Geta (footwear)
|
|
Geta.JPG
Geta (下駄) are Japanese wooden footwear resembling clogs. They are worn with traditional Japanese garments such as kimono, but are also worn with Western clothing by Japanese people during the summer months.
There are several different styles of geta. The most familiar style in the West consists of an unfinished wooden board called a dai (台, stand) that the foot is set upon, with a cloth thong which passes between the big toe and next largest toe. The two supporting pieces below the base board, called "teeth" (歯 ha), are also made of wood, and make a distinctive "clacking" sound while walking. This is sometimes mentioned as one of the sounds that older Japanese miss most in modern life. Some geta have a rounded dai while others have a rectangular dai. There are styles with a single "tooth," and other styles that more closely resemble a Western clog. Some have patterned thongs in various colours, and some are stained in various colours.
Geta are often thought of as informal footwear, and are often worn with yukata during the summer, but geta also replace other types of sandals during rainy weather or snow, as they help to keep the feet dry.
A traditional saying in Japanese translates as "You don't know until you have worn geta." This means roughly, "you can't tell the results until the game is over."