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A City of Tabi Storehouses Supporting the Kimono Culture from the Feet

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Cultural properties that tell Gyoda City's story

Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds


Sakitama Ancient Burial Moundss

Oshi Castle Ruins


Oshi Castle Ruins

Ishida Embankment


Ishida Embankment

Basho Haiku Monument


Basho Haiku Monument

Eighteenth-Century Map of Gyoda


Eighteenth-Century Map of Gyoda

Akiyama Documents


Akiyam Documents

Nineteenth-Century Map of Gyoda


Nineteenth-Century Map of Gyoda

1612 Land Tax Bill


1,612 Land Tax Bill

Kobayashi Residence and Warehouse


Kobayashi Residence and Warehouse

Hashimoto Family


Hashimoto Family


Mori Storehouses


Mori Storehouses


Jumangoku Fukusaya Main Store


Jumangoku Fukusaya Main Store


Former Makino Store and Buildings


Former Makino Store and Buildings

Tokita Residence


Tokita Residence

Hozumi Estate


Hozumi Estate

Japan Heritage Guidance Center


Japan Heritage Guidance Center

Kusao Storehouse


Kusao Storehouse

Former Okunuki Estate Cafe


Former Okunuki Estate Cafe

Isami Corporation Clothing Factory


Isami Corporation Clothing Factory

Tashiro Storehouses


Tashiro Storehouses

Former Oshimachi Credit Association Building


Former Oshimachi Credit Association Building

Osawa Brick Storehouse


Osawa Brick Storehouse


Former Ogawa Chujiro Store


Formerly Ogawa Chujiro Store


Okunuki Storehouse


Okunuki Storehouse

Gyoda-Kiln


Gyoda-Kiln

Kujirai Warehous


Kujirai Warehous

Isami Corporation Tabi Factory


Isami Corporation Tabi Factory

Tokita Tabi Storehouse


Tokita Tabi Storehouse

Musashino Bank Gyoda Branch Building


Musashino Bank Gyoda Branch Building


Former Arai Hachiro Store and Residence


Former Arai Hachiro Store and Residence


Studio "Makiteisha"


Studio Makiteisha

Koshi Storehouse


Koshi Storehouse

Kurihara Storehouse


Kurihara Storehouse

Konuma Storehouse


Konuma Storehouse

Okunuki Storehouse


Okunuki Warehous

Kasahara Residence


Kasahara Residence

Gakuya Storehouse


Gakuya Storehouse

Gyoda Tabi Manufacturing Tools and Materials


Gyoda Tabi Manufacturing Tools and Materials


Gyoda Tabi


Gyoda Tabi


Hatsuuma Festival


Hatsuuma Festival

Furai (Savory Pancake)


Furai (Savory Pancake)


Zeri Furai (Croquette)


Zeri Furai (Croquette)


Gyoda Narazuke Pickles


Gyoda Narazuke Pickles


Gyoda Ondo (Folk Song)


行田音頭


Outline of Japan Heritage

Japan Heritage is a new program for cultural properties established by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in 2015. The program designates interesting regional histories and features that have been passed down through the narratives of Japan’s culture and traditions as “Japan Heritage.” It supports initiatives to cohesively use various attractive tangible and intangible cultural properties that constitute essential elements in the narrative. Japan Heritage has two categories: “The Collective Category” for which a narrative pertains to several cities or villages, and “The Local Category” for which a narrative pertains to one city or a village, as in the case of Gyoda City.

Japan Heritage identifies cultural properties scattered around a region and packages them in a story, expects the regional community to take the initiative to cohesively and comprehensively organize and use these cultural properties, and strategically publicize them to the world, thereby aiming to revitalize the region.

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Historic site

Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds

The Sakitama Ancient Burial Mounds are a cluster of nine burial mounds (kofun) dating from the mid-fifth to early seventh centuries. They are one of the largest kofun groups in Eastern Japan. Excavation of one of the mounds yielded many precious artifacts, including a gold-inlaid iron sword, which is designated a National Treasure.

