Sandals - Zori

Japanese: 草履 - ぞうり

A type of footwear. Used by both men and women, traditionally made from the leaves and stems of areca palm, rush, bamboo bark, and rice straw, it is characterized by its flat sole. It consists of a base on which the foot rests and a strap that fits snugly around the toes and instep to prevent the strap from slipping off. Depending on how the strap is attached, there are shin-o zori and sugeo zori. With shin-o zori, the core strap that makes up the base of the sandal is pulled out and attached to a side strap to create the strap. There are musubi-o zori, in which a knot is tied in the strap, and uchi-zori, in which the strap is attached to the underside of the base. Musubi zori are called "tsuno musubi," "hana musubi," "tonbo musubi," etc., depending on how the strap is tied. Sandals with a shorter base than normal length are called ashinaka (ashi-naka), while sandals with a normal length are also called nagazori.

[Takeshi Endo]

history

The name zori appears in the Chinese historical text Gokanshu (Book of the Later Han Dynasty), so it is known that they were introduced from China, and in the Heian period, the Jogan Kyakushiki (Records of the Imperial Rule) shows that they were used by monks as jori (pure sandals). There was a type of zori called ura-nashi (no lining), which was not worn by pinching it between the fingers, but by inserting the toes into the sandals. Mu-ura was originally made from areca palm leaves, but later came to be made from the stalks of wild rush grass after removing the core, and was later replaced by straw. Obuto is another type of zori that is worn by inserting the toes into the sandals, and was used by nobles when wearing shitozu (socks) outside the hall. Kongo zori are rectangular, sturdy sandals. Gege refers to cheap sandals made from straw or rush, and the ones worn by the Moon Lords, Unkakushi, and various nobles were called shirikire sandals.

These sandals were widely used from the early Heian period through the Muromachi period, but as wars between samurai families continued, they were replaced by ashihan, or half-sized sandals. Although straw sandals were convenient for samurai who needed mobility, stones, sand, and other debris would get caught in the sandals and hurt their feet, so ashihan, which made up half the size of a zori and fit the foot well, came into use. A picture of ashihan wearing can be seen in the Kasuga Gongen Reigenki, which may be the oldest example. Oda Nobunaga considered ashihan to be part of the samurai's attire, and would grant audiences to samurai who wore them.

In rural areas, people were self-sufficient and made their own sandals from materials they had on hand, so their footwear was straw sandals. However, straw is weak in wetlands, so in cities, bamboo bark began to be used instead of straw. This gave rise to layered sandals, which further developed into hemp-lined sandals, which used hemp thread for the soles instead of straw. High-quality bamboo bark sandals were made in Kamigata, especially Kyoto, and led the footwear world as Kyoto sandals. No matter how bad the roads are, sandals are light and comfortable to wear, and layered sandals are suitable for slightly wetlands.

In the mid-Edo period, layered sandals with overlapping soles gradually became popular, and in the red-light districts of Japan, thick-soled sandals called fukuzori were used, which did not echo even when running through the corridors. From the end of the Edo period, men's sandals were made of leather or velvet that was stretched around the outside, and Yawataguro sandals with thick, jet-black straps became very popular. Also, from the Genroku period (1688-1704), geta (snow sandals), which had leather stretched over the soles and studded with nails, became quite popular, boasting their sound and strength.

After the Sino-Japanese War, in the Meiji era, Sennosuke Ito, a craftsman at a bag store in Tokyo, invented air sandals using Panama, a material used for bags, and these were popular until the end of the Meiji era. The outer surface was made of cloth, and especially around 1903 and 1904 (Meiji 36 and 37), embroidered ones were also made. Even though people started wearing air sandals, many people still walked barefoot, and in 1901, the Metropolitan Police Department issued a ban on people walking barefoot. Most of the barefoot people were workers such as rickshaw drivers, grooms, rickshaw drivers, and craftsmen, and along with this ban, ita-ura zori sandals were made, which were made by folding a plank of magnolia in half and attaching a straw surface. However, because it was inconvenient to turn the foot with a folded plank, the plank lining was made of eight planks, and these were usually called eight-fold zori, and sandals that could be worn even in light rain were made and were widely used until the beginning of the Showa era. In the Taisho era, sandals with water-resistant, strong, and durable rubber soles were developed, and those made with cork or felt became popular among city dwellers. Around 1930 and 1931 (Showa 5 and 6), the coordination of clothing and footwear became an issue, and fashion-conscious women grew tired of sandals with bamboo or rattan surfaces and felt or rubber soles, leading to a rapid rise in the use of zori made from fabrics. Velvet patterns, plain fabrics, and other obi fabrics were used for the fabrics. With the changes in the fashion world, shoes also appeared. In addition, sandals with nails were developed for use in the cold winter months, and these were used by wealthy women as sandals to keep warm, but many were exported.

