It has been about 80 years?

(MEUGA-YASAN has a long history?) Place-wise, we moved from Asakusa's 5-chome. I think it's been about 80years here. (Is the sewing machine really used?) We don't use computerized sewing machines. So, even though we have three more, they are all old. (Is it okay to make traditional industrial art goods with a sewing machine, not sewn by hand?) Well, most are hand-sewn. We got the sewing machines in Meiji era, they started to come in at different times. But we don't keep threads in stock. (Is gilt that uses electiricy in TANKIN[gold that's heated and hammared to improve its quality] not good?)Oh, I see. TABI[Japanese style socks] are that way. Every shop has a sewing machine now. There are only several left. (When you didn't have sewing machines, did you have a hard time?) Those times was leather. At first by hand. (Leather?) Yes. Now, it's cotton, but we used to do it by hand.

Luxurious TABI plated with gold

(What about the history of TABI?)There are two systems. One is [SHITOUZU](※mistake for[SHITAGUTSU]), a ceremonial dress of the Nara-era, which is made with white silk. The other one is made of leather for protection and heating of the feet. The military family and the common people wore them outdoors rather than indoors and this was the start of [TABI.] (What about the word TABI?) Since the bottom has one layer, it was written [TANPI](simple leather), and it changed to [TABI.] (What about the cotton TABI?) According to the established theory, 1600 years ago, a master of the tea ceremony, Sansai Nagaoka's old wife, made it and used it at a tea ceremony. That is said to be the beginning, but some think it existed even before then. They were called SUKIYA-TABI and was in fashion in tea ceremonies, and there were also TABI plated with gold. (Does the tradition to make leatehr TABI exist no longer?) No, it still exists. I would make it, if told so. (Do people wear them?) Yes, yes. Now people use the costumes of the past for YABUSAME. There are a lot of those people. Others are totally for hobby and they don't want to have the same ones as the others. (Is the fingers not divided in the YABUSAME's TABI?) Some use KOZAKURA(※KOZAKURAODOSHI=woven with leather dyed with KOZAKURA paints.)as costumes. It's dear hide. Then we put on KOHAZE and in other cases, we tie them with strings. That depends on the request of the customers. (Since cotton TABI were first made, did they start to wear it with ZOURI and GETA?) Yes, the fingers were divided at that time, yes. (Is that after the big fire of the MEIREKI?) It is from the MUROMACHI to the MOMOYAMA-era.

About 60 to 70 percent is ordered.

(There are many forms?) We have ready-made goods, but most are ordered. About 60 to 80 percent are ordered. (How do you get the measurements?) That, we have several, about 10 or so. Length and width, around the ankle. About 20, maybe. (How much more expensive are the ordered ones?) How much for example? About 30 percent. (Is it worth the price because they feel different when worn?) Uh, well, if the ready-made ones fit well, they might do better. The ordered ones aren't necessary...(Do the customers have their own shapes?) Yes. (You have several thousands shapes then?) Yes, I keep a lot. (Can a order be taken with one telephone call?) Yes. (From anywhere in Japan?) Yes. Well, since its Mukojima, Karyukai(traditional play area), comparatively more orders come from the local people. (One might have his choice of patterns?) Yeah, some are patterned, and for dance teachers and tea teachers, white ones are made. Most are white. Also some are made from hemp cloth and others from calico. 80 percent are whte socks. (Are the patterned material for the socks?) No, among these, some are dyed here, and others are bought. Ther colors wash off if the socks are dyed later. The customers have trouble that way, so the already-dyed ones are better. (You have size 24 and half or 25 ready-made?) Yes, we have. For the width, we have three types, narrow, wide, and regular. (What about high-insteps?) Yes, we do. We have those. We have reay-made to size 28, and anything bigger must be ordered. (How do you take orders from foreingers?) Well, length and with, and around the ankle. (Around the ankle?) Yes, yes. If I have those three measurements, I can imagine. (That is very interesting!) (Is the width of the foot the widest part?) That part has to be written. It is the circumference of the base bones of the thum and the pinky. (And the ankle,too?) The ankle, differes a little depending on the numbers of Kohaze, the circumference 2 centimeters above the anklebone. The length, obviously, is from the heel to the longest finger. (For some, the longest is the thumb?) That happens. (Do you ask the foreigners,too?) Well, it's a category for the oredered ones, but for foreigners, it's very complicated. I think the length is good enough, simply. To be precise, from behind the heel to the tip of the longest finger, is more accurate. (Are the size bigger for foreigners?) Yes, but a lady the other day fitted well in a 24.5. (Do young people have big feet?) Yes,they do.

The toe-tips are difficult.

(Which part is most difficult part to make?) Uhh, there are about twenty progress. The beginning and the end is difficult. To make the shape to begin with is difficult. Also, among the parts done with a sewing machine, the most difficult is the toe-tips. (It's made up with how many clothes?) The bottom of the socks is made up of two glued together. We buy them glued together. And reinforcements. We don't make socks for Sumo wrestlers, but if the socks are requested to last long, we use three, or we put a thick cloth there. Regularly, it's two.