 

The biggest mound in the group, the Maruhakayama Kofun, is among the largest circular burial mounds in the country. In the late sixteenth century, during the siege of a nearby castle, it was used as a command post and observation platform by the general Ishida Mitsunari (1560–1600). Mitsunari led the Siege of Oshi Castle as part of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s (1537–1598) campaign to unify Japan.

【Location】56 Sakitama, other

【Nationally Designated Special Historic Site】

Historic site

Oshi Castle Ruins

Oshi Castle was built in the second half of the fifteenth century by the Narita family, who were retainers of the Uesugi family, then rulers of central Japan. Its construction marked the beginning of Gyoda’s development as a castle town.

The castle made use of nearby marshlands and rivers as natural defenses. This allowed it to withstand an attack from Ishida Mitsunari (1560–1600) in 1590, whose army attempted to flood the castle by building levees and dams to block and redirect the rivers. The event earned the castle the nicknames of “Floating Castle” and “Water Castle.” The Siege of Oshi Castle was part of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s (1537–1598) campaign to unify Japan.

Oshi Castle and the historic assault are still today occasionally featured in contemporary novels, television shows, and films.

【Location】17-23 Honmaru, other

【Prefecture-Designated Historic Site】

Historic site

Ishida Embankment

This earthwork bank was built on a natural levee by the general Ishida Mitsunari (1560–1600), who led the Siege of Oshi Castle in 1590. It was one of several such banks constructed to redirect the Arakawa and Tone Rivers in an attempt to flood the castle. The siege was part of warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s (1537–1598) campaign to unify Japan.

The bank is estimated to have been approximately 14 kilometers long, though most of the original earthwork structure has been lost. A 282-meter section in Gyoda’s Tsutsumine District has been preserved as a cultural asset.

【Location】1270 Tsutsumine, Gyoda City

【Prefecture-Designated Historic Site】

Historic site

Basho Haiku Monument

This stone monument, located on the private grounds of the Takahashi Residence, bears an inscription by the haiku master Matsuo Basho (1644–1694):

meigetsu no hana

ka to miete

wata-batake


Under the brilliant moon

The flowers seem to bloom

A cotton field

The monument was erected around 1876, when cotton production was flourishing in Gyoda. The crop was the lifeblood of the local economy, providing the raw material for the town’s famous tabi (split-toe socks).

Note: As the monument is located on private property, please obtain permission from the Takahashi family before entering the grounds to view it.

【Location】795 No

【City-Designated Historic Site】

Old document

Eighteenth-Century Map of Gyoda

This illustrated map of Gyoda, now held by the Gyoda City Provincial Museum, dates back to the early eighteenth century (c. 1716–1736). The map identifies three tabi (split-toe sock) shops, providing evidence that the town’s specialty industry was already well-established during the early eighteenth century.

【Collection of Gyoda City Provincial Museum】

Old document

Akiyama Documents

The Akiyama Documents are a collection of historical records preserved by the Akiyama family, one of Gyoda’s most influential merchant families.

As the proprietors of Takasagoya—a prestigious tabi (split-toe sock) shop founded in 1732—the family played a central role in the town’s commerce. This archive provides invaluable insight into the manufacturing techniques and business operations that defined Gyoda’s industry during the late Edo period (1603–1867).

Pictured: A residential map of the Akiyama family estate, sourced from the Akiyama Documents.

【Private collection; Deposited with and stored by Gyoda City Provincial Museum】

Old document

Nineteenth-Century Map of Gyoda

This nineteenth-century illustrated map of Gyoda, now kept in the Gyoda City Provincial Museum, offers a detailed snapshot of the town’s commercial landscape. It identifies 27 tabi (split-toe sock) shops, revealing that tabi manufacturing had become the cornerstone of Gyoda’s economy by this period.

