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How Japan's Astounding Bootmaking Culture Grew—And Where It's Going
It’s not a stretch to say there is no quality footwear culture quite like Japan’s. But WHY does the Japanese passion for making and wearing great boot and shoes exist?
Well, I had to go to Tokyo to find out.
As the final piece of our five-part Sole Searching: Tokyo YouTube series, I sat down with Michiya Suzuki—ex-Red Wing Japan GM and co-founder of The 2 Monkeys boot brand—to crack it open.
Turns out, it’s part Americana, part rebellion, and part deep cultural reverence for craft.
Michiya walked me through how Red Wing became a fashion staple in Japan, how the iconic Iron Ranger boot came to…
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