You’ve never seen a boot like this WW2 Japanese boot
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Japanese WW2 Boot Review - The japanese army made some of the finest boots for their soldiers in world war two and i guarentee you have never seen a historic vintage boot built in this way. I doubt any modern boot maker makes a boot like this. The japanese are known for their love of craft in ever sense whether it's japanese denim or japanese boots or japanese cars or japanese anything. So i bought a pair to cut in half to see how they are built and if the japanese had the best boots in WW2.
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MORE WW2 BOOTS:
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U.S. WWII Boot Review (CUT IN HALF) - • Are 77 Year Old WW2 Bo...
VIDEOS MENTIONED:
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Ariat Cowboy Boots Review (CUT IN HALF) - • Are Ariat real cowboy ...
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German Jackboot Review (CUT IN HALF) - • Why "German Army" love...
British WWII Boot Review (CUT IN HALF) - • Why 80 yr old British ...
U.S. WWII Boot Review (CUT IN HALF) - • Are 77 Year Old WW2 Bo...
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
2:12 Previous WW2 Boots
3:15 Types of Japanese WW2 Boots
3:58 Leather Info
4:21 Pig vs Cow Leather
5:25 Pros and Cons of Pigskin
6:04 What are the Stamped Numbers
6:46 What is This Tab?
7:09 No Lining?
7:26 More Simplicity Details
7:54 What is This Hole For?
8:15 Sole Construction
9:07 Complicated Construction
9:23 What is a Blake Stitch
10:20 What is a Stitchdown Construction
11:08 What is a Blake Rapid Stitch
13:50 Cut in Half
14:56 What’s Inside
15:30 Insole Info
16:25 Japanese Craftsmanship Products
16:46 Someone Collab With Me on These Boots
17:44 White’s Collab Info
#ww2 #ww2history #japan - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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Sign up to the Limited Edition Email List if you want early access to the Whites collab (shown at the beginning of the video) and to get notified when/if I can convince someone to collab with me on a reproduction of the Japanese WW2 boot. forms.gle/ty5LZ3ebexjXaNZ47
I'm thinking the only way to get YT policies/practices in line with viewer expectations, is that every time a favourite content creator's video gets demonetised, the viewers each boycott YT for one day. I will do this after the end of this video.
You need to get some United States Corcoran jump boots from ww2, they were a little different than the other ones
Creators rule.
TH-cam sucks.
I want this shoe but the skin thickness needs a higher level of consistency.
The thin leather is on the inside side of the boot because you are less likely to get abrasive wear. The hole is to prevent the cut for spreading it's the same as drilling a hole at the end of a crack in metal to keep it from cracking further. As to why the slit is there I have no idea probably for transport or retention of pants while wearing.
The slit on the back pull is for attaching a Button that was sewn into the bottom of the trousers leg, to stop the trouser leg riding up in long grass. The hole punched at the top was to stop the leather ripping all the way through but also allowed the button to sit nicely in the groove.
Yep, this is exactly it. The same technique gets used in metal to either prevent crack growth from a sharp corner, or to help arrest crack growth when one has already started.
Is that button only on the wool trousers? I've owned a few pairs of the cotton trousers (and "tropical" types) and there was never a button. Especially the "half breeches", which only reached down below the wearer's knees to the top of the puttees. I'm only asking because I did see Japanese reenactors put the ends of their boot laces through that slit l,as they wrap them around the top of the boot towards the ankle, and then back around the front to tie.
That's what I used to do when I displayed my mannequin. Now I'm confused.
Any thoughts??
@@ericcook5224 th-cam.com/video/gtZVnlSzIxI/w-d-xo.html
This seems wildly likely. I went to shoe-pull but button makes a lot more sense. Especially on a military garnet where you sometimes attach shoes to pants and jacket to sweaters, liners etc.
I would have thought as the Japanese always take their shoes off when entering a building that some places might just hang the boots instead of filling the door entrance with boots.
Thank you for making this video. I'm from Singapore, and during WW II, the womenfolk in my grandmother's village were made to assemble these boots. My grandmother said that these boots were really tough to make, and often their hands were callused and bled from going through dozens of pairs everyday. I have never seen them IRL. This is an amazing piece of history.
Lol TH-cam demonetized the German boot video but not the Imperial Japan boot video. TH-cam only cares about one group of WW2 victims but not the others.
Wow what an incredible perspective on this. Thank you for sharing.
Lucky. My grandma was graped
@@marvinuhilarious sorry to ask...but you mean raped?
@Charles Northwest Japan treated their supposed "heroes" like dogs.
I have walked the ground on numerous WWII Pacific battlefields, including Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Peleliu, and Corregidor. I have found complete IJA boots inside caves on Peleliu and Okinawa. Above ground, it is still common to find leather boot soles with hobnails. Another common find is the rubber sole of the Tabi tennis-like shoe. In the Imperial Army, each soldier was issued a pair of boots and a pair of Tabi sandals. Usually, but not always, the Tabi soles were split towed. The boots were worn for marching and fighting. The Tabi sandals were usually worn at night while on patrol or while resting inside a bunker or fortified cave, probably to let a soldier's feet air out.
