History
Ipponba geta are traditional Japanese wooden sandals with one tooth. Brought from China, the Ipponba geta have been in Japan for over 1000 years. Yamabushi and Buddhist monks wore these sandals during ascetic training in the mountains because they made walking along the slopes of the mountains easier.
There are also records showing that Ipponba geta were worn by traditional circus troupes as an acrobatic footwear. In addition to written records there are also paintings showing these troupes in parade wearing Ipponba geta.
Ipponba geta are also known as Tengu geta as most people in Japan have an image of the mystical creature wearing these one toothed sandals. By wearing unstable sandals traditional performance artists could show off their physical prowess.
The role of Ipponba geta in this era
These mysterious sandals with a long history have recently come back into use by professional athletes who use them to train, as a way for people to exercise at home while doing housework, at nursery schools to help children develop better balance and various other places.
Whenever our friends try on a pair of Ipponba geta, no matter if they are a child or an adult, a smile appears on their faces. There are many reasons for their smiles, like the unusual feeling of walking around in something so unstable, instantly being taller, and seeing the world through a different perspective. We hope that the thousand year old Ipponba geta can, through our T-foot sandals, bring a smile to as many people in the present day as possible.
