Job Discussion Forums

[Black_Beer_Man]

Okay, besides the issue of size availability for men with size 27cm+ feet, why is it that it's so hard to find leather dress shoes for around 10,000 yen?

Back home, there are plenty of shoes at that price point.

In Japan, for 10,000 yen, expect a pair of hard, uncomfortable vinyl shoes.

For leather, you're looking at 20,000 yen or more.

Why is that? Anyone know?

[kzjohn]

Why can't you? It's probably numbers/economics and that there are so few feet at the higher size levels. Even uniqlo doesn't stock larger sizes, tho they have some (slightly) larger things online.

There is a big&tall shop nearby, and I did once find a fair pair of tennis shoes there, but my shoes always come back with me on trips to the states. I brought back two pair last March--one some Adidas runners (which are okay for where I work), and another pair of slip-on dress shoes--Ecco, which are very nice, but I've only worn them a few times. These will last till I'm dead, or longer.

[milkman]

Eh, you pay money for quality. Even those 10,000yen shoes you can buy in the states may technically be leather but they won't hold up more than a few years, even if that. I used to buy sub $100-shoes in the States and they would never hold up with how much I walk, I just decided to invest in a high-end pair and it was definitely worth the money. A good pair of shoes can last for decades if you take proper care of them. Even 20,000yen I'd worry about the quality.

If you just want to buy some cheap leather dress shoes go to AliExpress (low end shoes are made in China anyway so you're not getting much of a difference), but I really do recommend investing in a couple pairs of high end shoes, they'll look and feel fantastic.

[mitsui]

You should go to one of those outlets like Mitsui or Premium Outlets in Gotemba.
Lots of shoe stores there.

[weigookin74]

Because Japan doesn't pay you enough money.

[Maitoshi]

[Black_Beer_Man]

[Master Shake]

Ten, a shoe store on the west side of Shinjuku, was my go-to shoe store the year I lived in Tokyo. They're not cheap, but cheaper than some of the other gaijin-size shoe stores listed here:http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2013/06/04/how-tos/hunting-for-big-foot-large-shoes-tough-to-track-down-in-tokyo/#.V5zUNfkrLcc

I've still got the pair of size 39 dress shoes I bought there. They cost a little over 10,000 yen, but are holding up very well.

Heck, I was used to buying dress shoes for 2,000-3,000 yen in Poland which lasted all of 6 months. So 10,000 didn't seem 'cheap' at all to me.