Moonstar

Moonstar is a footwear maker in Kurume, Fukuoka. Unpei Kurata founded it in 1873 as Tsuchiya Tabi, and it first made tabi and rubber-soled jika-tabi work shoes. Its Kurume factory still makes canvas sneakers using the labour-intensive Ka-ryu vulcanisation process, which bakes the rubber soles onto the uppers for durability. Key lines include the Gym Classic, a remodelled 1960s training shoe, and 810s, everyday shoes built on specialist shoemaking know-how. Moonstar is also the parent company of Shoes Like Pottery and is stocked by heritage and street boutiques worldwide.