【Collection of Gyoda City Provincial Museum】

Old document

1612 Land Tax Bill

This 1612 land tax bill was issued to the village of Sakamaki by the lord of Musashi Province—a vast region spanning modern-day Tokyo, Saitama, and parts of Kanagawa. The document records cotton being used as a form of tax payment, indicating that cotton cultivation was already a cornerstone of the Gyoda area’s economy as early as the seventeenth century. The bill is now part of the Gyoda City Provincial Museum collection.

【Collection of Gyoda City Provincial Museum】

Building

Kobayashi Residence

This home was built in 1941 as a retirement residence for a member of the Kobayashi family, a wholesaler of raw materials for tabi (split-toe socks) production. Most tabi merchants in Gyoda had secondary residences like this one, but the Kobayashi residence is unique in that it combines both Japanese and Western architectural elements.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1-38 Tenma, Gyoda City

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Historical Record

Hashimoto Documents

The Hashimoto Documents, held in the collection of the Gyoda City Provincial Museum, are an extensive collection of family records dating from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Handed down by the Hashimoto family, who owned one of Gyoda’s leading tabi (split-toe socks) stores, these archives provide invaluable insight into the historical development of the local industry.

Pictured: A code of conduct for employees of the Hashimoto Store

【Location】 Gyoda City Musesum

 

Building

Mori Storehouses

The Mori Storehouses consist of two earthen-walled structures completed in 1850 and 1912. Throughout the twentieth century, they served as storage facilities for Gyoda’s thriving tabi (split-toe socks) industry. Today, the 1850 storehouse has been repurposed as a private folk craft museum known as Koa-an.

Note: The 1912 storehouse is closed to the public and cannot be entered.

【Location】21‐12 Gyoda

【Tangible Cultural Property Designated by the City】

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Jumangoku Fukusaya Main Store

Jumangoku Fukusaya is a Japanese confectionery store founded in Gyoda in 1952 and is renowned for its manju (steamed cakes with bean-paste filling). Its flagship store is housed in an 1883 structure that first served as the Yamada Kimono Shop before being converted into a tabi (split-toe socks) storehouse. The building’s distinctive raised-plaster lattice walls (namako-kabe ) were added during these renovations. This decorative feature remains unique among the city’s surviving tabi storehouses.

Note: Except for customers, viewing is restricted to the building’s exterior.

【Location】20‐15 Gyoda

【Registered Tangible Cultural Property】

*Other than by those using the store, it is viewed from the outside only

Building

Former Makino Store and Buildings

This group of buildings, formerly the estate of a prominent tabi (split-toe socks) wholesaler, offers a glimpse into the life of a merchant during the peak of the tabi industry. The site features a main residence and shop built in 1924, a dedicated factory built in 1922, and two traditional earthen-walled storehouses, the oldest dating to 1899. In 2005, the factory was repurposed as the Tabi Lifestyle Museum, where visitors can learn about the production of tabi.

【Location】1‐2 Gyoda

【*Tabi and Living Museum is open on Saturdays and Sundays】

Building

Tokita Residence

Once home to the prominent Tokita family—key figures in Gyoda’s tabi (split-toe socks) industry in the nineteenth century—this estate features a Japanese-Western residence built in the 1940s and two earthen-walled tabi storehouses from the turn of the century.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the buildings can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1-5-25 Oshi

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Hozumi Estate

The former Hozumi family estate belonged to one of Gyoda’s leading suppliers of materials for tabi (split-toe socks). The site contains a stone shop and main residence built in 1926, along with four storehouses: two earthen-walled from 1916, one stone from 1932, and one mortar-finished from the early 1940s. These structures were used throughout the twentieth century to store raw materials for tabi production. The row of storehouses lining the eastern side of the property is a local landmark.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the buildings can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】5‐8 Gyoda

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Japan Heritage Guidance Centert

Built in 1906, this earthen-walled tabi (split-toe socks) storehouse was formerly the Daihachi Kurihara Store. It now serves as a Japan Heritage Guidance Center, providing information on the town’s tabi storehouses and Gyoda’s designation as a Japan Heritage site.

