In keeping with my desire to try all things Japanese, it was essential that I buy a pair of toe socks. These are very popular here and I’d been assured by my kids, who were introduced to them when Matt and Robin lived in Japan, that they are very comfortable. I recently found a cute pair in the 100 yen department of one of our local stores and decided that that was a good opportunity to give them a try. If I didn’t like them, I’d only be out a dollar. After wearing them for the past several hours, I can only say that I’ll be shopping for more! They are indeed comfortable as well as warm which will be especially nice as the days get cooler.

I assume that the style is an adaptation of the traditional tabi, ankle socks with a separation between the big toe and the other toes that are worn with the thonged footwear that both men and women wear with kimono and other traditional clothing.

In addition to both types of split toe socks, we often see jika-tabi which are heavy duty rubber soled shoes with a separation between the big toe and the other toes. These are most commonly navy blue and are usually worn by workmen but Matthew was able to buy a colourful designer pair on his recent trip to Japan.