How to Make Traditional Japanese Shinigami Sandals
If you watch the anime cartoon Bleach, you're aware of the unusual footwear worn by the shinigami, or "soul reapers" as translated in the English version. These woven sandals, known as waraji, are traditional Japanese footwear. Imitations are made by cutting patterns out of bamboo mats, but if you're going for authenticity at the next convention, do it the old-school way, as a true shinigami would.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Approximately 70 feet of natural fiber rope
- A wooden board about 5 inches wide and 1 1/2 times the length of your foot
- 6 nails
- Hammer
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1
Pound a nail into each corner of the board, and then two more at the top, between the top corners. They should be slightly closer to each other than to the corner nails. Take a length of rope and place its end at the bottom of the board. Run it up between the first and second nails from the left and wrap it around the top of the three nails to the right. Bring the rope down the right side of the board, around the two bottom nails and back up the left side. Wrap it around the three left nails at the top, and bring that second end of the rope down so it's parallel to the first end. Your board now has rope around the entire perimeter, with two strands up the middle and two loose ends hanging from the bottom.
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2
Start a second length of rope by placing a loose end on the board a few inches up from the bottom and between the two middle strands. This stage requires most of your rope, so make sure you're using plenty. Bring the rope down beneath the bottom strand, then left over the loose end on the bottom, and then up and over the bottom strand.
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3
Wrap the rope around the bottom strand and across to the right edge. Take the rope outside the right strand and bring it in and under that strand. This begins the weaving process. Go over the first middle strand, under the second and over the left strand. Repeat this process by going back and forth with the same over-under pattern, all the way to the top of the board.
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4
Weave, weave and weave some more. Once you near the top, remove the unfinished waraji from the board if you'd like.
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5
Finish the sandal's insole by wrapping the rope around the top strand, just as you wrapped it around the bottom at the beginning. String the loose end back through the series of loops you just made and cut if off.
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6
Grab a third length of rope to make the straps. Loop it under one of the vertical strands that made the framework, up near the top. Push each end under and out through the outer left and right strands. Then bring them down to the bottom and push them under the bottom strand. Tie one of the loose ends securely at the bottom. Bring the other loose end across to where you just tied the knot. Push the rope under and up through the bottom edge, bringing it up toward the middle of the sandal and then back down through the bottom edge again.
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7
Leave the last end loose, as you'll use this for tightening the strap to your foot. Pull on the two loose ends you left at the beginning to tighten everything up. Then cut and tie them off as needed. Remember, the sandal is supposed to look too long for your foot since it comes up the back of your ankle several inches. Since no shinigami goes around with one bare foot, now it's time to make your second waraji.
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