I'm not even a boot nerd. I'm just an everyday nerd. And as you were distinguishing what makes this blake rapid stitch so unique I felt neurons in my mind firing off. What an amazing construction. Why don't more bootmakers do this????
For the same reason tough, indestructible nylon tights are no longer produced.
Twice the stiching (more costly) on the brand new boots, in order to allow for long-term durability and safe and easy repairability ; or selling for a lower price boots that may at best stand one major repair at the cobbler before their owner has to buy another pair from you, the manufacturer.
Blame productivism and capitalism.
Thank you for making this video. I'm Chinese and my grandma who survived ww2 always talked about the Japanese soldiers boots. She was severely traumatized by them as she was hiding low and saw these boots walking around, so whenever she talked about her childhood and ww2 the first thing she always remembered were the Japanese war boots, how they were brown, had big heels, the sound they made with the studs, how they were very shiny. These modern looking boots looked so alien to the Chinese villagers as they were just farmers wearing shoes made of cotton or straw. I have never seen these boots before, so watching this video was very educational and made me think of her and her memories.
Thank you for sharing this story.
Yes it was the hob knobs on the floor the officers had those full length boots with metal pieces in them they made an unique noise too. The Chinese shows on CCTV always will try to capture these sounds in their series because it was an awful memory for many.
My Dad had a friend that was hid somewhere in a house being search by Japanese soldiers, till this day he remembers the shuffling of their feet and noise it made while they bayonetted the bedding etc.
Thanks for sharing that.
Thanks for sharing. China is the oft forgotten victim of Japanese imperialism.
I think I’m right in saying that Japan has more pigs than cattle which could of been another reason they went for pig leather for the boots. Another great video I’m really enjoying the WW2 series.
theynwere occupying a lot of China which is a pig not dairy place.
They made substitute boots from cows leather too
They have lots of cows too. Wagyu beef is native to Japan.
Could have*
@@30m3 Significantly less cows compared to other nations. Wagyu is mainly produced in Hokkaido which has lower overall temperatures.
It's funny how we look at everyday items and probably think "it's just a pair of boots" but when you look closely and dig deeper you realize that there is a whole story and history behind everything. The way it was designed the purpose the materials everything is fascinating. Thank you for the detailed and informative video.👍🏼
yes it’s ironic people of modern present and future does not care about the past that came before them which built up to where they’re at now. this is because I think the lack of god presence in american culture.
sometimes that story can be very sad, or disappointing. For example, I wonder what the story of my Nike shoes is, or the story of the cotton harvested in China.
Just asked my husband about this video (which he'd recommended to me). He said that his dad had "weird feet" and always had his boots handmade by a Japanese cobbler in Los Angeles. The cobbler was named Jiro Okamoto, there's still a shoe repair shop in his building, but I don't think they still make shoes. They do a great job at repairing Birkenstocks, though.
Your passion and enthusiasm made this video so enjoyable, it's not just watching to learn about boot construction but it's how passionate you get when you try to explain the different kinds of stitching methods and why it's such a good design.
While I hate to see these pieces of history cut up, this series is fascinating.
They made millions of these - they aren't that rare so it's alright - this is showing us how that piece of history was made.
It's the correct level of disrespect for IJA equipment
@@jacobhaynieful your mentality fuels national hatred that prevents us moving forward and leads to war in the first place. Different historical items don't warrant destruction because of what people did 80 years ago. That or idk, vandalize German museums
Equipment is history though. It tells a story destroying it because it belonged to evil people is silly
One day, the passage of time will destroy these boots, no matter how well they were made or taken care of. If the construction process wasn't well documented, one day videos like these will allow people to make modern reconstructions and (hopefully) enjoy them without another world war.
Clearly the most unique of the World war II boots. This is not an area I ever paid much attention to, absolutely fascinating!
One of the most interesting points in human history for sure
I hope you are referring to the aspect of military boots in WWII and and not WWII in general as a time period.
If you mean WWII as a historical event then clearly TikTok is far more an important point in human progression than the events of World War II.
i'm a bootmaker and i think all of the militaryboots you cut in half are really good quality but have certain pros and cons to them(except the german ones, which obviously sucked a bit).
the japanese really hit the sweetspot beween value and efficiency of production i think. but one con of these is, that a blake construction is not very waterproof... water can get inside and between the bottom layers and to your foot. Also the stitches on the inside can wear off pretty fast with your feet and sweat being in contact with them the whole time (espacially if its a natural fiber)... also a full resole will be harder to do without some kind of welt.
i love the pegged layers, superbly build heel and leather halfsole though and espacially the fact that its sewn on separately! And if its true it is super interesting that the insole leather is pig! i think i've never heard about a pit tanned soleleather from pig skin! And the shape is so cool!
About the US ones i like that the shank is metal and the fat leather midsole but i'm not that much of a fan of the full rubber outsoles and heels...
And the british is my favorite and the most sturdy one i would guess! the fully lined upper, leather toebox and the whole bottom construction is super nice. if you would combine that style with a metal shank and that separatly stitched on halfsole(from rubber maybe) instead of hobbnails, you would probably have the ultimate boot!! (and one could use thinner nails in the heels. its unnecessary to use such fat bolts! means more rust and more moisture... wooden pegs and some standart nails are fine...)
