produced Himeji leather for the upper, which has a softness and beautiful grain that makes it suitable for being made from a single piece of leather.

The "rib" part is the seam allowance used to sew on the welt, which is the key component of the Goodyear welt construction. Otsuka Plus M5 has researched bespoke (hand-stitched) methods to improve flexibility. They have developed the world's first original rib that can be mass-produced by machine, a hybrid of Goodyear and hand-stitching, achieving excellent flexibility.

NEXT>A masterpiece model with skin stitching that can be purchased for under 100,000 yen is now available.