Category Archives: Brand History

About onitsuka tiger brand history, Some importance you may not know.

THE EVOLUTION OF ONITSUKA TIGER SNEAKERS

Onitsuka Tiger is one of the most storied shoe companies in history. Through the pioneering innovation of the ASICS forerunner, Onitsuka Tiger had a hand in changing shoe technology through invention or inspiration that still affects sports culture internationally. From its very beginning, Onitsuka Tiger was an aspirational brand.

1949    Onitsuka Co. Ltd is founded in Kobe, Japan by Kihachiro Onitsuka.

In 1949 Kihachiro Onitsuka recognized that many things needed to be done to save Japan from its cultural and economic depression after WWII. Looking for the best way to help demoralized youth – Onitsuka, inspired by the Roman poet Juvenal’s idea of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” – put his life’s work into athletic shoes and founded Onitsuka Tiger Co. Ltd. .

1951    First successful shoe – a basketball court sneaker inspired by tentacle suctions dubbed “the Octopus Shoe.” 

With no formal training and working from his living room, his first shoes – intended for the Kobe High School basketball team – looked more like straw sandals than sneakers and were met with derision.

Over the next two years, Onitsuka watched countless games and practices, taking note of the most common issue the players experienced: Slip. The fast stop/start action on the court regularly resulted in players falling. Unlikely inspiration (which would become a common theme throughout the history of the company) came to him.

Eating an octopus salad, one of the tentacles became stuck to the side of the bowl. It would not come off and the thought struck him, “why not use the same suction cup grip of the tentacles on the soles?”

Testing proved too effective, but after some adjustments, they had it. Braking and cutting on tentacle-inspired rubber soles, the Kobe High School basketball team went on to win the championship that year. Word spread and quality improved so that by 1956, Onitsuka Tigers had become the official shoe of the Japanese Olympic Team.

The 1951 “Octopus” Basketball Sneaker. The tread was inspired by the suction cups on tentacles and succeeded at giving players superior

1953    First Onitsuka Tiger running shoe. The “Marathon Tabi” is a split-toe shoe resembling traditional Tabi socks.

Looking for other sports, Onitsuka created his first running shoe in 1953. The “Marathon Tabi” was modeled after the traditional split-toe tabi sock that were commonly worn by Japanese long distance runners. The “Marathon Tabi” were equipped with rubber soles and uppers made from more durable materials.

That same year, the “MARUP” shoe was released – designed specifically for marathon relay races by reducing fatigue during long-distance runs. The upper was made from vinylon, a material that is three times stronger than cotton and prevents sweating. Additionally, the shoes were equipped with heel sponges.

While Onitsuka further refined his line of running shoes, he consulted top marathoner Toru Terasawa, asking him what the biggest problems that long distance runners encountered. Terasawa simply replied, “blisters.” The blisters that formed 10 or 15 miles into a marathon turned runners’ feet into hamburger at the end of 26.2. Japanese runners regarded the problem with a stoic fatalism

1956    Became the official shoe of the Japanese Olympic Basketball Team.

Abebe Bikila’s runs barefoot in the 1956 Olympics. In 1957, he laces up a pair of Tigers.

1957    Barefoot Olympic Gold Medalist Abebe Bikila laces up his first pair of shoes and wins the Mainichi Marathon.

Lasse Virens wins olympic gold in his custom Tiger Runsparks

The 1960 Tiger Magic Runners

1964    Phil Knight and Prefontaine coach Bill Bowerman start Blue Ribbon Sports as the U.S. distributor for Onitsuka Tiger.

Taking note in America, a young Phil Knight – fresh out of Stanford Business School – saw potential for the U.S. market. Along with legendary track coach Bill Bowerman, the two men created Blue Ribbon Sports to handle American distribution for Tiger.

Blue Ribbon Sports would later become Nike and many of Nike’s earliest trainers were made by Onitsuka Tiger engineers in Japan.

