A Traditional Footwear Maker with Over 100 Years of History Introduces a New Vision of Tradition: Limited-Edition Leather Sandal Merging Tabi and Setta, "ITARO 1201 TABI SETTA," Now Available!

TABI SETTA

Combining the natural toe movement enabled by a tabi-style outsole with a design inspired by the setta—a traditional Japanese sandal.

This is a footwear piece that captures the charm of traditional Japanese footwear and reinterprets it for modern lifestyles.

Product Concept: 'The Fusion of Tabi and Setta'

The split-toe tabi-style outsole promotes natural toe movement, while the simple, elegant design reminiscent of a setta adds sophistication to your feet.

This sandal blends the appeal of traditional Japanese footwear with contemporary functionality, creating an entirely new sandal concept.

Product Features

1 Premium Leather Unique to the ITARO Brand

The upper uses high-quality domestic leather, selected for its strength and flexibility.

The more you wear it, the more character it develops, evolving into a truly personalized pair.

The strap (hanao) incorporates generous padding with urethane sponge, delivering a soft, comfortable fit that gently cradles the foot.

2 Natural Walking Enabled by Tabi-Style Sole

The tabi-style outsole supports natural toe movement.

Designed with awareness of the foot's natural mechanics, it ensures comfortable walking.

3 Vibram Outsole

The outsole features Vibram rubber, renowned for its excellent grip, durability, and cushioning.

Suitable for everyday wear as well as travel, it performs reliably across a wide range of scenarios.

Additionally, the footbed uses Japanese-made EVA material, engineered for a comfortable, foot-conforming fit.

Development Background

Developer Comment | Keijiro Sugimoto, Manager, Wellness Promotion Department

Previously, our company launched a tabi-style leather sandal called 'Emma'.

Since its release, we've received strong customer support, along with numerous requests asking for men's sizes.

We also learned that sandals with a shape close to traditional tabi are easily accepted as an entry point to tabi-style footwear, both visually and functionally.

Therefore, rather than simply expanding our size range, we wanted to explore how, as a manufacturer of underground tabi, we could carry forward tradition while offering new value.

This led us to focus on the 'setta', another traditional Japanese sandal, and under our brand philosophy of 'make it new', we began development with the theme of 'fusing tabi and setta'.

Left: 'Emma', Right: 'ITARO 1201 TABI SETTA'

Collaborative Development

This product was co-developed with Tokyo-based leather brand 'No,No,Yes!'.

Through the combined expertise and experience of both parties in design, materials, and manufacturing techniques, we brought this product to life.

Designed not only for domestic customers but also with growing inbound tourism demand in mind, this product aims to convey the essence of Japan's unique traditional culture.

Future Plans

Developer Comment | Keijiro Sugimoto, Manager, Wellness Promotion Department

We intend to continue offering TABI SETTA as an ongoing product line.

By presenting traditional Japanese footwear—tabi and setta—in a form that fits seamlessly into modern lifestyles, we aim to share Japan's unique cultural appeal with audiences both at home and abroad.

Currently, the product is available in limited quantities exclusively at our directly operated stores. However, we plan to expand production capacity and explore online sales and broader distribution channels in the future.

We hope this product will help make tabi culture and Japanese traditions more accessible, growing into a beloved item for many people.

Product Overview

Product Name: ITARO 1201 TABI SETTA

Price: 33,000 JPY (tax included)

Colors: Black, White

Sizes: 23.0–29.0 cm (in 1 cm increments)

Sales Locations: Marugo Direct Stores [MARUGO TOKYO (Tokyo) / MARUGO KURASHIKI (Okayama) / KOYAYA (Okayama)]

Company Information

Marugo Company Inc., established in 1919 (Taisho 8), has long manufactured underground tabi with a focus on 'safety and reliability'. Today, the company also produces safety work shoes and gloves. In 2019, it celebrated its 100th anniversary and continues to uphold tradition while embracing new challenges under the concept of '≪make it new≫'.

Contact Information

Marugo Company Inc. [Head Office] 1680-1, Chayamachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama 710-1101 [Direct Stores] MARUGO TOKYO / MARUGO KURASHIKI / KOYAYA / Online Shop [Inquiries for this product] TEL: 086-428-0235 FAX: 086-428-7551 (Contacts: Tomi, Sugimoto, Matsumoto)

Marugo Company Inc. (MARUGO) manufactures underground tabi, leg wraps, safety shoes, rain boots, and more in Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture.