The progress., 1904-09-03
FooTcEAR OF JAPANESE.
Lt Is Of the Kind That Makes the Feet
Hard and the Ankles
Strong.

VQo Japanese SHOES, OF Scth, 90
they are called, are one of the singu-
larly distinctive features Of Japanese
life which will strike the observer
with wonderment as soon as he sees
them looming along the roadway, or
hears them scraping the gravel with
an irritable squeak that makes his
very nerves shudder. Nevertheless,
says the London Chronicle, awkward
though the shoes appear, they are OF
kind constituted to make the feet as
hard as sheet iron, and ankles as
strong as steel girders.
The shoes are divided into two
varieties; the low shoe is called the
"komageta,' and is only used when
the roads are in good condition. The
high shoes, named "ashida," are worn
when the weather is rainy and the roads
are muddy. Both kinds have thin thong
attached to the surface to secure them
to the feet, which are therefore not
covered as If they were in shoes, but
are left exposed to atmospheric condi-
tions. The "komageta" resemble
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their construction merely entails the
carving of block of wood to the
proper size. The "ashida," however,
are of more complicated design. They
have two thin pieces of wood, about
three inches high, at right angles to
the soles, and occasionally, in the case
of priests or pilgrims, only one bar
attached.
Some of the "geta" worn by little
girls are painted in many colors, and
others have tiny bell hanging from
a hollow place at the back, which, as
1t tinkles in mystic way, heralds the
approach of children. The superior
makes are covered with mats, made OF
panama. The highest price amounts
to about ten yen or five dollars, while
the cheapest is less than ten sen, or
q few cents, but then the "geta" will
not last longer than a month, and once
out of repair can never be mended.
Learning to walk on "geta" is an
exceedingly difficult process. Indeed,
1t is far easier to acquire skating or
stilt walking. The average child IN
Japan takes about two months before
being able to move along on the ma
tional footgear, and the little ones re-
peatedly slip from the wooden blocks,
falling to the ground, which seems to
their miniature imaginations consiG-
cradle distance beneath them. AL
though foreigners usually take with
readiness to the customs of Japan,
they are absolutely unable to manipu-
late the perilous "geta."
A curious story is told of a San Fran
cisco merchant who was invited to at
tend fancy dress ball. He thought 1t
would be quite the correct thing to at
tend in Japanese costume and wrote to
a friend in Yokohama to send a complete
suit of the costume of a gentleman OF
high class. On receipt of the costume
he was immensely surprised at its ex-
tensive variety. He mastered all the
lntricacies of the flowing robes but
when he unearthed the "geta" he was
completely at loss to understand its
use. Having only just arrived in the
country, and not being over observant,
he had omitted to notice the foot ar
rangements of the people. After much
earnest consideration, he was sudden
ly seized with brilliant idea. "Ah,"
he exclaimed in his desire to extol every
thing Japanese, this wooden block has
got very lovely shape, it is very beau-
tifully carved and artistic. Therefore
it must be kind of decoration to be
worn on the shoulders like epaulettes."
And so the merchant went to the ball
with "geta" on each shoulder instead
of on each foot
Some parents allow their children to
play barefoot in the streets, but when
going out with their elders, or paying
visits, 1t is essential that everyone,
from the smallest to the tallest, must
mount the wooden clog, and propel
themselves in this odd fashion. The dis
like of the Japanese children for the ac-
tivity of outdoor games is to be mainly
attributed to the awkward encum-
brances with which their little feet are
loaded. For instance, one seldom sees
Japanese children gamboling in open
playgrounds-they have yet to learn the
feverish pleasures of hide and seek" or
FOUNDERS" while such a thing as top
spinning or football never obstructs the
roadways.
Singular superstitions are associated
with the "geta," which at times are de-
cidedly useful. When host desires that
a too attentive caller should depart. he
induces somebody to burn moxa, which
has a peculiar odor, upon his shoes,
which are outside the door. The guest
will Immediately take the hint, and
simultaneously his leave. When a
thong of a "geta" is accidentally sew
cred on the return from the visit to a
sick person a firm belief exists that the
patient must die. The Japanese. how
ever. dearly love the 'geta." and al
though civilization may teach them to
win battles it will never induce them to