My Grandfather fought with the 14th Army in Burma, at the end of the War he 'aquired' a pair of Japanese boots, he hated them so much, because they were so comfortable and easy to wear. He hated all things Japanese. But he worked as a Postman after the war and he was really sad when he couldn't get them repaired again. I think they were the only Japanese item he ever owned. He was obviously familiar with the British Army boot.
My Indian great grandfather fought as a part of Indian national army alongside the larger Japanese 15th army in Burma
so we are officially enemies🤣🤣🤣
@@Someone345y what Regiment was he from in the Indian Army?
Why did he hate them so much, given how comfortable they were and how long he wore them?
@@hurdygurdyman1905 he saw what the Japanese had done to the prisoners and he fought at Imphal and Kohima, he detested the Japanese for the rest of his life. He hated that the boots were Japanese.
@@Murph945 Indian national army led by Indian nationalist Netaji subhash Chandra Bose who was supported by Japanese and he waged a war on British regime in India
It looks like the slit in the pull tab is to make lacing the boot up neater. Originally, really long laces were wrapped around the back of the boot through that slit, around the ankle, and tied in the back. The slit might keep laces more secure after puttees are put on. There are some interesting videos of Japanese reenactors lacing boots that way that are worth looking up.
The hole punched at the top of the slit is likely to prevent the cut ripping out by redistributing force to a larger area.
I've seen a pictures of Japanese soldiers marching in column wearing the tabi, but were carrying their boots draped over their shoulders by tying them together with a length of lace. IIRC, the pictures I saw were taken on New Guinea/the Kokoda Track, and most likely they were trying to keep their boots dry. But I kind of doubt that's what those slotted tabs were for.
Or maybe to hang the boot. The outer end of the pull tab has a round impression on it as if it was hung onto nail hangers.
@@ssc1348 the hole is to stop the slit from going any further.
I thought it was just to stop it splitting more
I am very grateful for your videos. The way you talk about boots and shoes, their history and construction is wanderful. These japanese boots are my favourite for now
On my book you have permission to cut ANYTHING footwear related in half, this channel is history itself being preserved! And it's a way to celebrate every single shoe that comes to your hands as well!
Ive been here since your Vans video, and got instantly addicted! I hope to see some more vans models overtime as well (I really wanna see what they've done different in some shoes like the Wayvees and the Knu Skools)
Used to own a pair of Swedisk WW2 era boots (1938), they were very well made, I "acquired" them during my military service 80-81, sadly they are now worn out beyond repair but I used them frequently as hiking boots for like 25 years
The square toe brown ones?
You stole them like the scumbag with little to no integrity that you are?
I'm from Japan.
I've never seen wartime equipments from this point of view before, so I found this video very unique and interesting. It was good to learn about the creativity of my predecessors.Thank you！
@@kyle0091000 Japan have emperor, who is a god. Wanna fight again?
@@kyle0091000 American bandits raped a lot of japanese women in 1945, its fair enough
@@zhilancheng3659 Who cares
@@fivedollars7186 AH-HA white people
@@fivedollars7186 Japan’s emperor is there simply as a monarch symbolism - not a god. Also, anyone who has a brain would know that Japan is not allowed to have its own army (Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution). Not only is your “wanna fight” statement contradicting, even if you want to fight, we all know how that is going to end - you get nuked and pwned again (USA is not afraid of a tiny island like Japan). Your IQ is indeed equivalent to your account’s name, a low measly five dollars.
Love the background story for the boot reviews you do!!! Keep more coming!!!!
This is probably the coolest boot I’ve ever see , both in looks and construction. I would love a pair (or three) of these!
this has to be my favorite Rose Anvil video yet. I love these boots so much, I wouldnt have been able to cut them. they are just so unique and smartly designed w/o excess. they check all the boxes for me. basically if I were to design a boot, this would be it.
So comfort is the last thing on your list for boots.Got it.
@Jao Bai Dun I would want both, but if I had to choose one over the other, it'd be comfort.
You ever shouldered a pack that weighed half of what you do?
@@djsi38twhat makes you think it's not comfortable?
Never in my life did I think I’d be as interested in boots as this video made me! I literally know nothing about them and the explanation of the sole construction was pretty simple to understand (especially with the diagrams and such lol) so thank you for the wonderful video!
*_It's a good thing average person can spot real quality boots or shoes in general and hopefully buying accordingly to change thearket..._*
Same Ash, same.
The diagrams were great. He even cut in the actual stitch from the future.
I have a pair of reproduction Showa 5 boots that have lasted me for about five years and counting. Out of any other country's military lowboot I have worn, the simplicity and durability of the Japanese Army boot make them stand out top amongst their peers and their comfort is top notch as well. They are the easiest to work with, due to the higher ankle heel and low eyelet count, it's faster to don a boot on or off in a hurry. Because of this, I always wear them to events even when doing other impressions that require a different lowboot. Most other reenactors don't even notice unless I specifically tell them what it is. Even then, they are always pleasantly surprised how good it looks.
