Rainy days can be a downer, especially for women who want to look fashionable but don't want to get wet in soggy and gloomy weather.
Answering this dilemma, colorful and stylish water-resistant boots have grown increasingly popular in urban areas, especially in the last year.
Water-resistant rubber boots, called "nagagutsu" in Japanese, have long been a fixture with children, farmers and construction workers, but not among fashion-conscious young women.