Walk the streets of Tokyo's trendy Harajuku and Shibuya shopping districts and the sheer variety of fashion worn by people passing by can be, to the uninitiated, simply mind boggling. But, look at their feet and more often than not they are wearing shoes that are more familiar — sneakers. Even if at times they may be like no sneakers you have ever seen before.
Over the past few decades, sneakers or trainers — once made only for athletes — have become must-have accessories for style-conscious people both in Japan and overseas. Because they are versatile enough to mix with casual, sporty or even formal clothing, sneakers have captured the hearts, and feet, of street-fashion trend-setters, musicians, hip-hop dancers, graffiti artists, designers and fashionistas across Japan, and as such have become synonymous with youth culture.
The book "Kicks Japan," written in English by freelance journalist Manami Okazaki (who writes for The Japan Times and other publications) with photos by Tokyo-based Australian photographer Geoff Johnson, explores the colorful sneaker culture that has flourished in Japan.