Your video was incredibly informative and eye opening on the Showa 5 Army lowboot, even if it is later year model for non-frontline infantry use. Now I know why how Japan could churn out hundreds of variations of the same type of pattern lowboot, keeping the same upper pattern with wildly different half-soles configurations. That is something designed, not just by sheer coincidence.
where did you get your pair? id love to get some.
Who makes your repros? The typical outfits I shop at for that kindve stuff (IE atthefront) only do American and German reproductions.
Watching this video as a Japanese, i get a tight knot in my chest. SOOOOOOO many lives were taken by the wearers of these in Asia and my grandpa died probably in these too. May we NEVER see a new version of these ever. 🙏
Well. It is what it is. Can't change the past. No country or people are really innocent. All of them have been doing same exact things until the modern technology amplified the scale of it happening. Japan was just the one of the last and most well recorded ones so far.
Its better to just focus on whats good about the past in bleak past than focusing on something that you yourself never done. World is too short for you to constantly feel shame for past people mistakes. As a GenZer who have literally born in this whole cancel culture and victimhood and drama about who has more dirt on who etc. All these things are just bad for you in longer run. WW2 history is already nobrainer. Everybody knows it. No point constantly bashing yourself over something you have no control over.
If someone did remake this I would buy them in a heartbeat.
Same
Go to Nakata Shoten.
It would take a hell of craftsman to do it! And I’d be right in line behind you!
Jan Berger of Lederarsenal makes German low boots that look very similar.
My guess is the rear tab is for hanging them up to dry after they get wet.
was thinking the same.
Dunno, military here so I’ve used a lot of different boots in all sorts of environments and have never found it necessary to hang up my boots to dry.. That said I can’t really figure it either. My guess is either for gathers or the boots were buttons together at issue
The Japanese used putees. It may have been used to have an anchor for ending. ?
That's what I was thinking.
You continue to create excellent content. The research you do is first rate and spot on. I really like that you explain things intelligently and are humble in doing so. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
I really enjoy watching your videos. They are not only informative and interesting..they are quite calming as well. I am developing an appreciation for good boots. Thank you, from Australia 🙏
I randomly watched this video at 1 am. And surprised how good it was, I never knew boot construction could get so technical with the layers and stitching. I find it genius that these boots were designed to easily replace the outer sole when worn out. I’m amazed the entire boot is made from leather and there’s no rubber or modern cushioning
when the US plays sanctions and oil embargo you gotta keep creative with materials, or else :)
no steal toe!😡
1am gang ^^
@@nilsbachellery6939 1am gang
Wow, I’ve never seen construction like this.
That upper is so simple, and that lower/outsole is ridiculous. Being able to resole only part of the outsole is genius.
Comment and like because TH-cam ripped you off on that German boot.
I had no information about the Japanese WWIIboot but the information you provided me was very interesting and the design is quite clever. It reminded me of the ingenuity of the wingtip design on the notorious Zero fighter, a simple, clever way to solve a problem. Great video, thank you, I hate being ignorant on subjects and you cured (at least some of) my ignorance!
I love this video. In WW2 and other earlier wars, uniform items from fallen soldiers were retrieved and reused, often on the battlefield by soldiers seeking to replace worn items.
It makes full sense the construction, because japan during the imperial era, were very nit picky on the materials because most of it was going to their military. Ration, fabrics, oils, just a lot of material was reserve for a specific purpose. So this japanese military boot does not have fabric lining because that fabric is being used for their military uniforms, and using the rapid stitching method means that they can repair it easily while being cost effective. But yeah, i never seen it before and seeing how it is made shows they were very cost effective.
Also most metal on hand went to navy, since winning the pacific war would dictate Japans expansion
All issue kit was manufactured to strict Army specifications based on trials. Even Pre-war priority military procurement orders could overwhelm the supply chain. IJ Navy caused a nationwide rope shortage when procuring materials for hoardings to hide the construction of battleship Yamato.
I don't think fabric linings were common at that time anyway, only leather lining.
The round punch hole on the pull tab is meant to prevent the incision in the material from tearing all the way through. It could be referred to as a "ripstop". The punch interrupts the incision through the leather grain and strengthens it against the pulling forces of a finger through that slit.
I agree 100%.
Right. But what is the slit for?
Lol; if you failed, these boots committed suicide
@@MrTeff999 a button?
maybe snake tick guard attachment?
Thanks for doing this. The ingenuity and craftsmanship that went into making these boots could have easily been lost. Now it is preserved as long as your videos remain
I LOVE a repairable shoe! Being able to change the half sole without compromising the upper is a great idea. Makes me wonder why more shoes aren't made that way.
The holes in the Swedish ww2 boots pull-tabs are for securing the pants through hooks sewn into the pants legs. Might be the same in the Japanese uniform but I don't know
By all appearances, they look like button holes. I suspect that you are correct that they fastened to the leggings or pants. They often wore leg wrappings, so my guess is they buttoned one end of the leg wrapping to the boot to secure it.
