Adidas’s Minimalist Masterpiece Has “Future Classic” Written All Over It

Don’t believe the anti-hype. Another Samba Summer is upon us, with new variations of the iconic sneaker headlining Adidas’s catalog yet again.

However, it’s not the only Adidas shoe in the spotlight, and a minimalist mid-century masterpiece has quietly emerged as a potential successor to the Samba’s reign.

The shoe in question is called the Japan, aptly named after the 1964 Olympics for which it was originally conceived.

Adidas

It’s received some recent attention through high-profile collaborations with Grace Wales Bonner and the British retailer End, which interpreted the Japan as part of an anniversary collection titled “Tying The Knot.”

But the shoe’s reintroduction into Adidas’s general-release catalog has all but confirmed the Japan is back, and back for good.

Adidas

On the lowdown

Unlike the Gazelle, Spezial and even the Jabbar, which all share similar proportions to the Samba, the Japan sits closer to the ground with a decidedly thinner outsole.

Adidas

Adidas

The latest version, available in black or blue, even eschews a modern suede T-toe panel for a smaller one made of smooth leather, thus matching the rest of the upper.

That makes visually distinct within Adidas’s collection of old-school designs that often blend together — not to mention the most minimal of its retro designs.

Adidas

Time will tell if it can earn its spot in the pantheon of all-time Adidas classics. But no one can question the shoe’s newfound popularity.

The black version of the Japan sold out within minutes of its release on July 2.

Fortunately, the blue-and-white variant remains available in a full size run at the time of writing. It costs $120.

Adidas

Adidas Japan Shoes

• $120 at Adidas

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