Hiroshima, a prefecture of makers across many fields: set off on a leisurely drive to discover Japan leather in all its variety, from celebrated Japanese-made sneakers to new leather souvenirs full of local pride!
Hiroshima, a prefecture of makers across many fields: set off on a leisurely drive to discover Japan leather in all its variety, from celebrated Japanese-made sneakers to new leather souvenirs full of local pride!
A Japan leather road trip through Hiroshima
Hiroshima Prefecture is the leading “prefecture of makers” in western Japan (Chugoku, Shikoku and Kyushu). Beyond automobiles and industrial products, its leather goods and footwear deserve attention too. Along with the city of Hiroshima, make detours to the Fukuyama Matsunaga Hakimono Museum and to Onomichi, beloved as a classic film location and a town of cats, and savor a journey through leather.
Your Hiroshima trip begins at Hiroshima Airport. In addition to domestic flights linking major cities, it offers a good range of international routes, including direct flights from China, South Korea, Bangkok in Thailand and Hanoi in Vietnam, making it very convenient.
SPINGLE VINGO GATE
The shop’s concept draws on the indigo worn by Bingo kasuri, a local pride and one of Japan’s three great kasuri (ikat) textiles. From fixtures to flooring, craftsmanship can be felt down to the smallest detail.
SPINGLE COMPANY is a sneaker maker based in Fuchu, Hiroshima Prefecture. Each pair is carefully made using vulcanized construction, a traditional and increasingly rare method.
The area flagship shop “SPINGLE VINGO GATE” has opened in NEW CASPA, in front of JR Fukuyama Station. As the first SPINGLE shop in the Bingo region, it has drawn much attention.
NEW CASPA North Building 1F, 1-18 Sannomaru, Fukuyama, Hiroshima
Business hours
11:00–19:00
Closed
Open every day (closures follow the building’s schedule)
From JR Fukuyama Station, head straight south on Hiroshima Prefectural Road 22 (Romantic Kaido 313). Pass Fukuyama’s landmark, Shin-Gohonmatsu, on your left, continue south and go past Jinkeiji Temple. The shop has parking for four cars.
Leather Studio Third
Combining a shop and a workshop, the studio is staffed by the leather artisans themselves. Hearing customers’ voices directly, they offer a range of suggestions born of a wish to meet as many requests as possible—a welcome touch.
Using the traditional indigo dyeing techniques handed down in Fukuyama, the studio presents Fukuyama Leather. Natural indigo dyes the leather a beautiful, deep blue with a distinctive texture and hue.
Randoseru (school backpack) remakes are popular, with each request handled in close accord with the owner’s wishes. Custom orders are also available, and items in the shop can be personalized with a name on the spot.
Head back toward JR Fukuyama Station and take National Route 2 toward Matsunaga, aiming for the south exit of JR Matsunaga Station. When you see signs for the “Matsunaga Hakimono Museum,” turn south and continue 300 m. Free parking is available for 17 cars.
Fukuyama Matsunaga Hakimono Museum
The freely accessible “Ashiato Hiroba” (Footprint Plaza) was created by the late Taro Okamoto—the world-renowned artist known for the Tower of the Sun at the 1970 Osaka World Expo—on the theme of the footprints of a man and a woman.
Of the roughly 13,000 items in the collection, 2,266 pieces of footwear are designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan. There is also a former geta factory converted into an exhibition room, with its old geta-making machines still in place.
Beyond Japanese fashion shoes, the collection spans footwear from every era and corner of the world: from ancient Egyptian sandals to space-suit footwear and shoes worn in competition by famous athletes.
It is Japan’s only museum devoted to footwear. Its predecessor, the Japan Footwear Museum, closed in 2013, but in 2015 the collection was transferred to the city and reopened as the Fukuyama Matsunaga Hakimono Museum (Ashiato Square).
Mon–Thu, and during the year-end and New Year holidays (Dec 28–Jan 3)
Return to National Route 2 and head for the port town of Onomichi. If time allows, take the coastal route and enjoy the ocean views on the way to a shop near JR Higashi-Onomichi Station. The shop has its own parking.
Sugis
In the port town of Onomichi, Sugis works with leather around three pillars—“making,” “care and shoe care” and “repair and remake”—committed to engaging with each person and each piece, between leather and you.
Onomichi is well known as a location for classic films. Its leather postcards, printed with understated landscape photographs, are a pleasure as their color deepens with age—a special souvenir, like a letter sent from your travels.
A rich lineup of new Onomichi souvenirs includes coin cases expressing the town’s famous peaches and lemons and the blue of its calm sea, and wallets with a cat playing hide-and-seek inside—a nod to Onomichi as a town of cats.
Irregular holidays (see the calendar on the shop’s website for closing days)
From the Onomichi Interchange, take the Sanyo Expressway to the Shiwa Interchange. At the Kumano-wakare junction, turn onto Yano-dori and follow the road to Impulse. Parking is available in front of the shop.
Impulse
Using only carefully selected leathers—from vegetable-tanned cowhide to crocodile, elephant, cordovan, shark and snakeskin—every step from cutting to sewing is completed by hand.
The studio creates leather book covers that capture the worlds of three films by director Makoto Shinkai: “Suzume,” “Weathering with You” and “Your Name.” (all published by Kadokawa Bunko / KADOKAWA).
Each piece is made with time and care. Valuing the feel of the leather, sturdy construction, the character only handwork can give, and design, the studio pursues pieces that are simple yet full of presence.
East Hills Yano 1F, 6-23-15 Yano-higashi, Aki-ku, Hiroshima, Hiroshima
Business hours
10:00–20:00
Closed
Irregular holidays
Head back along Yano-dori, then take the expressway from the Kaita-higashi Interchange to the Yoshijima Interchange and make for Orizuru Tower. Note that Orizuru Tower has no dedicated parking.
Orizuru Tower
“Orizuru Tower” is a one-of-a-kind space from which you can take in Hiroshima’s past, present and future all at once. Pray for peace on the rooftop observation deck, “Hiroshima no Oka,” where a gentle breeze passes through.
At the “Orizuru Wall,” visitors fold paper cranes from special origami paper and drop them in, offering their wishes and prayers. First-timers and those less confident at folding can use the multilingual folding-guide app in the workspace.
On the first floor, “Hiroshima IPPIN Main Store” carries some 1,000 items, including Hiroshima specialties, traditional crafts, local sake and craft beer. It also offers its own original brand, “IPPIN BRAND.”
The spiral slope “Sampo-zaka” runs from the first floor up to the rooftop observation deck (elevators are also available). Wall art depicting hopes for the 100th year after the war is also drawing attention as a photo spot!