That's what I was thinking; it looks extremely similar to the leather "lashings" used in Mosin Nagant 'ammunition/oiler' pouches, that being a slit with a hole punched in one end. However, before looking at reproduction uniforms, I'll add that a previous commenter suggested they are a place for excess lace to be tied. Modern re-enactors wrap the excess lace around the top of the boot and tie it behind the boot and they use that little leather tab for just that purpose. Of course, I can think of far more efficient ways to design a tab to accommodate laces than a tight slit and hole. Regardless, with all the other efficient concepts put in this boot, I'm sure it's purpose was highly needed and well designed.
@@mrblack5145 The slit with a small hole at the top is how a button hole would be created with the hole allowing the stitching to 'sit' in position and not chafe. I suspect the leg wrappings or 'puttees' were secured at this point and wrapped upward on the legs. This would keep them anchored to the boot and act the same as 'gaiters'.
@@hpope1 I was also thinking they were used to attach the puttees. Would like to see if WWI US boots had the same.
Might actually be the opposite, meaning they are there to secure the boots by attaching them to the pants so that the boots won't fall off or slide off the wearer's feet in case of any accident. Imagine if a dedicated solider loses a boot while matching on the side of a cliff. During a war period, having an extra single or pair might be close to impossible. What is he gonna do without a boot? Continue matching with bare foot, or go back to where he came from? He might as well commit a seppuku.... 🔪 Disclaimer: if u have suicidal thought, please seek help.
the design of the tab is to save material, as japan was short of war materials.
a typical folded tab will require twice the length while serving the same purpose.
a shorter tab with a slit in the center, functions the same way as a normal tab.
fingers can still go thru and pull.
the simplicity of the boots in certain areas reflected the material shortages,
and the need to mass produce in a short period of time.
the places they dont skimp on are the absolute necessary parts.
blake stitch and pegs was used in the sole, becos steel/metals was impt war materials,
and shouldnt be used in low priority stuff like boot nails. they will try to reduce nails,
and use stitching wherever possible. similarly there's no metal toe cap,
troops stationed in the tropics wouldnt want it anyway. it is hot and uncomfy.
troops still carried traditional straw shoes alongside boots. made from dried rice stalks.
when my dad was a kiddo, he and frens had to make straw shoes for the troops after sch.
not trying to say that these boots are in any way inferior. it was a tough time,
and the craftsmen did a pretty good job given the limitations they faced.
these are practical and likely pretty durable as service boots, and are easy to repair.
comfy and aesthetics could be slightly lacking, but hey, these are for the avg grunts.
yeah metal especially was hard to come by in japan, even before the war. Japan does not have a lot of iron ore deposits so they had to import a lot of it. They needed it for rifles, guns, vehicles, etc. If there was a reasonable alternative for something like boots, they would definitely use that
Thank you for doing this one!
That was a great explanation for the construction of the boot, didn;t know there was such a perfect blend of durability and reparability.
I'd buy a pair of these right away if they were made today!
They seem like the perfect everyday simple boot. Built efficiently and cheaply while still being built for durability and war. A cheap boot for everyone.
They had repo's from China in early 2010. China was making a large number of JP Chinese war CCTV series. They were then offering Repo gear to the market via ali baba problem was the big sizes went fast. You might still find some.
@@ruizhou9612 it's unlikely that they would have replicated the Japanese boot construction. They were probably cheap knock-offs made to look like Japanese boots.
Agree
My grandfather also spoke of these boots. In his experience the heel was unforgiving with the thorns from local plants stuck to them. He said it messed up his face when they stepped on his head while he was on the ground.
I love how simple these boots are!
I love a well made simple boot like this. And pig leather can tolerate getting wet and dried much better than cow leather can. It's also more water resistant in general. That's important for a soldier.
You absolutely nailed the explanation of the "Blake Rapid Stitch" because I got it 100% and my knowledge on this is about zero going in. But I wanted to add that I wonder if they made it that way to accommodate the various types of sole variations that appeared? This way they make a consistent main body of the boot rapidly and then add on at the last stage the type of halfsole and heel the unit needs based upon mission requirements, like modern militaries have jungle boots, desert boots, parade boots, etc today.
And as far as a modern reproduction of those? That would be interesting because they actually look surprisingly stylish for a "combat boot"
That's a really interesting insight. This is a modular design boot which enables a variety of outsoles to be attached, even after initial wear. It's adaptable. I know Bridgestone were suppliers of rubber to the Japanese army for military boots (they're used in the 'ninja' jika tabi boots) but I'm not sure if they were ever used to resole these. Time to do some research.
As a former plant manager in one of Adidas' shoe factories, I would rather say: the reason why they have chosen the combination with simplicity of upper and the complexity of Blake Rapid Stitch construction was:
(1.) Such simplicity of upper allows the upper stitching can be done by less skilled workers, and can be massively produced in large quantity.
(2.) Usually the soles construction (insole + midsole + outsole) is made separately, and then shipped to another place for shoe construction (stitching the upper with the soles construction).
(3.) The last shoe construction is decisive to a shoe and to the quality of a shoe. Therefore here requires the most skilled worker.
(4.) There were no machine tools for shoes in the front, therefore the sole was designed to be repaired or refitted very easily by hand stitching.
These were the designing logic from production and repairing aspects.
Wow this is a whole new world for me I never thought about how a boot was constructed and how much details went into it.
Your knowledge and love for the topic is contagious. Thank you!
