The Origin of Tabi Socks

Recently, tabi socks have enjoyed something of a “renaissance”, growing in popularity around the world. And honestly, we’re not surprised! Considering the sock’s separately wrapped thumb is extremely comfortable, plus a wide variety of very creative designs. Of course, like many things from Japan, tabi socks have an interesting story behind them.

Tabi socks appeared in Japan in the 15th century. Japan has a very limited supply of cotton, so historically only the wealthiest people could afford socks. It was not until trade with China began that Japan began to import large amounts of cotton. With this large amount of cotton coming in, hosiery began to gain popularity, and soon everyone’s Japanese feet could keep warm. The split toe on the sock was just the obvious design answer to make it work with the footwear being worn at the time.

Many times tabi socks are associated with ninja or samurai socks, when in fact they were used by all kinds of people. It is an easy confusion to understand, since they are associated with the clothing worn by samurai and high-quality kimono. Similarly, tabi socks were worn by both men and women, however, in the more traditional Japanese way, there were certain “restrictions” based on the status of the individual.

Common people could only wear the color blue. The samurai, on the other hand, were allowed to wear any color except gold and purple. People in the entertainment business could use any pattern or design. And of course, the elite (nobles and feudal lords) could wear any color and design they wanted, although they usually wore the colors forbidden to the other classes, purple and gold.

The decline in popularity of traditional Japanese footwear, which normally had separate toes, also played a role in the decline in popularity of tabi socks. However, due to their extreme comfort, they remain very popular among the Japanese even within modern footwear.

Colors are no longer limited to classes. In fact, the variety of designs and colors has grown enormously. Many use traditional designs transformed with a certain modern flair.

Attesting to the comfort of these socks is their ability to withstand the tests of time and fashion. Its revival has put it in the hot zone in modern Japan. The market has grown so much that it is even manufactured in other parts of the world. However, the tradition and experience of Japanese artisans make Japanese tabi especially good, resistant and comfortable!