【Location】5‐15 Gyoda

【※Open every day (10:00～16:00)】

Building

Kusao Storehouse

Built around 1955 for the former Kinraku Tabi Corporation, this stone storehouse dates from the final years of Gyoda’s tabi (split-toe socks) industry. The building is celebrated for its elegant exterior.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】7‐26 Tenma

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Former Okunuki Estate Cafe

The former Okunuki Estate comprises a residence built in 1930 and four earthen tabi (split-toe socks) storehouses built between 1910 and 1916. Among these is Gyoda’s only three-story storehouse; its exact construction date is unknown. Most of the structures have been repurposed and now house a cafe, gallery, bakery, and architectural office.

Note: Except for customers of the on-site businesses, viewing is restricted to the building exteriors.

【Location】7‐3 Gyoda

【*Other than by those using the store or when events are held, it is viewed from the outside only】

Building

Isami Corporation Clothing Factory

The Isami Corporation has produced clothing and tabi (split-toe socks) in Gyoda since 1907. Its 1917 sawtooth-roof factory was one of the town’s largest tabi plants.

 

The complex is a typical example of a large-scale manufacturing site. It includes an office building constructed in 1918 and several other structures from the early twentieth century that served as an auditorium, dormitory, and cafeteria. The grounds also contain an earthen-walled storehouse, wooden warehouses, and a mortar-coated tabi storehouse built in 1938.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the buildings can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】4‐1 Asahicho

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Tashiro Storehouses

The former Tashiro Shosuke Store consists of a residence and earthen-walled storehouse from the Taisho era (1912–1926), along with a shop and two additional storehouses built in 1927. These structures are arranged in a single row on a narrow, rectangular lot, a configuration typical of the town layout established during the Edo period (1603–1867).

Note: The site is not open to the public; the buildings can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】6‐9 Gyoda

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Former Oshimachi Credit Association Building

The former Oshimachi Credit Association building was constructed in 1922 as a local financial institution. Funded by tabi (split-toe socks) merchants to support the industry’s development, it is the predecessor of the Saitama Prefecture Shinkin Bank. The two-story wooden structure features Western-style architectural elements and is one of the few remaining buildings of its kind in the city. It currently serves as Vert Café.

【Location】2305 Suijo-koen

【City-Designated Tangible Cultural Property】

Building

Osawa Brick Storehouse

This brick tabi (split-toe socks) storehouse was completed in 1926 by the Osawa family, who were influential tabi merchants. Its elaborate design reflects the prosperity of the industry at the time, and it is a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Along with this brick storehouse, the 1928 shop-residence and a 1917 earthen-walled tabi storehouse on the same site are designated as Japan Heritage component properties.

Note: The site is not open to the public; however, the brick storehouse can be viewed from the street.

【Location】9-5 Gyoda, Gyoda City

【Tangible Cultural Property Registered by the National Government】

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Former Ogawa Chujiro Store

The former Ogawa Chujiro Store is an earthen-walled building constructed in 1925 that served as both a residence and a shop for Ogawa Chujiro, a merchant specializing in raw materials for tabi (split-toe socks).

The building served as a model project by the Gyoda Chamber of Commerce and Industry to demonstrate how historical tabi storehouses could be repurposed for modern business. It currently houses a soba restaurant.

Note: Except for customers of the restaurant, viewing of the property is restricted to the building’s exterior.