13:57 cutting rare historic boots in half always hurts to watch, but this hurts more than most. It is like watching a perfect cherry blossom fall.
I seriously doubt those are original from WWII
Really an incredible military boot. Japanese soldiers marched very long distances in many cases, and their boots were made to function for that and more.😊👍
Hey man, great video, sorry to hear about your video getting demonetized. TH-cam just kinda sucks.
Edit: That tab on the back is for a button, see they'd use these covers that would go over the top of the boot and up to just below the knee over their pants to help waterproof them and all that, they'd secure it to the boot with the use of a button that would connect to that tab.
Wow, those boots are amazing😍💪🏻🥾 The combination of the simple upper construction and the complex but functional and easy to repair sole, plus the fact that they look pretty elegant (I could easily see myself wearing them in both casual and more refined contexts)...those are definitely my favourite of the series⚒️
I nearly started to cry when you cut that beautiful boot in half 😢😆 love your videos
Your enthusiasm for going through the construction if this boot was a joy to watch. Thank you for continuing to make these videos!
This is so cool! Thanks for making this video!
The simplicity of the leather upper is likely due to these boots being made as a "cottage industry", by the Japanese citizenry, rather than large companies. That would explain the many differences seen in different boots too.
I would love a pair of these; They seem like the epitome of hand-crafted care. Take my money.
I don't see why they wouldn't have industrialised the production like they did with swords in the time period.
Shoes were one of the first things to get such treatment though the machinery introduced throughout 1800s and early century in japan although the machinery first replicated manual steps step per step without redesigning the shoe itself for easier machine production and machine specifically for that
@@lasskinn474 Japan lacked large scale manufacturing, technicians and machine tools and what they did have had was relegated to arms production. War production was being done in individual homes in towns and cities- every household was given a quota by the Tonari Gumi (neighborhood Associations) of war materiel. Gunpowder, bandages etc etc etc. Japan was very much a rural society though there was industrialization and if you were to compare a Japanese farmer to an American farmer of the 1930's the Japanese farmer didn't have a truck or tractor and wouldn't likely to have the know-how to fix one whereas American farmers certainly would have.
@@Conn30Mtenor japan turning into a world power in the time was very much fueled by theirn industrialization and the boots, bicycles etc were military items tho
I think the British boot and the Japanese boot are my two favourites. I'd love to see what you could come up with as the ultimate hybrid of the two, but using leathers of your choice.
I worked for Brown Shoe Company in St. Louis that made the US Army boot,
so I am going to have to go that way.
They had a display of shoes made in the past and had this and a variety of other military footwear was displayed.
Brown made boots for the Russian army, so I am looking forward to that one.
I got to handle one once, weighed a ton.
@@rodwallace6237 william lennon and CO used to make british ww2 boots they still do if you want a pair same machines and everything its a small company been trying to get him to review it for a year
I really appreciate all the work you put into this, the research you've done is outstanding. Japanese, their workmanship in my opinion is so much different but better. Than the rest. Their workmanship in wood, leather, clothing, food, and so much more will leave you in amazement. Their determination is most rare. I would like to thank you for having worked so hard for us, allowing us to see just one of the many we normally don't even take the time to think about. Happy holiday to everyone out there; Let all get together for a world at peace.
I think he pretty much just low effort googled stuff.
I'm a new viewer. Nice channel. I'm a big boot guy and have have worn several high quality boots over the years. I've been wearing the Danner Crater Rim for three-years now. I'm on my second pair. I put in over 2.5 million steps with the first pair over a two-year period and they are still serviceable.
This boot is fascinating to say the least. Tremendous craftsmanship. Great job.
I know little about boot construction (this was very educational) but my bet on the pull tab's slit is that it is also used for hanging up your boot to dry (perhaps on a nail). By putting a hole at the end of the slit, it would prevent the slit from eventually tearing through the end of the tab.
My first thought as well - that tab split looks designed for hanging up your boots somewhere. That exact design is used for many other things so it immediately popped into my mind.
As for pig skin - that's pretty obvious too. Pigs are, and were, available anywhere and everywhere in Japan. Cows are, and were, a very limited resource.
@@tohaason I think more likely for a loop of cord to hang both boots over a single nail, branch, rucksack, your neck while fording a stream etc.
Also for slinging the joined boots over a powerline or branch at the end of your enlistment...after you paint them silver or gold of course.
Yea that’s what I was gathering as well..You do the same thing with a crack in metal or glass, if you drill a hole at the end of a crack it will prevent the crack from growing further.
@@brimstone33 Perhaps you intended your last sentence as a joke, but the least likely thing that any Japanese vet would have done is throw away his boots. Imperial Nippon impoverished itself in the course of its 14 year failed war of conquest (1931 - 1945). A pair of boots was far too valuable to waste
@@fred1barb It is - maybe was - a tradition in the U.S. Army to paint your issued boots silver or gold, tie them together, and sling them over the powerlines in front of your unit headquarters or commander's home when you separated from the Big Green Machine. I think it started as a Vietnam draft protest thing. Also, there is a large tree in front of the first outdoor outfitter on the Appalachian Trail going south to north where people who after three days of hiking realized they have the wrong boots and buy new boots, then sling their old ones up in to. So yeah, it was a bit of a joke😁
The definition of Japanese construction..
