How do women perceive men who are particular about their shoes? We urgently gathered prominent figures from various fields who have strong opinions on shoes, and asked them to freely share their thoughts on men's footwear.




--I previously heard from Ms. Maruyama, who is participating today, that the world of men's shoes is a genre that doesn't exist for women. First of all, have you ever thought that there's anything strange about men's shoes?

For example, high heels can make women feel really motivated and look beautiful, but I wonder why men deliberately wear pointed shoes when they want to feel motivated. Even musicians don't wear them anymore. These days, even visual kei looks good in sneakers, and in fact, they look cooler, so when I see men still wearing pointed shoes, that's when I start to wonder.

—Indeed, you still see a lot of people wearing those kinds of shoes around town.

You sometimes see people who have tripped on the Maruyama stairs and broken the toes of their shoes. I've wondered why they wear shoes like that, and lately, when I'm at exhibitions or working in stores, everyone clearly says they have a large shoe size. I tell them that it won't fit, but they still insist on a larger size. So I thought, maybe they want to make their feet look bigger. Long toe boxes make feet look bigger.
At the Kawamura store, we handle custom-made shoes and actually measure the customer's feet, so we know their correct size. Yet, they still ask for a size about 1.5 centimeters larger. When I ask if they'd like us to make the shoes appear larger using the welt specifications, most people say "yes," so I think there's a psychological reason why they want larger shoes.
Maruyama: I think that feeling is unique to Japan. Overseas, there's a strong sense that wearing shoes that fit you well is cool. Also, for men, there's a feeling that slightly oversized shoes are more masculine, and while that might exist overseas as well, I sometimes feel that it's particularly strong in Japan.
It's not about whether the shoes are too small or too large; what's more important is wearing shoes you truly love and taking good care of them. Even worn-out shoes can look cool if you've grown attached to them.
Maruyama: That's right. I also think men who wear shoes with Charles patches (a type of repair where the upper is patched, as seen on the shoes of Prince Charles of England) are attractive. Shoes are like partners to men. So the way a man takes care of his shoes might be seen as a reflection of how he treats women.
Does this mean that men who cherish their shoes will also cherish women?
Mori, that might be true.
Even at Kawamura , there are quite a few people who are overly affectionate with their shoes. Those who take care of their shoes themselves tend to apply far too much cream or wax. Sometimes, too much affection can actually be bad for the shoes. That's... a distorted kind of love.

Expensive, high-quality shoes are n't necessarily a bad thing.

Speaking of LOVE Guitar, I play acoustic guitar, and whether it's old or new, an acoustic guitar won't sound good unless you play it properly. Also, sometimes the money you spend on repairs is enough to buy a new guitar, but I think it's the same with shoes; they're meant to be used. Shoes are meant to be walked in, guitars are meant to be played, and they get scratched when you carry them around to gigs, but that's what makes you attached to them, and as you repair them, take care of them, wipe them down, and apply oil, they become something that only you can create. When I think about it that way, I kind of understand the male mindset, or the feelings men have when it comes to their gear, like cars or shoes.
Morita : Also, shoes don't really have a season, do they? If you have one good pair, the more care you take of them, the longer you can wear them. I myself have a pair of shoes that I've had for 30 years. So I think it's perfectly fine to buy good shoes. The more you maintain them, the longer you can wear them, so if they can be repaired, I don't think expensive shoes are expensive at all. Also, I work for a brand, and there are people who think that they'll work hard in order to wear or have to wear this brand. I respect customers who think, "I'll work hard because I bought this," or "I'll work hard so I can buy this."
Maruyama: I don't dislike men who seek out expensive shoes. Leaving aside those with an abundance of money, I think that men who buy expensive shoes while working a regular job have a love for the brand, or a vision of how they want to be when they wear them. I think that wearing those shoes helps them get their lives on track, and that many of them have a solid background. I think it's fine if it shows that they want to wear those shoes, and that's how they wear them. It doesn't feel like the shoes are wearing them.
From Kawamura Shoe Polisher's perspective, I think it's perfectly fine to invest in yourself by buying expensive shoes, but some people think that once they've bought them, that's the end of it. It's not like "after you've caught a fish, do something to it," but you have to take care of them every day. Even just 15 seconds a day is enough. I wonder if people who can't make it a habit to take just 15 seconds really have the right to buy those expensive shoes. It's harsh, but it might be true.
Maruyama: Also, it's great for people who have regular places they go to for maintenance and to buy things.

—I imagine you get a lot of clients coming to you for advice, Mr. Mori.

Mori: That's right. Many of our customers are very particular about their shoes, and some are more interested in understanding their own feet than in shoes. Some even come in for life advice and then end up buying shoes as an afterthought.
Is there a deep connection between Morita's life and shoes?

—So, looking at it from the opposite perspective, does that mean that for men, choosing shoes is often connected to something spiritual or philosophical?

Do good shoes transcend time?

Sometimes , customers come looking for their dream brand, try on shoes multiple times, and still aren't satisfied, ultimately not making a purchase. But I'm incredibly grateful to be able to help them through that process. For example, someone might be buying their first pair of expensive shoes, and I want them to leave with a positive experience. I want to be there for them, offering support with shoe care and everything else.
I'd love to see some data on at what point in a person's life they buy shoes.
Mori: What left a strong impression on me was when a couple came in to choose shoes to wear for a wedding. They were buying shoes for the wedding ceremony and the reception. The wife said that it was the first time she and her husband were buying shoes together, so she wanted shoes that she could wear with him and that she could also wear on a regular basis.

──Do you have any stories related to men's shoes?

Kawamura: Our customers come from a wide range of age groups, but one day a gentleman in his 70s came in with a very old pair of shoes. They were his late father's shoes. They were in tatters, but he really wanted to wear them, so we repaired them completely. We attached the patches we were just talking about, and since the size was a little off, we put in insoles so that he could wear them. Men's shoes are generally simple in design, so many of the designs have been around for about 100 years, haven't they? That elderly gentleman taught me that you can still wear shoes that are 50 or 60 years old, and that was very moving to me.
Morita: I have a very similar story. My brother brought home a pair of shoes as a memento when our grandfather passed away. Our grandfather wasn't someone who owned a lot of things, but by chance, his feet were the same size. And recently, when my maternal grandmother passed away, he wore them to her funeral. I almost cried when I realized he had kept them all this time, that they had been by his side all this time. As I said earlier, it really made me realize again that shoes are something that can be used regardless of the era.

—You both have witnessed some incredible situations. Hearing stories like that makes me want to take even better care of my shoes. Thank you all for sharing such wonderful stories today.





Photo: Kenta Yoshizawa
Hair&Make-up (LOVE): Daiji Hara (RITZ)
Text: Yukihiro Sugawara