1966    The first branded Tiger Stripes appear on the “Mexico 66” shoes made for the 1968 Olympic Game pre trials in Mexico City.

Onitsuka began the process of creating a trademark look to differentiate from other brands in 1960 (many early pairs closely resemble the three stripes used by adidas). After studying 200 variations – a curving three stripe pattern was introduced in 1966. Dubbed the “Mexico 66,” the shoes were made for the 1968 Olympic pre trials in Mexico City.

Unlike other branded designs, the tiger stripes had a real function on top of their identifying mark. The lacing of the shoes was integrated into the vertical stripe to improve stability and flexibility.

1968 Bill Bowerman creates “The Cortez” for Onitsuka Tiger. Blue Ribbon Sports becomes Nike and both Nike and Onitsuka Tiger retain rights to the shoe. Nike keeps “The Cortez” name and Onitsuka Tiger renames their identical version “The Corsair.” 

In 1968, Bill Bowerman created the “Cortez” for Onitsuka Tiger, but when the two companies split, both retained the rights to the model. Nike was given naming rights and Onitsuka renamed their identical version the “Corsair.” To further differentiate the shoes, Nike created the swoosh.

1972    Beginning of the Jogging Boom in America.

1976    Lasse Viren wins gold in the 10,000 meters at the Montreal Olympics wearing custom Tiger Runsparks and does his victory lap barefoot, holding the shoes above his head.

1977    Merged with GTO and Jelenk to become ASICS.

In 1977, Onitsuka Tiger merged with two other contemporaries to become ASICS – an acronym derivation from Juvenal that stands for Anima Sana in Corpore, “a healthy soul in a healthy body” – continuing the brand’s founding principles.

1978    Bruce Lee sports gold/black “Mexico 66” shoes and matching tracksuit in Game of Death.

Bruce Lee wearing a pair of gold Mexico 66 Tigers in Game of Death

onitsuka tiger mexico 66 yellow black

1978    Releases “The California” – a jogging shoe with new developments like a flared sole and reflective tape on the heels at the height of the Jogging Boom.

1986    Released new Gel Technology.

1990    Opens the Research Institute of Sports Science in Kobe, Japan.

2002    Soft relaunch of Onitsuka Tiger.

Onitsuka Tiger was quietly relaunched in 2002 and Onitsuka Tiger Nippon Made – a high-end line handbuilt entirely in Tokyo with high quality materials – rebooted the brands most iconic pieces beginning in 2008.

2007    Mr. Onitsuka dies at the age of 90.

From a four employee business making sandal sneakers for school children, they have become one of the world’s most influential sneaker brands. Pursuing Kodawari – the relentless pursuit of unattainable perfection – Onitsuka Tiger and ASICS have changed athletics and the way people move for 70+ years. 

Today, Onitsuka Tiger is a fashion brand with the fusion of Japanese heritage craftsmanship and modern flair. There are few other brands that have done as much for as long. 

No sneaker collection is complete without a pair. 

Go to take yours in www.onitsukatiger.cc

What’s the difference between ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger?

What’s the difference between ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger? It’s not as simple as having different names.

The relationship between ASICS and Onitsuka Tiger is very subtle. For those who don’t like sports, they both come from Japan; for those who like sports, they all come from the same company. It’s easy to say what they have in common, but it’s a little difficult to say the differences they are.

The shoes of these two brands look very similar, even the logo is almost the same.  Not only it is difficult to find out the differences, but also hard to distinguish each other. Are the twins carved out of the same grinding tool except for their names?

Certainly it is not so simple. There are some specific factors to separate them. Speaking of this, I will lead you to distinguish their differences carefully.

https://www.onitsukatiger.cc/white-black-onitsuka-tiger-mexico-66-shoes-p-235.html
onitsuka tiger mexico 66 white black shoes

Firstly. Difference in practical use.

Strictly speaking, the Onitsuka Tiger is the “father” of ASICS. In the 1940s, ASICS has not appeared, but the “tiger” sneakers from Japan swept the world, and even the Americans specifically opened a “Blue Ribbon Sports” company (the predecessor of Nike), which is responsible for the sales of tiger sneakers in the Americas.

