Classic Oxford Shoes HANDMADE in Japan

Handlasted, Handwelted and Handsewn Outsole Stitch.

Upper: ZONTA Goldanil Calf in Black
Bottom: Black Finish, Fiddle Back and Beveled Waist, Slightly Tapered Heel, Toe Taps

Crafted by Ken Kataoka & Toshihide Takai

[BananasananaB]

In such a busy, angry, technologically overwhelmed globalized society we're in today, it is pleasing to see craftsman calmly, quietly creating such fantastic (functional) art such as this. I respect the skill involved and that there are people still willing to take the time to do it properly.

[russiandollie]

I always thought genuine leather shoes like these are expensive because of the original expensive materials used, now I know it's the handmade thing that is worth every penny spent on these shoes. Might never be able to afford them, but I can truly appreciate the skill. Impressive 👏🏻

[patrickwie]

I´m an orthopedic shoemaker from Germany crafting custom and handmade shoes for the disabled and seeing this just made me genuinely happy. My dream is to live in Japan one day and this gave me hope that there is really something I could do. But i must admit that our work is nowhere close to their art. Thank you Gentlemen 👏🏼

[iiredeyeiiredeye]

I'm from Northamptonshire, England. This was the centre of the Boot and Shoe industry back in the day. Sadly only a handful of companies still exist making shoes to this sort of quality. Great to see young people in japan practising the art. Long may it continue.

[_JimS]

I was a shoe/boot repairman for close to 20 years and took great pride in my work. I was never trained to make shoes, just repair them, but I did work at a shop where the owner made shoes, so I have a high appreciation for the craft. Watching this just about brought me to tears, the level of craftsmanship and design. Bravo Gentlemen!

[franciscoescobar]

My father was a shoemaker since he was about 15 years old, it was not a well paid profession in Mexico, but thanks to that I am what I am today thanks to shoemaking and to him, this video made me very nostalgic because although he made women's shoes the steps were identical and I always helped him from design to delivery, I would give anything to help him again at least once more to make a shoe with him, rest in peace dad Gilberto.

[eltonnoway]

I was stationed in Japan in 1967. One day on leave I was walking though the city and stopped to watch a cobbler hand making shoes just like in this video. I was so impressed I decided to spend some of my drinking money and have a pair made even though I had trouble justifying the expense. Ashamed to admit it now because I paid less than $20 US for mine. The gentleman first made plaster casts of my feet and said they would keep my molds in the shop so I could order more pairs of shoes in the future and they would mail them to me in the states, although I never did order another pair. The shoes I had made looked almost exactly like the ones in this video and they fit like a glove. After getting out of the military I wore them for many years as I climbed the corporate ladder. Sad to say, eventually the soles finally wore out and even though the tops still looked new and instead of getting them resoled... I threw them out. I seem to remember thinking "Heck' I only paid $20 for them, not worth getting them repaired". A decision from my youth I've regretted several times since then... and especially now after watching this video [sigh].

[alexanderammerl]

This is beyond impressive....the level of detail and the amount of steps needed to make a product like this is insane. Those guys are true Masters of their craft!

[UserInterface]

Automation can speed up inventory, but the handcrafted art and attention to detail is what truly makes these shoes magnificent.

[Tpaulissendougan]

His work brought tears to my eyes. The time, the effort, the art. Very few people demand respect in this world. He’s 1 of them. Hat’s off.

[chanfonsoo]

This video stopped me from doing my work for 37 minutes. Impressive handcraft and respect to the artists making the shoes. Thanks to the videographer for bringing such beautiful video into youtube.

[Rustam]

Создавать обувь вручную сравни искусству калиграфии, это шедеврально и потрясающе. Браво мастеру за его труд, время и душу что он вложил создавая пару.

[leeya]

Ahhh a young craftsperson, finally. Refreshing to see that the art of shoemaking has been passed on. Nicely done!

[lennoderuyter]

Amazing, so the old way of shoe making is still alive. I am from the Netherlands and the way of shoemaking runs in the blood of the Netherlands as in my family as well. My father was a shoemaker old scool in the past about 70 years ago and he made shoes almost similar than you for me. One of the differences is that he used wooden pins in building up the heal of a shoe . Thanks for sharing, it was a joy of seeing you making shoes with a surgical steady hand. Chapeau.

[ЛюбовьФомина-шт]

С ума сойти какой труд! Сколько работы! Сколько труда, терпения и тепла рук мастера вложено в эту обувь! Преклоняюсь перед такими мастерами с золотыми руками!

[BuddhaFett]

A lot of the tools used by him look hand forged. It’s amazing how specialized the tools are and how precisely he can use them for this work of art.

[gary]

The final product are not just shoes they are a piece of art. It's beautiful to see this level of craftmanship still surviving.

[yakakiyakaki]

Wow, this video takes handcrafted to a level I’ve never seen before. Japanese artisans are probably the most disciplined in the entire world. The only use of any form of powered machinery was for sewing together the uppers - what wonderful craftsmanship!!!

[Galivantin]

This video brings back memories, when I was kid, growing up in Mexico, my Dad used to bring home, carrying in his shoulders, a cow's hide, or rather the leather, he then would cut it into the shoe forms, it takes a very special skill to trim out the edges of those shoes so that can be glued together and be turned into a shoe or a boot. As they say "stick to your last." I couldn't cut a shoe if my life depended on it. Thank you for what you do.

[danthemanhart]

I’ve watched this video so many times. It’s so soothing to watch the beautiful attention to detail they have, and the love and care they put into the pair of shoes