【Location】1‐4‐6 Oshi

【Registered Tangible Cultural Property】

【*Other than by those using the store, it is viewed from the outside only】

Building

Okunuki Family Storehouse

This storehouse was once owned by the Okunuki family, a supplier of raw materials for tabi (split-toe sock) production. It was built during the Taisho period (1912–1926). The storehouse is one of many that were managed by the Okunuki family in Gyoda.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】3‐12 Tenma

【*Other than by those using the store, it is viewed from the outside only】

Building

Gyoda Kiln

This former storehouse for raw materials for tabi (split-toe socks) was built by the Arai Hachiro Store around the 1920s. It was moved to its current site and reduced to approximately one-third of its original size. It was repurposed as a pottery kiln, which operated until recently. It is one of the few remaining wooden tabi storehouses in Gyoda.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1-11-15 Sama, Gyoda City

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Kujirai Warehouse

This reinforced concrete warehouse, formerly used for tabi (split-toe socks) raw materials, is believed to have been constructed in 1928. Although small in size, it is one of the few surviving pre-World War II reinforced-concrete tabi storehouses in the city, making it a valuable historic site.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1‐43 Tenma

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Isami Corporation Tabi Factory

This large-scale factory belongs to the Isami Corporation, a garment manufacturer established in Gyoda in 1907. Believed to have been built in the early 1930s, the wooden, Western-style structure features a distinctive sawtooth roof. It is a prime example of the large factories that were built on the city’s outskirts during the peak of the tabi (split-toe socks) industry. Visitors can scan a QR code on the on-site information board to view an AR reconstruction of the factory as it appeared in the mid-twentieth century.

Note: The factory is not open to the public; it can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】4‐31 Mukaimachi

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Tokita Tabi Storehouse

This large, earthen-walled storehouse for tabi (split-toe socks) was completed in 1929 for the former Tokita Keizaemon Store.

Although the storehouse’s scale reflects the growth of the tabi industry at the time, the incorporation of recycled materials suggests a desire to reduce costs. This design choice highlights the practical management approach characteristic of local merchants.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1‐3‐29 Oshi

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Musashino Bank Gyoda Branch Building

Constructed in 1934, this building was originally a branch of the Oshi Savings Bank, which played a vital role in the economic growth of the local tabi (split-toe socks) industry. Following World War II (1939–1945), it was repurposed to house the offices of the Gyoda Tabi Manufacturers’ Association.

 

Emperor Showa (1926–1989) visited the building during an imperial tour of the region. Today, it serves as a branch of Musashino Bank.

Note: Except for customers, viewing is restricted to the building’s exterior

【Location】4‐5 Gyoda

【Registered Tangible Cultural Property】

【* Other than by those using the store, it is viewed from the outside only】

Building

Former Arai Hachiro Store and Residence

This estate, comprising an office, a reception hall, and a primary residence, was built in a Western style in 1937 by Arai Hachiro, the chairman of the Gyoda Tabi and Clothing Industrial Association. Often referred to as the “Tabi Palace,” the estate was also used to entertain important visitors to the area. Arai Hachiro contributed significantly to the development of the tabi (split-toe socks) industry in Gyoda.

Note: The buildings are not open to the public; they can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】1-11-22 Sama, Gyoda City

【Registered Tangible Cultural Property】

【* Other than by those using the store, it is viewed from the outside only】

Building

Studio Makiteisha

This building belonged to the Makitei Store, a textiles manufacturer and retailer that produced tabi (split-toe socks), among other wares. It served as the business owner’s residence, office, and garment factory. It was built in 1940.

Today, the building is managed by an NPO and hosts artist studios and workshops. The factory space is occasionally used as a venue for events.

【Location】1‐4‐11 Oshi

【*Indigo dye workshop is open on Sundays only】

Building

Koshi Storehouse

This tabi (split-toe socks) storehouse was built in 1951 to store timber. Post-war Japan suffered from a shortage of timber, which is why the structure is made primarily from stone and uses very little wood in its design. It belonged to the Oki Suekichi Store and is a typical example of Gyoda’s post-war tabi storehouses.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】6‐9 Gyoda

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Kurihara Storehouse

Originally a rice granary on a farm in Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture, this storehouse was relocated to its current location in 1953, where it was repurposed as a mortar-finished storehouse to store tabi (split-toe socks).

