#asagutsu

In my research I have found that the term asagutsu (浅沓, shallow clogs/shoes), is a term that encompass most clog styles because it is used as an inverse to kanokutsu (靴の沓, deep clogs/shoes), and is also the name that primarily refers to the modern clogs worn by Shinto priests. Although my use of 'modern' is only in comparison to the time period of mid Muromachi era to the end of Azuchi-Momoyama (1450-1615 CE), and the solidification of cultural traditions in the late Edo and Meiji eras (1800-1912 CE).  Wagutsu (和沓, Traditional/ancient Japanese shoes) also applies as an umbrella term to refer to any shoe worn in the 'medieval' period.

 This modern asagutsu style is worn almost solely today by priests. The tsumasaki no hana (爪先の鼻, tip of the toe/toe box) of these modern asagutsu can be described as oblong, rectangular, and cavernous. They're made from paper layered over a form in the 'positive' shape of the final shoe. Then several layers of black urushi lacquer is applied and sanded to create an even surface and a solid seal. To finish, a lining and a silk fabric pad stuffed with cotton or silk fibre is inserted to fill the cavernous toe box to make them usable in daily priestly life.

In pre-Edo era, clogs were of a shallow style which is why 'asagutsu' is used to refer to them modernly. But the proper name is karihana (雁鼻, shortened from karihana no kutsu, 雁鼻の沓), which translates to 'wild goose nose shoe'--named as the toe box closely resembles the shape of the bill found on 'wild geese'. Unfortunately I could not find a name for a specific breed of knob-billed goose that served as the inspiration, as Kari (雁) translates literally to 'wild goose'. But, a general search of 'Kari 雁' brings up a set of bronze statues from the Meiji period, depicting knob-billed geese. However, the breed 'Chinese Goose' has a distinct knob on it's bill, and geese are known to be migratory. There may not be a knob-billed goose that is considered to be 'native' to Japan, and the wild goose they're referring to could migrate from China. As this is a costuming blog, I'm not going to be researching the migratory patterns of the Chinese goose. 

Chinese goose, compared to a depiction of karihana in a 17th century scroll painting.

Karihana in the Momoyama era are not limited to the priestly caste, as courtly nobles wore them with a few specific formal outfits such as Sokutai (束帯), Ikan (衣冠), Nōshi (直衣), and the Kariginu*(狩衣). I will be working on a kariginu to go with this outfit at a later date. Karihana are not meant to be 'everyday shoes'. These shoes are also not worn for extended periods of travel or for when riding horses.

I have not found explicit information on how this style was constructed, but the item description for the one physical extant sōkai (插鞋, brocade wrapped lacquer shoes) set, provides enough information to reconstruct them (combined with the information I found in creating modern asagutsu). "Sōkai are footwear originally worn by the Emperor when dressed in sokutai (束帯, formal court dress). They are wooden clogs...decorated by pasting nishiki (錦, brocade) on the outer surface...While they feature brocade in accordance with the Emperor's sōkai, the core of one pair is crafted from leather." I believe the other pair in the set are constructed from (Paulownia) wood, based on how well they have held their shape.

Inferring, these shoes start with a shell shape constructed from wood or leather around a 'positive' of the final shoe, then lacquered over in a similar smoothing motion like modern asagutsu. While the last lacquer layer is still wet, the silk brocade is pasted over. However, I don't believe these and modern asagutsu use a traditional shoe-making last to create the foot bed, as they're not exactly custom shaped to the individual's foot. This follows as most other forms of Japanese footwear do not require the individual's exact measurements or a carbon copy of their foot to create, like medieval European boots and shoes.

Other images featuring Karihana:

Scenes From the Tale of Genji | Azuchi-Momoyama (17th century)

Horse Race at the Kamo Shrine | Azuchi-Momoyama (17th century)

Wakana jo (New Herbs pt 1) - Kashiwagi and courtiers playing kemari (kickball) | Late Azuchi-Momoyama (17th century)

Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Tenjin Shrine | Kamakura (13th century)