Footwear

This edition of Japanology Plus is yet another opportunity to consider two quintessential characteristics of Japanese culture: kaleidoscopic manifestations of any social phenomenon that is perceived to have value, and a passionate attention to detail when one becomes strongly attached to any specific aspect of that phenomenon. The social phenomenon in this case is what we wear on our feet, and Peter Barakan visits a museum that showcases footwear from Japan and the world. Reporter Matt Alt, meanwhile, shows us a great example of "passionate attention to detail" when he discovers the tender loving care that can be devoted to the simple act of polishing one's shoes.