Waraji

Waraji over indigo-blue tabi, the sock colour digitally altered for clarity

Waraji (草鞋/わらじ) (w̜aɺadʑi), are sandals made from straw rope that were the standard footwear of the common people in Japan.

Use

Samurai putting on waraji

Waraji resemble other forms of traditional Japanese footwear, such as zōri and geta, with a few key differences. They were historically the simplest form of outdoor footwear (sandals of any type were not worn indoors). Waraji, due to their cheap and rustic nature, are considered to be a very informal type of footwear, and are not worn with formal kimono. They are typically not worn with tabi socks, and are woven so that the wearer's toes protrude slightly over the edge of the shoe, a feature not seen in either zōri or geta.

Waraji were once common footwear in Japan. There are records of waraji in the Heian Period (794—1185 AD), with the possibility of waraji having existed before this time. In the Edo Period (1603—1867 AD), geta were worn in cities, but anyone making a long journey wore waraji. They were also worn for energetic or prolonged labour.

In modern day Japan, waraji are mainly worn by Buddhist monks, with zōri and geta being worn far more commonly by the general population.

Construction

• 

  Waraji were traditionally made in the home, as shown here (September 1914).

• 

  Pictorial instructions on how to weave zōri (similar to waraji) in Hida Minzoku Mura Folk Village; most Japanese no longer regularly make waraji.

• 

  A pair of simple waraji, made following the pictorial instructions, with a slightly different long loop.

In constant use, waraji only last three or four days, or roughly 24 hours of active use, meaning each person would have to make about a hundred pairs a year, on average, if they wore them constantly. As waraji could be homemade from cheap materials, and everyone learned how to make them in childhood, this was not a problem. Waraji could also be cheaply bought. Travellers carried a supply and discarded them when they were worn-out.

Materials

• 

  Waraji woven entirely from rice straw

• 

  Waraji with two different-coloured fibers for the warp and weft, highlighting their construction

• 

  Waraji with cloth-covered straps, made in the 1930s.

• 

  Elaborate waraji from a museum exhibit at the Ninja Museum of Igaryu, showing multiple fibers and indigo dye

Rice straw is the common and traditional material for weaving waraji, but most other ropemaking fibers can also be used, such as cotton, hemp, or palm fibers. The straps of the waraji might be covered, often with paper. Cardboard soles are used on some modern commercial designs.

Tying

• 

  A more complex style of waraji; two small loops are woven on each side, with the loop at the heel retained, and a separate rope is then woven through these to attach the waraji to the foot.

• 

  A variation of the more complex style of waraji, with no fastening around the ankle. (Gion Matsuri, 2009)

• 

  Another more complex waraji variation; the leftover heel loops are drawn through the rear set of side loops, with a separate piece of rope threaded between them. (Jidai Matsuri, 2009)

• 

  Another waraji variation, worn over tabi

Apart from the simple slip-on style, waraji were often tied to the foot and ankle. There are a number of different ways of tying waraji straps; even historically, there was no standardised method of attaching the shoes to one's feet.

Ceremonial use

• 

  Waraji hung as offerings in Kyoto

• 

  A giant o-waraji in Asakusa Temple, Tokyo

• 

  A pilgrim performing kaihōgyō laces waraji over tabi, 1954

• 

  The worn-out waraji of monks who have completed the kaihōgyō, 2009

• 

  An o-waraji is carried into the sea at a waraji festival, Nakiri-jinja, 2006

Traditionally, waraji were donated to temples as offerings for healthy feet and protection on journeys. This practice, while now less common, is still followed. More modernly, giant waraji ('o-waraji') kept in temples are touched as a charm for tireless endurance in walking.

See also

• Geta, traditional Japanese wooden clogs
• Zōri, traditional Japanese sandals
• Okobo, traditional Japanese wooden platform clogs