Numi

Numi [ぬみ], also called numikaga, are thonged sandals, the bases of which are wrapped in some kind of cloth or fabric for added comfort. They typically feature a shallow dip in the centre of the sole, with the toes and heel being elevated very slightly. They also feature flip-flop style thongs, which go between the big toes and down the sides of the foot.
Numi, like all forms of traditional Kantonese footwear, are worn exclusively outside. They developed in the early 1400s as a more aesthetic and comfortable alternative to wahashi, straw sandals, which were favoured by the peasantfolk. Numi, in contrast, were usually worn by those higher-ranking in society, such as merchants, landowners or wealthy tradesmen. The cloth covering of the base was usually an indicator of the wearer's elevated social status and showed that they could afford to decorate their shoes with no practical purpose. It also symbolised that the wearer rarely had to walk through mud or along dirty ground, which would risk the appearance of their numi.