Simple where it needs to be, yet complicated if necessary
This boot is like a duck swimming in a pond lol doesn't look like much up top but look under the water and there's a lot going on
I'm gonna have to steal that metaphor, thanks Tiberius!
@@stirfryjedi no problem brother 🙏
I love how much you appreciate craftsmanship. For every perfectionist out here, you're a dream come true simply because you NOTICE, look for, know how to identify and also APPRECIATE quality.
AND... you are not fooled by (dastardly) marketing (the scourge of the modern world).
I saw a fellow, many years ago, that had a pair of boots with a strap on the back like those. I don't know if it was a Japanese boot, but he had a leather strap with a large metal button on one end. He would button it into that slot and it gave him more leverage to pull the boot on.
6:51
Maybe it is for drying boots? You know, humidity, rains, etc.
Thought as well. It looks like it can hang on a nail or peg or something.
I really wanna see what’s inside the Thursday boot explorer
I love the historical side of leather. Thanks for Your videos. I have had repair commissions to priceless antiques, and I'm always amazed at the how and why of old.
Never watched anything on this topic and now I watched it whole almost not blinking. Very interesting video!
Happy New Year!
I hope that they don't demonetize your enthusiasm. Excellent review!
So today I've been listening to "With the Old Breed on Pelelieu and Okinawa" by Eugene Sledge and I was thinking to myself what were the Japanese troops boots like compared to a USMC Boondocker.....then BAM! This video pops up! Freaking awesome how unique and efficient those boots are, I'd totally love a pair myself!
Hell of a book. Among my favorites.
I'm currently reading that book! It's a good one. Makes me want to read more historical diaries. It's easier to place yourself in the setting and envision it.
Awesome book, follow it up with Helmet for my Pillow and Operation Downfall
@@miamijules2149 Already read Leckie's book, but I'll definitely check out Downfall next!
Another interesting read is "Hell In The Pacific" by Jim McEnery with Bill Sloan. It's about a Marine Rifleman and his journey from Guadalcanal to Peleliu. Riveting story that will have you finish the book quickly. Eugene Sledge praised this guy for his leadership as an NCO to him and others.
Completely fascinating, thank you. Actually, my heart bled a little bit when you cut this "artefact" open. It was also fascinating to read the comments below, from the answer to the slit etc function, to the descendants of the people affected by these boots in the past.
I like the construction and the features you pointed out in the Japanese boot and the sole replacement features. The fact they were well designed for field wear and not for parade is a plus. I recall the Marine Corps had boot repair units (imagine, they had a MOS for boot repair before the Jungle Boot) and still I have an old pair of rough out combat foots that were eventually resoled by the unit at Camp Pendleton. I was the only marine with this style in my boot camp platoon issue and it was suspected they finally got to the bottom of the old crate to supply them. It took almost a can of Lincoln shoe polish to satisfy the DI. Thanks for the series.
Damn... id get a pair
I think you did a great job explaining that! The drawings and cutaways really helped, but you are a good teacher, too! Personally I rarely wear boots but I would totally get some of these if a bootmaker will take you up on it.
Wow, the best video I’ve seen from you yet! I haven’t seen the other World War II videos yet, I’m gonna go look at them now, excellent excellent excellent! Thank you, Jim
First time seeing your channel, I had never given any thought to the subject. I enjoyed it very much very informative. Thanks
I actually love these boots, would love to buy something like this. The simplicity of the uppers may even make it a much affordable boot.
They do look pretty damn stylish.
Looks a lot like my Clark's desert mali. Which has a dirt simple sole, but they hold up for a long time.
Well this was just fascinating.
The reason for the lack of metal was that Japan didn't have much access to metal before and during WW2. I'm even surprised that the heel stack used metal nails, there were anecdotes of Japanese people scrounging for nails after buildings burned down even before the war.
It's great to see some really new things here; Pig Skin, I'd never have thought, I wonder how waterproof it is.
And that construction method is great.
I must say that those boots do look very comfy, and the lack of lining would mean they dry out very quickly.
I'm looking forward to the Soviet Jackboots as I own a pair; they are horrifically uncomfortable. I walked a mile in them and got a blister, not exaggerating either; a blister in a mile and I do hiking regularly.
Hope to see the return of the "Other" Jackboot, shame about that issue.
there were wood pegs, no metal nails.
@@blintzztnilb4721 Foot-wraps?
As far as I know they were what the Soviets and indeed Russians issued in place of socks until sometime in the 2010's, as opposed to wearing over socks for comfort.
Though I do admit that because of that the boots may be more comfortable with those, as that was probably the design intention.
Were you wearing socks or footwraps with your jackboots.
The Russians didn't wear socks. They wrapped their feet in cotton flannel cloths (portyanki), so they could switch orientation to get more wear out of them than socks. They could also dry out quicker.
@@scowler7200 Socks. Thick ones though.
When I was roughnecking, I was the only one that wore Pig Skin boots vs cow leather.. They didn't dry stiff and shed water better. My feet never blistered from stiff boots. In a wet, damp and humid jungle the choice of pigskin made perfect sense
Fascinating video. Thank you for your diligent work!
