[Ichirizuka-Shoes] Get Your Pair of Made-to-Order Leather Shoes in Onomichi!
Onomichi is full of small, charming shops.
One of them is Ichirizuka Shoes, a cozy order-made shoe studio. ”Ichirizuka” referred to signs that were built every four kilometers along the major roadways of the 17th to mid-19th centuries(Edo period). In those days, when people traveling on foot needed markers to understand the distances they traveled. So, some soil was piled up on both sides of the roads, and big trees such as enoki [Japanese hackberry trees] were planted on top.
This is a typical scenery of this older area of Onomichi. To get to the other side of the road, you need to go under the railway tracks. Nowadays, it is hard to find areas like this in newer, modernized cities.
This is the studio of Ichirizuka Shoes.
When you open the door, you will be greeted by Naomi Toyama, a shoemaker and musician, and her rescue dog, Annyong.
When Naomi first encountered the house, she learned that the family that lived there was called “Ichirizuka.” So, she decided to keep it as the name of her shop.
Naomi mastered how to make leather shoes in Osaka. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, she decided to adopt a process of manufacturing that she could do by herself. Then, she moved to Onomichi with her family in 2013 and opened her store in 2014.
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About a month ago, I placed an order with her to make leather sneakers for me after choosing my favorite type, sample color, size and other details. Now that they are ready, I came here to get them.
They are perfectly fit, custom-made leather sneakers! I am super-happy about getting these nice shoes and having such wonderful people living around me in Onomichi!
Her studio is not open every day. So, I recommend contacting her in advance via Instagram if you want to meet her.
(You may want to use an extension to translate pages in Japanese.)
Of course, just walking through the maze that is the narrow streets in Onomichi is fun! It might be fun to try your luck and walk by to see if you can catch Naomi when you casually drop in. (Prices and wait period will depend on the details, such as your specifications and the season.)
◆Location: 10-34 Nishi-Tsuchidoucho, Onomichi, Hiroshima
Born in Yokohama, and spent most of my school days in Tokyo.
Exchange student experience in the USA (in high school) and Thailand (after graduating from university).
Speak English, Thai and Japanese (of course).
Living in a tranquil island of the Shimanami Kaido.
”I would love to show you around this beautiful area of Setouchi! ”
