Original Item: Only One Pair Available. Jika-tabi are a style of footwear with a divided toe, originating in Japan. They are similar to tabi socks in both appearance and construction. Though they can be worn with traditional thonged footwear such as geta and zōri, jika-tabi are mostly designed and made to be worn alone as outdoor footwear, resembling boots that reach roughly to the mid-calf. Jika-tabi are also known as 'tabi boots'.

Japanese tabi are usually understood today to be a kind of split-toed sock that is not meant to be worn alone outdoors, much like regular socks. However, tabi were originally a kind of leather shoe made from a single animal hide, as evidenced by historical usage and the earlier form of the word, tanbi, spelled 単皮, with the kanji literally signifying "single hide". As Japanese footwear evolved, tabi also changed, with the split-toe design emerging towards the late Heian period to allow the wearer to accommodate the thong of waraji straw sandals to reinforce the sole. Outdoor versions of tabi involved some kind of reinforcement, as seen on these examples.

Brothers Tokujirō Ishibashi and Shōjirō Ishibashi, founders of the tire company Bridgestone, are credited with the invention of rubber-soled jika-tabi in 1922.

During the 1942 Battle of Milne Bay in Papua (now part of Papua New Guinea), the Allies of World War II faced the Japanese Kaigun Tokubetsu Rikusentai (Special Naval Landing Forces), who wore jika-tabi as part of their uniform. The distinctive tread marks left by the boots allowed Allied troops (mostly Australian troops with some American units) to follow the tracks, and thus Japanese soldiers, through the muddy forests. Examples of the boots worn by Japanese soldiers are held by the Australian War Memorial.

This is a nice pair of tabi worn by Japanese Troops during the Pacific War. These were worn by both the Imperial Army and Naval Ground Forces from Guadalcanal to Okinawa.

The markings are retained on both the inside as well as the bottom of the rubber soles. The rubber is dry and cracked due to age and wear. These are well worn examples and the appearance shows that. The right tabi is torn down the back and one of the securing tabs are missing.

This is a wonderful opportunity to add the seldom encountered WWII SNLF Tabi shoes to your collection. They come more than ready to display!