The Great Kanto Earthquake (1923) and the major midday fire in 1931 at Shirokiya Nihonbashi, Tokyo (later the Tokyu Department Store Nihonbashi branch; closed in January 1999) marked a turning point in which common people made a major shift from traditional Japanese clothing to Western clothing. This marked a turning point in which Western clothing became more prevalent, Japanese clothing became less common, and sandal-like footwear made primarily of wood, known as mode-gi, came into fashion to replace zori. The zori industry in Osaka released shoes with belts made of leather or rubber instead of straps, which proved unexpectedly popular. These footwear suited the demands of the times, but with the spread of Western clothing after World War II, the fate of zori began to take a different direction.

[Takeshi Endo]

Type and TPO

Zori sandals are an essential footwear for formal and formal wear. Women's zori sandals are made of cloth, leather, vinyl, etc., and Panama sandals are available for summer wear. For cloth sandals, there are gold brocade, silver brocade, and karaori for bridal attire, Saga Nishiki, Thread Nishiki, Tsuzure Nishiki, and gold and silver glitter fabrics for formal and formal wear, and plain black sandals for mourning wear. There are various types of leather sandals, including plain color, gradation, wax dye, and plain color bases with straps of different colors. Zori sandals made of lizard, crocodile, snake, etc. are used for hobbies and fashion. Vinyl sandals are used in the same way as leather sandals. There are high-heeled and low-heeled zori sandals, but generally high-heeled ones are used by young people and for formal wear, and low-heeled ones are generally used by the general public. When wearing zori, the heel should protrude about 1.5 centimeters. Zori that are longer or shorter than the foot are uncomfortable to wear and look clumsy. The width should also match the width of the foot, and should cover the base of the zori. Zori should be selected with consideration given to harmonious materials and color schemes, just like the obi, obiage, obijime, and other Japanese accessories that go with a long kimono. Men wear zori with tatami mats and white straps for formal wear.

[Yasu Fujimoto]

"Kidagawa Morisada, 'Ruishu' Early Modern Manners and Customs' (1934, Saisei-kaku)" ▽ "Imanishi Uzo, 'The History of Changes in Footwear' (1950, Dosho Kankokai)" ▽ "Miyamoto Seisuke, 'Folk Fashion Journal: Footwear Edition' (1933, Yuzankaku)" ▽ "Hiraide Kojiro, 'Tokyo Manners and Customs, Volume 2' (1959, Tomiyamabo)"

[Reference] | Footwear

Main types of zori
©Katsuya Nishikawa ">

Main types of zori

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

履き物の一種。男女が用いるもので、その材料となるものは、古くは檳榔樹(びんろうじゅ)、藺(い)、竹の皮、稲藁(いねわら)などの葉や茎を用いてつくり、底が平らなのが特色である。その構造は、足をのせる台部と、脱げないように指先や甲の部分を密着させるための鼻緒とがある。鼻緒のすげ方により、芯緒(しんお)草履と菅緒(すげお)草履とがある。芯緒草履は、草履の台部を構成する芯緒を引き出して、横緒にかけて鼻緒をつくりあげる方法で、これに鼻緒に結び目をつくる結緒(むすびお)草履、台裏に組み込ませる組み込み草履がある。結緒草履は鼻緒の結び方によって「つのむすび」「はなむすび」「とんぼむすび」などという。台が普通の長さより短いのを足半(あしなか)（足中）といい、それに対して普通の長さのものを長草履ともよんでいる。

［遠藤　武］

歴史

草履という名称は、中国の史書『後漢(ごかん)書』にみえるところから、中国からの伝来品であることが知られ、平安時代には、浄履(じょうり)として僧侶(そうりょ)の間で用いられていたことが『貞観格式(じょうがんきゃくしき)』によって知られる。草履の一種に無裏(うらなし)というものがあったが、これは指で挟んで履くものではなく、つまさきを入れて履いたのである。無裏は、初め檳榔樹の葉でつくったが、のちに野生の藺草の芯(しん)を抜いて茎でつくったものになり、さらに藁とかわっていった。緒太(おぶと)というのも草履の一種で、つまさきを入れて履く草履で、公家(くげ)たちが堂上で襪(しとうず)を履いた際に用いた。長方形の形をした、じょうぶな履き物が金剛草履である。下々(げげ)というのは藁や藺でつくった安物の草履をいい、月卿(げっけい)、雲客、諸大夫たちが履くものが尻切(しりきれ)草履である。

　これらの草履類は、平安時代初期から室町時代まで広く用いられたが、武家の間に戦乱が続くようになって、半物草(はんものぐさ)といわれる足半にかわった。機動力を必要とする武士の間にあって、草鞋(わらじ)は便利ではあるが、石、砂などの雑物が履き物の間に入って足を痛めるところから、草履の半分で足によくなじむ足半の利用となった。『春日権現霊験記(かすがごんげんれいげんき)』のなかに、足半を履いている姿がみられるが、これが最古の例といえよう。織田信長(のぶなが)は、足半を履いている武士には謁見を許すなど、足半を武士の身だしなみとしている。

