Geta Day (Geta no Hi)

What Is Geta Day?

Every July 22nd is "Geta Day," established by the National Federation of Wooden Footwear Associations (全国木製はきもの業組合連合会) to encourage people to rediscover the appeal of geta. The date combines two ideas: the number 7 is often used in traditional geta sizes, such as "7 sun 7 bu," and the footprints geta leave in snow look like the kanji "ni" (二, two), giving "22." It's a day to wear geta, traditional Japanese wooden sandals, and enjoy a Japanese summer.

Geta in Everyday Japanese Life

Geta have long been used as footwear suited to Japan's climate and way of life.

• Made for muddy roads: In eras when many roads were unpaved, the raised "teeth" of geta kept the feet and the hem of the kimono away from mud splashes.
• Paulownia geta: High-quality geta are often made from paulownia (kiri), known as one of the lightest domestic woods in Japan and resistant to moisture.
• Footprints like "二": Walking on snow in two-toothed geta leaves a trail that looks like a row of the character "二." A haiku by the Edo-period poet Den Sutejo — "On a snowy morning, the geta prints: 二, 二" — is well known in Japan.

The Parts of a Geta

Geta are simple in form but carefully designed.

• Dai (base): The wooden board you stand on. Besides paulownia, woods such as cedar are used.
• Ha (teeth): The supports under the base. Two teeth are most common, but there are also one-toothed geta and toothless "ukon geta."
• Hanao (strap): The thong gripped between the toes. Straps come in many fabrics, leathers and patterns and can be replaced with ones you like.

Interesting Facts About Geta

• No left or right: Traditional geta have no left or right. Swapping them between feet helps them wear evenly.
• One-toothed geta: Geta with a single tooth are said to have been used by mountain ascetics, and in recent years they have also been used to train balance.
• The "karan-koron" sound: The sound of geta changes with the type of wood and the shape of the teeth, and it is loved as a sound that evokes summer festivals and hot-spring towns.
• Repair and reuse: Worn straps can be replaced and worn teeth repaired, so a pair of geta can be worn for a long time.

Ideas for Geta Day

• Wear geta with a yukata or jinbei and take an evening stroll.
• Have a footwear shop fit the strap to your feet.
• Visit a hot-spring town or summer festival where geta feel right at home.
• Take care of any geta you have at home and wear them this summer.

Feel a Japanese Summer from the Ground Up

July 22nd is a day to feel a Japanese summer from your feet. Like people of the past who enjoyed cool summer evenings to the "karan-koron" of their geta, it can be nice to leave your shoes behind once in a while. Why not wear geta to a summer festival or fireworks show this year?