Setsubun is just before the beginning of spring in 2023.
It's been two weeks since my last post, this is Sakemaru.
The other day, a friend of mine who lives in Kisarazu and drives vintage cars said,
They came to visit us at the southernmost tip of the Boso Peninsula.
So we met up at the pizza restaurant run by my senior.
Delicious lunch time. 
It matches perfectly with the American Marlboro Red exterior .
1930 Model A Ford, jet black hot rod.
After that, we went around the coast from Minamiboso to Tateyama,
We hope you enjoy the southernmost tip of Minami Boso in early spring.
Well, the product I'm going to introduce today is...
A wine similar to Marlborough Red ,
These highly recommended shoes come in two beautiful jet black color combinations.
Finally, additional production has arrived.
Western Mox Monk Strap Shoes! 
Western = Western,
Moccasins (shoes with moccasin stitching)
Monk strap = belt type with buckle,
It has a meaning like this.
The name is exactly what it looks like.
First, a wine similar to Marlborough Red. 
Some people call this wine "red."
I love the beautiful colors and the western style.
And black. 
What is mocha stitching?
The U-tip on the upper part is independent,
It is a shape in which the leather on both sides is sewn together.
There are various types...
Regarding this Western Mox,
The leather of the upper,
The shape is sewn all around, covering and concealing the surrounding area.
This is a sewing method known as "wrap stitching".
Other stitches include bow stitch and scoop stitch.
This wrap stitching gives the most casual impression. 
And the embossing on the upper is
The shape was cut out from a pair of vintage children's shoes that I own.
Add "db (dry bones)" to the cow's forehead,
This prevents it from being used for other purposes.
And in the part that touches the opening,
Longhorn die-cut decoration. 
Of course,
We make molds just for this purpose.
Just for decoration.
This is the luxury of the 1950s Western Fifties .
By the way, this is
I own some deadstock children's shoes from the 1950s. 
The location is Long Beach, LA, USA.
From a famous vintage dealer,
I got it at an exceptional price.
This was about 35 years ago, and it cost $10 at the time.
These were the shoes I had been looking for for a long time (I was a shoe fanatic even back then), so
I was so happy.
This is the embossing on the upper part. 
If you look closely, you'll see that...
These shoes are not actually "U-tips",
Cut out the shape of a U-tip.
It just has stitching in it.
I think it's because there are many sizes of children's shoes available...
This would require more die cuts and would increase costs.
I'm sure at the time, they sold so many that the cost of the molds could have been ignored!
Rather than doing mocha stitching,
Cut out the pattern using a die that looks like mocha stitching.
It was quicker to produce large quantities by air sewing.
In addition, there is this decoration at the opening. 
When our shoe factory staff saw these shoes, they said:
"Children's shoes require so much work that it makes me nauseous."
This is the depth of the 1950s .
Our Western Mox is,
The buckle is located in the center.
But this vintage is off to the side.
This was intentionally moved to the center.
The original story is this. 
Children's shoes from the 1950s.
The embossed pattern inside the U-tip is checkered.
Typical of the 1950s,
It was also featured on roper boots and belts.
The way the double edge is extended is also
It's weird and cool.
This Western Mox,
Actually, my first encounter with him was through illustrations in a book . 
Those who know, know,
This is a page from the well-known "Cream Soda Story."
I bought this book in 1982 at a local bookstore.
Like I was brainwashed.
I read it every day.
However, in my case, maybe I'm a bit twisted... (sweat)
Rather than the content (sentence) of the real name,
I was inspired by the illustrations that covered every page.
In particular, on this page,
I was shocked as if I had been struck by lightning.
Since I came across this page...
I just want to go to Tokyo.
I want to work in a shoe store.
I want to go to America.
I want to meet the person who drew this illustration.
What a dream it was.
This is the cover. 
When I see this cover,
A wave of bittersweet emotions comes over me.
And at the end of the book, there is this inscription: 
When there was no consumption tax,
A time when Japan was at its peak.
Together with the author, Mr. Yamazaki (CEO of Cream Soda),
The art direction is credited to "Nakayama Yasushi."
This Nakayama-san,
In Hot Dog Press's Fifties special feature,
I was aware of this. 
Nakayama was 35 years old at the time!
Time passed, and now I was 35 years old.
I've been asked to write a serial in a magazine called Lightning.
"Kenkimono"
Two pages introducing a series of slightly unusual antiques.
The art director for this page is
Mr. Nakayama was in charge of this!
Afterwards, I asked the editor-in-chief if I could meet him.
Since then, I have visited the office many times,
I get invited to drinking parties.
I would like to convey this feeling to young people today.
When I was a confused teenager,
Just one book,
It can determine the rest of your life.
Because I came across this book,
He went to Tokyo and got a job at a shoe store.
After that, he went to America and started a second-hand clothing store.
We became an apparel manufacturer and started making shoes.
I also started writing serial articles for magazines.
I also met an illustrator that I admired.
On the other hand, these shoes are the origin of Dry Bones .
Now.
The New Year's hectic schedule has calmed down...
I went to a long-established Japanese restaurant in Tateyama City that I had been wanting to visit for a long time.
My friend is now the representative and in charge of the kitchen knife.
This is the room we were shown to. 
This photo shows a floor pillar!
There's a limit to Sukiya-style architecture!
In a sense, he's an eccentric!
