Bouncing around Japan a couple of weeks ago, I mostly stuck to thrift and secondhand stores…I was looking for something cheap and unique, but didn’t find much…I almost settled on some @strayrats x @newbalancelifestyle 991’s for around $120, but thought better of it. Couldn’t I just get those on any resale site at any time at the states? Same with nearly every pair of Nikes (and there were plenty just sitting).
What shoes could I buy in Japan that would be harder to find in the states?
Other than all those supercool sashiko customizations, I didn’t want to go too overboard…I saw some dope Instapump Fury’s at the Reebok store but wanted something more for an everyday wear. @mizuno_sportstyle_jp isn’t exactly difficult to find in the states if you know how to look as anything can be imported, but it looks like their prices were about HALF of what I’d end up paying in the states.
I stumbled into the Mizuno shop in Kyoto and was immediately drawn to the wave rider 10’s with the rib cage on the tongue…and then…the eyeball…what are these about?
I already had a couple of different pairs of wave riders at home so figured this was the pair I’d focus on purchasing. The storytelling had something to do with some popular ‘monsters’ in Japanese culture - the ‘Yokai’ - and the pair I was interested in - is called the ‘Gashadokuro’, which translates to ‘rattling skeleton’ and is a giant skeleton that roams the countryside at night. Dope.
A few days later I ended up in the Mizuno flagship in Tokyo and copped the Odokuro (skeleton) pair. In all, about $110 out the door…steal.
Anyway…the interesting thing, I think, was seeing how marketing works in one area a lot better than other areas. Like I said in that reel - I didn’t see Nike marketing anywhere while out there, but i did quite a bit of the New Balance and Mizuno marketing…JB was basically a non-entity…
One of my dream ideas would be to travel to other countries, showing Americans what sneaker culture is like overseas. Who wants to fund my dream?