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】4‐12 Tenma

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Konuma Storehouse

Constructed around 1954 for the former Honen Tabi Headquarters, this storehouse is built from Oya stone, a type of stone found exclusively in Utsunomiya in Tochigi Prefecture. It was built the same year nylon socks began being mass-produced, which led to a decline in demand for tabi (split-toe socks).

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】4‐15 Mukaimachi

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Okunuki Warehous

The tabi storehouse made from clay of the former Okunuki Chukichi Shop is said to have been built in the Taisho period. This is one of several tabi storehouses built in Gyoda by the shop.

【Location】3-35 Tenma, Gyoda City

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Kasahara Residence

This building is believed to have been constructed around 1931 by the Kasahara family, a retailer of raw materials for tabi (split-toe socks) production. Over the years, it has been repurposed as a tabi wholesaler, an inn, and a bar. Today, it is a private residence.

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】18-19 Gyoda, Gyoda City

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Building

Gakuya Storehouse

Built in the late 1940s for Gakuya, a manufacturer of tabi (split-toe socks) founded in Gyoda, this structure is a notable example of the stone storehouses constructed in the city after World War II (1939–1945).

Note: The site is not open to the public; the building can only be viewed from the street.

【Location】5-18 Miyamoto, Gyoda City

【*Viewed from the outside only】

Tangible cultural property

Gyoda Tabi Manufacturing Tools and Materials

Over the years, the Gyoda City Provincial Museum has amassed a collection of 5,484 items donated by local tabi (split-toe socks) merchants and factories. This extensive archive documents the evolution of the industry, illustrating the transition from traditional hand-stitching to the introduction of industrial sewing machines.

【Collection of Gyoda City Provincial Museum】

【important Cultural Property】

Tangible cultural property

Gyoda Tabi

Gyoda tabi are split-toe socks that are manufactured, processed, and quality-controlled in the city of Gyoda. They are widely distributed and a well-known regional product of Saitama Prefecture. The Gyoda tabi logo marks their quality and authenticity.

【Gyoda Tabi & Life Style Museum】

Intangible cultural property

Hatsuuma Festival

This fire-prevention festival, celebrated annually on the first Sunday of March, began after a major fire in Gyoda in 1846. During the festival, offerings are made at guardian shrines located beside the storehouses throughout the town.

【Tangible Cultural Property Designated by the City】

Intangible cultural property

Furai (Savory Pancake)

This local specialty is made by mixing chopped green onions into a flour batter and grilling it in thin layers, much like a savory pancake. It was a popular snack among female factory workers employed in the tabi (split-toe socks) factories. It is typically flavored with either Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.

Intangible cultural property

Zeri Furai (Croquette)

A deep-fried local specialty resembling a croquette made from a mixture of okara (a by-product of tofu) and potatoes. Historically, it was a staple snack for workers in Gyoda’s tabi (split-toe socks) factories, though it has since become a popular treat for visitors. The name “zeri” is a spelling variation of zeni, a historical Japanese coin which the croquette resembles.

Intangible cultural property

Gyoda Narazuke Pickles

Narazuke pickles seasoned in sake bran were popular gifts that Gyoda’s tabi (split-toe socks) merchants would give to their customers as thanks for their patronage. During the mid-nineteenth century, the golden age of the tabi industry, merchants even had pickling barrels in front of their storefronts. Gyoda Narazuke pickles remain a popular local specialty.

Intangible cultural property​

Gyoda Ondo (Folk Song)

This song was composed in 1934, when Gyoda’s tabi (split-toe socks) industry was suffering from a recession. It is a type of folk song (ondo) usually sung during festivals. Gyoda’s mayor commissioned two famous songwriters to compose it as an attempt to dispel the economic slump. Its lyrics include lines such as “Remembering Gyoda, the land of tabi.”