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Zori - Hawaiian or Japanese Sandals?

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Per Kevin

Havaianas sandals is one of the most famous Brazilian brands in the world, but how did this fame come about? In this article, we will talk about the Japanese sandals Zori, and how they played an important role in Brazil.

Havaianas sandals are not from Brazil?

When I was a child and I saw the ads on TV, I believed that the havaianas brand was from Hawaii, but it was all marketing because of the success that Hawaii had in the 60s in Hollywood.

After that, I always thought that Hawaiian sandals were a Brazilian invention, but I was surprised this week to discover that it was foreigners who created the brand in Brazil. Like this?

Havaianas were created by Alpargatas, a company founded by a Scotsman Robert Fraser in partnership with an English industry. They came to Brazil with the aim of creating footwear for factory workers.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

Before the havaianas, the company Alpargatas launched other footwear in Brazil like the Conga. And I imagined that the havaianas style sandals or zori had always existed for thousands of years. What did Brazilians wear before?

What some may not know is that the Havaianas sandals were inspired by the Japanese footwear zori. This footwear was made of rice straw, but there were similar models made even of wood.

The company claims that it had this idea while traveling in Japan, but I wonder if no Japanese descendant wore a zori before the 1960s here in Brazil. Perhaps it goes unnoticed by the prejudice that Brazilians had after World War II.

Zori - The traditional Japanese sandal

The zouri [草履] are flat Japanese sandals with straps that can be made of rice straw, lacquered wood, fabric, leather, rubber, or synthetic material. The zori are basically Japanese slippers.

The traditional zori are made of wood or rice straw and are usually worn with traditional clothing such as kimono. They were made open to prevent sweat on the feet due to Japan's humid climate.

The Japanese often wear a sock called tabi along with zori. These socks only have a separation for the big toe from the other toes. Some are so thick that they can be worn without shoes, similar to those used by ninjas.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

It is not known exactly how the japoneses invented the zori, but it probably had influence from China and Egypt, where the first traces of a sandal can be found. It is believed that the zori appeared in the Heian Period (794-1192).

The zori influenced not only Brazil but even Americans got to know the famous flip-flops after World War II when soldiers returned to the USA bringing these Japanese Chinese ones.

Hanao - Zori vs surippa and uwabaki

Both zori and geta have Y-shaped straps, these straps are called hanao. The Japanese believe that the function of hanao is to improve foot health, they believe one needs skills to use them.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

In case you didn't understand, these straps are the parts of Hawaiian flip flops that usually break. The one that shares the big toe with the other toes. In Japanese shoes this part is usually made of fabric.

Brazilians are used to these flip-flops with Y-shaped straps, but Japanese people are not so accustomed to wearing these sandals, using geta and zori only when they wear traditional outfits like kimono and yukata.

Perhaps the difficulty with Japanese sandals is the fact that the hanao is made of fabric, which makes it difficult for the feet to fit. In Brazilian flip-flops, this part is synthetic and is usually hard, allowing the feet to be easily fitted.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

Japanese Chinese are usually in the style of slippers that hold the feet. This makes it easier to put them on when entering houses and taking off your shoes. Not to mention that they are comfortable and warm, which helps against the cold that dominates most of the year.

These slippers that resemble slippers are called surippa [スリッパ] and are used indoors along with another type of footwear called uwabaki [上履き] which resembles open shoes.

Zori vs Geta - What are the differences?

Zori is usually made from rice straw, while Geta is made of wood. Although the fundamental forms of geta and zori are similar, there are big differences when you pick them up and look at the bottom of them.

At the bottom of the geta there are wooden stilts or projections called "teeth". The standard geta requires two of these teeth that make contact with the ground, making noise when someone walks.

People usually wear geta in casual situations when wearing a yukata. The zori sandals are worn with more formal clothing like a kimono. It seems like a controversial situation, as geta seems more complicated to wear.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

The teeth of the geta served to avoid soiling clothes or tripping and falling, since in the past the roads were not paved like today. Nowadays, the scenario has reversed; it seems easier to fall using a geta.

It is worth remembering a little about Okobo, also known as bokkuri, pokkuri, and geta koppori. It is a type of geta used by gueixas and maiko during their training, being easy since it has no teeth or projections.

Waraji - the poor man's slipper

Waraji [草鞋] is a traditional Japanese footwear used in the past by common people and was made using straw ropes. Waraji can be considered a form of zōri, so they are used similarly.

The main difference in usage between zouri and waraji is that the toes traditionally stick out a bit over the edge of the waraji. This does not happen with zouri.

Zori - Havaianas or Japanese sandals?

Nowadays, only Buddhist monks usually wear waraji. The waraji is worn without tabi socks. In addition to the hanao, these sandals can also have straps to tie around the feet like some shoes that women wear.

I hope you enjoyed this article. If you liked it, share it and leave your comments. Did you know these curiosities about Japanese shoes?

Where to buy a Zori?

You can buy a Japanese zori sandal below:

Japanese footwear videos

Meaning and Definition: mutsu