　農村の生活にあっては、自給自足の生活であったから、自分で手近な材料で草履をつくったので、彼らの履き物は藁草履であった。しかし、藁は湿地に弱いところから、都会では藁にかえて竹の皮を利用することとなる。ここに重ね草履というものがおこり、さらに藁にかえて、底に麻糸を利用した麻裏(あさうら)草履へと発展していった。竹皮草履の上等なものは上方(かみがた)とくに京都でつくられ、京草履として履き物界をリードした。どんなに道が悪くても、履き物として草履は軽快であり、ちょっとした湿地にも適したのが重ね草履である。

　江戸時代中期になると、しだいに底を重ねる重ね草履が流行し、廓(くるわ)では廊下を駆けても音が響かない福草履という底の厚いものが用いられた。江戸末期から男性の草履には、草履の周囲に革やビロードを張った中貫(なかぬき)草履が用いられ、これに太くて真っ黒な鼻緒の八幡黒(やわたぐろ)が大流行した。また元禄(げんろく)時代（1688～1704）以来、草履の底に革を張り、それに鋲(びょう)打ちをして、その音とじょうぶさを誇る雪駄(せった)（雪踏）の流行もなかなかのものであった。

　明治時代には日清(にっしん)戦争後に東京の袋物屋の職人伊藤仙之助が、袋物の材料のパナマを使って空気草履を考案し、これが明治末年まで流行した。表地は裂地(きれじ)を用い、とくに1903、04年（明治36、37）ごろになると、刺しゅうをしたものまでができた。空気草履を履く世の中となっても、まだはだしで歩く者が多かったところから、警視庁から1901年に跣足(せんそく)禁止令が出された。はだしの多くは車夫、馬丁、車力や職工などの労働者たちであったが、この禁止令とともに、朴(ほお)の板を二つ折りにして藁表をつけた板裏草履ができた。しかし、二つ折りでは足のかえしが不便なところから、八つ板の板裏となり、通常八つ折草履といわれ、少しくらいの雨でも履けるものがつくられ、昭和初頭まで広く用いられた。大正になると耐水、強力、耐久性のあるゴム裏草履ができ、さらにコルクやフェルトを利用したものが、都会の人たちに人気を博した。1930、31年（昭和5、6）ごろに服装と履き物との調和が問題となり、流行を追う女性の間では、竹皮表、籐(とう)表に、フェルトやゴム底を張ったものが飽きられて、裂地草履の利用が急速に高まった。裂地にはビロードの柄物(がらもの)、無地物、そのほか帯地類が用いられた。また服飾界の変転に伴って、シューズ履きも登場した。これに加えて、寒い冬期用の草履として、爪付(つまつき)草履ができ、これは防寒草履として金持ち婦人たちに用いられたが、多くは輸出されたものである。

　服装が和服から洋装へと大きな動きを庶民に与えたのは、関東大震災（1923）に始まり、1931年の東京・日本橋白木屋（後、東急百貨店日本橋店。1999年1月閉店）の真昼の大火である。これを一つの境として洋装化が進み、和服着用が少なくなり、草履にかわってモード履きという、木材を主としたサンダル的履き物が流行した。鼻緒のかわりに革、ゴムなどの調帯(ちょうたい)（ベルト）をしたものが、大阪の草履業界から発売され、意外な人気をよんだ。時代の要求に適した履き物であったが、第二次世界大戦を境に洋装の普及に伴い、草履の運命は違った方向に進みつつある。

［遠藤　武］

種類とTPO

草履は礼装、正装など、和装に欠くことのできない履き物である。女物の草履には布製、皮製、ビニル製などがあり、夏用としてパナマ製がある。布製には、花嫁衣装用に金襴(きんらん)、銀襴、唐織(からおり)など、礼装や正装用に佐賀錦(にしき)、糸錦、綴錦(つづれにしき)、金・銀のラメ入り織物、喪服用には黒無地のものがある。皮製は色無地、ぼかし、ろう染め、色無地の台に異なった配色の鼻緒のついたものなど、各種各様である。とかげ、わに、蛇などの皮草履は趣味用、おしゃれ用に用いる。ビニル製のものは皮製に準じて用いる。草履には、かかとの高い腰高のものと腰の低いものとがあるが、一般に腰高のものは若い人、また式服に用い、普通には低めのものを用いる。草履は、履いてかかとが1.5センチメートルくらい出るのがよい。足より草履が長かったり短かったりするのは、履きにくいし、やぼにもみえる。幅も足幅にあわせて、草履の台が隠れる程度がよい。草履は、長着に対する帯と帯揚、帯締などの和装小物と同様に、調和のとれた素材、配色を考えてそろえる。男子は礼装に畳表付き、白の鼻緒の草履を履く。

［藤本やす］

『喜田川守貞著『類聚近世風俗志』（1934・更生閣）』▽『今西卯蔵著『はきもの変遷史』（1950・同書刊行会）』▽『宮本勢助著『民間服飾誌　履物編』（1933・雄山閣）』▽『平出鏗二郎著『東京風俗志　中巻』（1959・冨山房）』

[参照項目] | 履き物

草履のおもな種類

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

<<: Parribacus japonicus (Japanese sandal shrimp)

>>: Bedding stratification