A more comfortable way to enjoy the festival season while out and about in your yukata summer kimono.

It’s summer in Japan, which means it’s time to enjoy seasonal ice creams, Pikachu Outbreaks, and bathtub cinemas. It’s also time to reach into the wardrobe and take out that yukata summer kimono, because the best way to get into the traditional spirit of the season’s festivities is with a lightweight cotton garment, even if the matching wood-soled geta sandals leave you with blisters at the end of it all.

▼ Geta are traditionally worn with kimono and yukata.

Despite being beautiful to look at, geta aren’t the most comfortable of footwear, so for one forward-thinking apparel brand the solution was obvious: Combine the look of the geta sandal with the comfort of a sneaker.

▼ And the Hanao Shoe was born.

Created by Whole Love Kyoto, this new range of geta-sneaker hybrids can be worn with kimono and yukata, but they can also be added to any outfit for a unique look. The geta strap, made with Japanese fabric, is purely decorative, and matches the lines of the sneaker perfectly, as if the two were always destined to be together.

Whole Love Kyoto aims to create new items from old traditions, and the Hanao Shoe is their signature product, proudly handmade in Japan. The range of comfortable footwear comes in a variety of different colour combinations to suit all sorts of outfits.

▼ If you’re looking for the classy geta style, commonly worn with more formal kimono, then these are the ones for you.

▼ And if you’re looking to really turn heads on the street, why not add a matching geta cap to your outfit?

While the Hanao Shoe might seem like an odd creation at first, from a distance it’s cleverly deceptive, as the white sneaker looks more like the traditional white tabi sock, giving it a more natural appearance.

▼ Adding a tabi sock to the look makes the combination even more appealing.

▼ But they can add some Japanese flair to any type of outfit.

The price of the footwear is sadly under wraps, with stock at the online store currently sold out. For those wanting to catch a glimpse of these in person, though, Whole Love Kyoto will be displaying them at Ueno Park’s Tokyo Edo Week festival from 26-29 July.

Source: Whole Love Kyoto via Japaaan
Featured image: Whole Love Kyoto
Insert images: Pakutaso, Whole Love Kyoto