Tabi museum - Tabi that It still make with German sewing machines -
※Tabi is Japanese socks
It is a Japanese shoes(Tabi) that was used actively from the late Edo period to the beginning of Showa era. I have never seen any Tabi for a long time. When wearing kimonos, it is necessary footwear. Footwear suitable for Waraji and Geta only needed Tabi.
※ Waraji is footwear made of straw.
※ Geta is footwear made of wood.
In the history of Gyoda’s Tabi, there is a legend that Kameya began making Tabi from 1684’ to 1688’. Fukiage village has been introduced to the road guide “Tokai, Kiso, An illustration of Road” in 1765’, and it is written as “Tabi is Walk quietly specialties” here. An illustration of Road is a travel guide book in modern times.
From 1886’ (Meiji 20) the production of Tabi has been changed from handmade to sewing machines. This resulted in mass production and became footwear to be used by more people. There were 27 eaves who make deal of Tabi in the city of Gyoda. Along with that, a lot of workers specializing in Tabi called Tabi craftsmen was working. In the early Showa period(about 1930’), Tabi not familiar with western footwear, Tabi were no longer used along with the demand for clothes. In the museum It made Tabi with German sewing machine that It used in the late Meiji period and thy sell Tabi now too. There are also colorful Tabi which arranged contemporary.
※ Obi is a long Belt worn in Japanese clothing.
※ Short sleeve is a slightly small Japanese clothing
※ See Google Maps location → here.
The museum I visited was an old socks(Tabi) plant. When I said that the owner of the former factory will stop producing the socks, it bought this place was people who liked Tabi. Now, the only one who makes socks is the old man. In Gyoda-shi, which is said to be a famous place of Tabi, this museum and several factories are only making Tabi. The management of museum whole suffer from difficult conditions. There seem to be receiving assistance from people in the city.
I have grown up and have never wear a kimono. I do not wear Tabi. Tabi is a living fossil for me.
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