At present, in the inner-city, there are less than ten

(What age was you when you started the job?) (Father) It was after I came back from the military, so about twenty-four, or five. (Did you work before you went to the military?) I was still a student. (How many years has it been?) Fifty years. (Being taught by your father?) (Son) There's no one that would teach, you know. Pepople who produce has gone. (Has it increased?) There aren't many. (Son) I don't know the exact number, but from MEIJI to TAISHO, there were 2000. There were socks(TABI) made by shops who delt with these white socks, and also those worn with festival costumes by amateur people. If all those were included, there must've been 6000 nation-wide. At present, in the inner-city, there are less than ten, who do it in a similar way. (We walk wearing clothes, so we can't do anything about it, can't we?) People who like it, likes it, KIMONO. (Mothers don't come to class inspection in KIMONOS!) Qiite right. (You wear TABI with YUKATA?) Basically, no. When you practice with KIMONO, you wear white TABI. (Do TABI hold the feet better than regular socks?) Yes, the fingers are divided, and it's cotton.

The ankle, in this way, gets thinner and fatter

(For ladies, is it always 4 KOHASES?) No, it isn't always that way. White TABIS can be four or five, either for men or women. We just happen to make patterned TABIS, five for men and four for women. There is no such rule or anything. (Depends on the choice?) Yes. Well, some request for same things with six or three. (When the number of KOHAZE increases, do the socks extend upward?) Yes, that's right. They go up by about 2 cm each. Four is enough. (Do the feet change after one becomes an adult?) Yes, slightly. (But not as much as body weight?) Uh well, the ankles loose the fat and becomes thin or becomes fatter. Around here, how do you say, there aren't any more fat. This happens to a lot of women. (Even if one has a model, he should get remeasured?) No, no. Some ask for adjustment with a thread, and that kind of adjustment is enough.

Thin and cool

(What was the origin of the name MEUGAYA?) I don't know for sure. The head house was in a town called Nihon-bashi Naniwa-cho. It was the year 2 of Manji. It's the era after the big fire the MEIREKI(Edo). Then there were lots of NOREN-WAKE(when the shop allowed the artisans to use its name after he becomes independent). They wrote it in Kanji letters, but one day it became to be wirtten in four Hiragana letters. It might have come from the family crest. MEUGAYA is the oldest place to be selling cotton TABI. (What is your peculiarity?) We are very cautious since we take orders. We go along with what is requested in case of ordered TABIS. The ready-made ones are thin, cool. We try to have it that way.

Just doing it, isn't good enough

(Is your son still young?) He is twenty-one. (Are you happy?) No. (What do you do for trainig?) Well, you see this string here? You twist this. The big makers all use machines and sew. (It all starts from twisting thread with your hands?) It's the start. (How many years does the twisting take?) Often, it's too tight or loose. Just doing it, isn't good enough. (Interesting!) Then, the space between the threads are too wide or two small, the width is that and this...if this is continued for a day, it's quite serious for the man. (What do you do after the twisting of the thread is done?) Then, you sew the easy part of the cut cloth in a straight-sew. (Is that by a sewing-machine?) Yes. The sewing line becomes crooked like this. And then, you begin to cut with a leather knife as much as possible. It doesn't matter what you do first, but basically at first, you do the thread along with some odd jobs. (Does it take about 10 years to beome independent?) Yes, it does. You get the way. You begin to know the goodness of the cloth. Cloth that's tighly sewn and those that aren't. You get to know by connection.

I want the socks to be worn by chic people.

(Do the feet look smaller when TABIS are worn?) To put it shortly, I want the socks to be worn by chic people. (What's a chic man with socks?) It's the tip of the toe. The toes should point straight, not spread wide, to put it in a word. (The people who wear them can't do anything about it?) Yes, if the customer knows quite well, he would say the same to us, but there aren't many people who knows so much, so even if we say it's so, they have no idea. People who have worn TABI several times, say they want here and there held, in case of ready-made ones and also ordered ones. People who wear them a few times a year, or who haven't worn them for a while, can't really tell. (What about those who wore them on Shichigosan-celebration of a child's third, fifth, and seventh years-?) No, they wouldn't know. Even explained orally, no. They don't try to understand. (If one wore it every day from morning to night, would he learn a lot?) Yes, of course. Even the material, yes. (The customer's discrimination has been lost?) It has decreased. More and moe have been decreased. Some customers are really particular. Even a little difference and they say, "Why did it change like this?" They know what it has been like, so they say, "Why is it like this?" (Is that the destiny of the ordered ones?) Yes, it's not like we aren't careful. (There are more orderd ones?) Yes, about60 or 70 percent. (Are there a lot of customers who live close by?) Yes,yes. MUKOU-JIMA is KARYUKAI with lots of people who wear TABIS, naturally. (Seen a lot of geisha-girls with beautiful legs?) Yes. there are those perquisites.