At that time, the athletic and running shoes were basically from the tiger brand, which is now called Onitsuka Tiger. Later, in the 1970s, the company was reorganized, sports technology and designers were moved to another part, and a new professional sports brand, ASICS, was established in this part; but the original tiger brand began to transform, and went to the route of retro, leisure and fashion.

Secondly. Differences in shoe styles.

Since the actual use is different, the design style of shoes must be different. Although it looks similar in appearance, but observe carefully, you will find that a new trend attribute of transformed onitsuka tiger.

This trend attribute is combined by many popular elements, such as vamp color, line design, detail control, etc., plus its own retro style, gradually the Onitsuka Tiger has become a trend indicator. On the other hand, ASICS, driven by the professionalism, his shoes are all professional as the core idea, all for sports and services. Whether it’s on air cushion cushioning or anti-skid outsole, ASICS can make you see that it’s an athletic sneaker, not a tide shoe.

Thirdly. Differences in consumer groups

Although the sales plans of the two brands are all facing the market, their respective market consumer groups are quite different. Let’s first talk about the Onitsuka Tiger. As a leisure sports brand, it has actually stepped into fashion brand.

Therefore, it has all the characteristics of fashion brand, such as joint name, premium, reproduction, customization, etc., mainly for fashionable, young and fashionable group. But for ASICS, it didn’t have any of these ethereal things. What it has is professional, technological and comfortable, so people who buy ASICS shoes need a pair of “tool shoes”.

The Onitsuka Tiger and ASICS are both from the same company, but they have different styles. If you still can’t tell the difference only from the appearance, I will point out one place, the logo on the shoes tongue, one is thin retro and the other is thick modern.

 

About onitsuka tiger, Some importance you may not know.

About onitsuka tiger, Some importance you may not know.

Begin talking about Onitsuka Tiger, in addition to its hard to pronounce, the first impression for many people is that it is a pair of classic sports shoes – matching with red, white and classic blue color, thin and narrow shoes with thin soles, eh, seems familiar?

In fact, those Cortez sneakers, which were labeled legendary in have to call “Onitsuka Tiger” a predecessor. Maybe you don’t know Onitsuka Tiger a lot: the “living fossil” of Japan’s sports shoes, the “champion equipment” of last century’s Marathon race, and the “exclusive shoes” for Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee. And so on.

It once shouldered the heavy national mission, adhered to the rigorous and meticulous craftsman spirit, and led the industry in technological innovation. Today, we’re going to talk about this great “Onitsuka Tiger”, how it is still young and energetic after Nearly 70 years.

How was the “Tiger” Born?

In 1949, 31 year old, KIHACHIRO ONITSUKA, decided to revive national morale through sports, so he set up onitsuka tiger in his hometown Kobe with 300,000 yen.

The founder of Onitsuka Tiger, Mr. KIHACHIRO ONITSUKA

The “Tiger” is the preyer, which can traveling thousands of miles every day. It is a symbol of victory in the Japa and represents the indomitable attitude. In the process of shoemaking, Mr. ONITSUKA highly praised the concept of material and technology excellence, which shows Japanese craftsman’s rigorous, introverted and inherited spirit in Onitsuka Tiger brands after more than half a century.

Onitsuka tiger focuses on handmade Onitsuka Tiger Deluxe series, which is called “Nippon made”

In Japan, owning a pair of “tiger” shoes is the dream of many young people. The shoes shows Self-esteem and hope.

Who wears the tiger shoes and Who sells the tiger shoes at first?

Shortly after the establishment of the brand, Mr. Onitsuka, the founder, took the octopus suction cup as the inspiration to revise his first pair of basketball shoes and became the leader of shoe making technology.

