Waraji (straw sandals) - Waraji

Japanese: わらじ(草鞋) - わらじ

A type of thong-style footwear. It is generally made from rice straw, but some also use hemp, grape or wisteria vines, or cloth. A straw base is woven into the shape of a foot, and the two straps at the toes are passed through loops on the left and right, then through a loop at the heel, and then tied to the ankle. They were used for long hours of work or walking long distances. The shoe-shaped straw sandals (waragutsu), which were introduced from China during the Nara period, were improved into the modern thong-style straw sandals at the end of the Heian period, and were called "warauzu."

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

鼻緒式はきものの一種。一般に稲わらでつくるが，麻，ブドウやフジなどのつる，布きれを併せ用いるものなどがある。わらで足の形に台を編み，爪先の2本の緒を左右にある乳（ち）(緒を通す輪)に通し，さらにかえし(踵（かかと）にある返し輪)に通して足首に結びつける。長時間の労働や遠方への歩行などに用いられてきた。奈良時代に唐から伝わったくつ形の草鞋（わらぐつ）が平安時代末期に現在のような鼻緒式のわらじに改良され，〈わらうず〉と呼んだ。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: The Straw Millionaire

>>: Straw shoes (warakutsu) - straw shoes