Edit; small mistake on my part, under this Nippon Teikoku posts the correct explanation
Small note, Japanese soldiers were issued smooth boots (with no hobnails) and regular boots with hobnails to switch between marching/combat (with hobnails) and garrison boots (without hobnails)
Interesting.. I wounder what other nations did this?
I remember reading that, in theory, they would be issued tabi boots as well.
@@jfu5222 yes, Jikatabi were also issued, in photos of the pacific war and combat, the jikatabi are much more prevalent than the combat boots as the Jikatabi provided more movement and climbing capabilities than the leather boot had.
Im japanese but I've never heard of that. I heard that no nail shoes were issued to soldiers who rides tanks and trucks.
@@fivedollars7186 yes that why I say they marched with the boots with the hobnails. Without hobnails would have been garrison boots, walking around home when they’re on leave or spending time at the barracks
Extremely interesting indepth dive into these boots. I would have never thought about Japanese military boots if this video hadn't been made. Hope it doesn't get demonetized...
Thank you for all the knowledge in your videos.
This is how quality looks. Thank you for sharing.
I am amazed by this boot. It is so simple in most ways yet the sole is very well done, by the looks of it. I do like the half sole since, other than the heel, it wears out faster.
I would like to have at least one pair of these and to consider getting modern boots made in Japan.
Fantastic series! Well done! Thank you! Keep up the great work!
I would guess those slotted tabs on the back of the boot would also do double duty for hanging them up on nails. Japanese are very space-conscious. The punch being at that end would spread the force of the nail vs it merely being slotted, which would make it last.
Excellent video, thank you!
Yes I like this boot too. WW2 boots are a big favorite if mine.. Soviets used US made non Army boots and their own ankle boots as well as British boots.. The 107 is about a size 40 European. The slits in the pull tabs are to tie to strings so the boots can be hung on the pack. This would be great for letting one pair to dry while you wear the other. ( This is just one of the ways to secure the boots. ) There are a number of variations in the boot details including toe caps. .. particularly as the war goes on quality drops. My Dad had to wear a pair for a while in the Pacific. He said they were pretty good boots. They look a lot like they were influenced from the French 1915 combat boot.. as the ww1 US boot was. Id send some photos if I knew how. Thanks. I got to sign up for a copy of them.
It is absolute horseshit that historical videos can get demonitized and hidden by youtube. We need to learn about these things and time periods so we dont forget how bad shit can really get.
Why was it demonetised? I didn’t see anything offensive or non PC.
@@charlesm127 im faurly sure it got demonitized simply because it was talking about nazi germany. For whatever reason the powers in charge of youtube dont want us learning history.
@@leojensen9270 Thanks. I watch loads of history channels, eg Mark Felton etc, full of Nazi Germany (and other) content surely they are not demonetised. Its hard to tell these days how the minds of those in charge of what we can / can't see work.
That's a hard video title to deliver on, and you did it! Great job. Also that technical explanation was good, it's just a complicated concept!
The best Beat boots I have ever wore was the stranded issued of 1972 U.S. Military. Everything is based on history refined with the material at hand in abundance to meet the needs at the time. In the old ways who knew that glue combined with stitching and Material could lead to the best of the best of any environment to fit your design needs in boots. This boot design needs to on the market for all to buy and benefit from . Great show Great Boot. Great Commentary.
Don't forget to do the Italian boot from WWII. I wonder how good it'd be, as it'd would be Italian.
Oh great heres me taking this video to a cobbler wanting them to do this blake rapid stitch down conglomeration lol.
Great video thanks again.
Very efficient boot. Solid bottom construction with ease of sole replacement with a very light top that probably didn't need any breaking in period.
Being in the military, its neat to see deliberate choices they made in design of a mass production military boot. If I had to guess the tab on the end was likely used to tie the boots together. Either for supply reasons or for hanging to allow for your boots to dry. Just my 2 cents. Love the video.
I would love to see you cut apart a pair of tabis. I use a pair of construction worker tabis for running in when there is rain or snow on the ground. It would be fun to see how the WWII tabis were made.
That's so funny, I was just telling someone else here that Tabi's were still in use today, and they didn't believe me.
Surprising that you have never seen a leather halfsole, as they tend to be ubiqutous to older shoes, especially working and military shoes. Finnish military particularly lays down the reason for this in one of their manufacturing guidelines: a leather half sole can be glued, pegged and stitched easily if it needs replacement. So while the rest of the sole is all together as one piece, the leather half sole is only held on by stitches to the welt, glue and wooden pegs (sometimes nails, sometimes nothing).
And yet the M34 Finnish boot was stitch out. The used rubber sole models that hit the market have had a rubber half sole repair with stitching that's none too fussy about hitting the original holes. Result is that what is the welt part ends up like Swiss cheese. :(
This vid is so great by the presenter, leather craft materials, techniques, and respect owed to other makers. I've never thought of army boots qualities. Now I can boast with this knowlege. Thank you Mr. Polite
The back tab is also used to button a lower leg cover on so it does not slide up or down keeping things from entering the boot.