The History of Naito- Supporting Feet for Five Generations In 1875 (the 8 th year of the Meiji era), our history began when Jubeimon started timber and textilebusinesses, and made geta sandals using the leftover materials.
When the Edo era governed by the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end, and in the midst of the chaosof transformation into a modern nation, which included banning men’s topknot hairstyles (chonmage)and samurai swords, most Japanese wore kimonos and women put their hair up in the Japanese style.
At this time, Napoleon III drove a revolution in The City of Lights, Paris, and completed the PalaisGarnier opera house in the same year.  
GetaGeta is a Japanese traditional footwear that looks like clogs or sandals. It has a raised wooden sole and holds the foot with a cloth strap. Nowmany people wear geta with Japanese kimonos and yukata or summer kimonos. In the past, mainly monks and Shinto priests wore them.

ZoriZori is also a Japanese traditional footwear that consists of a sole and a strap. Mainly they are worn with Japanese traditional clothes,but these days many people wear zori with European clothes, too.
These days, we see geta with casual summer kimonos, and zori with rather formal kimonos. But in days of old, zori meant a footwearfor dressing and was worn inside houses, and geta meant wooden clogs to wear outside. On the streets, only people who servegods and Buddha, and people of high status could wear geta. Normal people wore straw sandals but now they are used for specialoccasions like traditional festivals and zori and straw sandals are seen as practically the same.

1897 (the 30th year of the Meiji era):

Nishijin, Kyoto, a Leading Brocade Town in JapanAs a symbol of the new era, the fifth International Exposition was held in Paris (the first prize went

to an American inventor Charles Seeberger who introduced his trademarked “escalator”).
Bushido by Inazo Nitobe and The Book of Tea (1906) by Tenshin Okakura introduced not onlyJapanese paintings and artwork but also our spiritual nature to the world.
Nishijin is a leading brocade producing city that was expanded after the Onin War (1467 to 1477)and the “Nishijin” brand was built under the protection of the government in 1548.
Nishijin brocade reached full bloom at the beginning of the 18th century with overwhelmingsupport from rich merchants and artisans. Then, with the promotion of modernization, they createdthe unique Jacquard weave and even now, Nishijin is one of the best Japanese brocades. In this city, wecontinue our study and education.

1930: from Nishijin to Gion,

the Most Famous Entertainment District in JapanSalvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Alberto Giacometti, Jean Genet, and Henri Michaux...
When Paris made the stage for many artists, writers, and poets, Naito moved its office into Gion whereit had a branch office. Gion is among the most famous entertainment districts of Japan. It continues tohave many maiko, or apprentice geisha and geisha from the Meiji era and still retains its gorgeousnessand class. Starting our business in a watershed of Japanese culture, we have pursued and served beautyderived from functionality that is unique to Kyoto to support good old practices, and strive for beauty inordinary life.
Japanese footwear has such traits as minimal and perfect shape as a tool, a variety of colorful andrare materials on a global basis, and to implicitly express the day’s purpose, tone, and situation.
Customarily, we take off our shoes. This is characteristic of Japanese culture. The origins of our lifecome from a worldview to coexist with nature, and where the border between in and out is ambiguous.
After carrying their master to the destination front door, footwear is arranged nicely and representspeople’s awe and thankfulness in peace.

Gion Naito appreciates beauty coming from spirit and continues to support footwear based on theroots of Japanese culture.
Our late fourth Naito owner regarded “footwear as a vase to give f lowers life” and said “Feet areroots to grow buds, so take good care of them”.
Our products are all handmade by artisans. We measure every customer’s feet and understand theirphysical features. And we create footwear that has a reputation of “intoxicating from the soles of the feet”through conversations with customers.
Footwear is a tool and a decoration. As brocade craftsmen, Naito has a spirit to create thingsthrough understanding each user’s situation.

Effects and Features of Japanese FootwearThese days children are encouraged to wear geta or zori with the belief that footwear with strapsstrengthen feet. The foot muscles can be strengthened by grabbing a strap and holding onto a sole andthat helps developing the arch of the foot and preventing bunions.
With oriental medicine, acupressure points between fingers are important to vitalize the flow of allover body life force, or qi.
Balancing on the big toes and placing the center of gravity on the lower abdomen are basic featuresfor Japanese classical dance, martial arts, and other actions.
The shape of the foot reveals important characteristics.
The hooves of huge cows and muscular horses have characteristics on their own to show theimportance of toes. Cows with cloven hooves can turn around on the spot, but horses with whole hoovesneed to make a big U-turn to change directions. A small difference in shape makes a big impact onmovement.

Rikyu(Occasion: Formal)利久Paper Flower(Occasion : Formal)紙の華TraditionalFormal Wear御正装

Kyoto Zori京 草履

Party Wear御 会席

Ceremonial Wear御訪問

The FutureProducing top quality Japanese style footwear, our customers include kabuki actors, famousactresses, writers and intellectuals, and our products have appeared in many well-known magazinesand TV and radio programs in Japan.
To bring our many years of well-rounded knowledge to the world, we set up The Mana Project in2012. Through this project, we aim to produce stories (goods) by presenting materials, techniques, andmethods to help our life and build a bridge to the future. The first project is the footwear “JOJO”.

What is Mana?
Mana means spirituality and vitality in all people in Hawaii. In Melanesia, it means the origin ofmystical power.
In Indo-European culture, Mana suggests food given by the sky. And also means mind, moon, andMagna Mater in women, and blood of wisdom.
Magna Mater is a goddess who brings fertility and productiveness and thoroughly representsearth. The Japanese famous guardian deity is Toyokebime which blesses clothing, food, and housing.  

http://www.jojo-manaproject.com/

GION NA I TOK YO TO JA PA Nhttp://gion-naitou.com/en