In Japanese, ‘onkochishin’ means “learn from the old to learn the new,” a phrase that first appeared in 1484 as a title of a dictionary in Japan, which translates as “Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew.”The compiler of this dictionary, Ōtomo Hirokimi, dared to go against centuries of traditions concerning Japanese dictionaries and lexicography to create a more user-friendly system, which, indeed emerged as the dominant method thereafter.
Now, Rootage continues the tradition by creating footwear that is based on the concept of onkochishin; namely, learning from the past to develop new skills and knowledge.Rootage was founded by Makoto Okuya in 2004 and, stocked at Oki-Ni, seeks to highlight the excellent quality of Japanese manufacturing and products.
Photos Copyright Rootage.