This is the first improved basketball shoe released by Onitsuka Tiger

In 1953, Shigeki Tanaka, 19 years old, born in Hiroshima, won the Boston Marathon Champion with onitsuka tiger’s first pair of Tabi running shoes. So that Onitsuka Tiger gained a great reputation on runner shoes.

Shigeki Tanaka, Japan, 19 years old

In 1961, Abebe Bikila, a legendary athlete known as the “barefoot Oddballs “, won the Japanese International Marathon Championship. This is the first time he wear onitsuka tiger running shoes in sport game and then he wears shoes all the time on runner games since then. In 1966, more than 90% athletes wore onitsuka tiger’s marathon shoes to participate in major international competitions

Abebe Bikila, the legendary athlete known as the “barefoot Oddballs ”

Under the continuous innovation of shoemaking technology, Onitsuka Tiger also attracted many foreigners to come to Japan for learning, the most famous man was Phil Knight, who later founded “Blue Ribbon Sports” company with Coach Bill Bowerman, which is a company only for sale of Onitsuka Tiger shoes in America, the predecessor of Nike.

The “Blue Ribbon Sports” company, founded by Phil Knight and Coach Bill Bowerman, the predecessor of Nike.

At the beginning, it is an agents only for sale of onitsuka tiger shoes in America, but after a long time, they thought of producing shoes by themselves, so they made a pair of very similar shoes – Cortez, which is called “Forrest Gump shoes” and popular around the world. This matter probably be a Obstacle which Onitsuka Tiger will never get around.

The most representative visual element, Tiger stripes.

In the story of onitsuka tiger, there is an indispensable protagonist, that is, its most representative visual element, tiger stripes.

Kung Fu superstar Bruce Lee in the 1978 Movie “Game of death”

The appearance of UMA Thurman tribute to Bruce Lee in the movie “Kill Bill”

Not only the classic screen of Bruce Lee in his last work “game of death” dressed in a yellow one-piece suit and stepping on a Onitsuka Tiger shoes, but also the movie “Kill Bill” directed by later Movie Wizard Quentin Tarantino, UMA Thurman, in order to tribute the Kung Fu superstar with a Yellow sportswear shape, both are no exception to the national blood contained in tiger stripes is the same with the indomitable spirit.

Interestingly, tiger stripes was not born with the birth of onitsuka tiger brand. There is a special story for it. At that time, the Japanese national team was actively preparing for the worldwide sports event, which will be held in Mexico two years later. As a official supplier for the national team, onitsuka tiger hoped that the brand could showed a unified visualize and design style in various worldwide sports events, so the tiger stripes was first applied to the limber shoe which launched in 1961.

Two years later, the Japanese national team, wearing the shoes with tiger stripes, dominate on the run track in Mexico. That made Japan to win third most gold medals.

And the sneakers that witnessed the historic moment are also evolving. In 2001, it was officially named “MEXICO 66” after being revised and remade, in order to commemorate the glorious time that made Japanese players famous, and tiger stripes has also become the most representative pattern of the brand, which is still used up to now.

For Onitsuka Tiger, the MEXICO 66 has already surpassed the name of a kind of ordinary sports shoes. It is an irreplaceable brand label, a heritage of classics and an important step towards the world.

The upgrade of MEXICO 66

In 2018, Onitsuka Tiger launched an upgraded version, called “MEXICO 66 SD” in order to salute this epoch-making classic shoes.

Onitsuka tiger spring and summer conference shows the key shoes, MEXICO 66 SD

The new arrivals, MEXICO 66 SD continues the iconic details of the original MEXICO 66 shoes – Tiger stripes, narrow body, thin silhouette, back heel cross reinforcement and heel lifting side. For half a century, it has become a symbol of the heritage of onitsuka tiger culture.

The scene shows the changes of MEXICO 66 over the past half century. From OG to this new MEXICO 66 SD, it expresses the attitude of tracing the origin and continuous innovation

Of course, the MEXICO 66 SD is not only limited to the reproduction of classics, but aso it has a comprehensive improvement both inside and outside. First of all, for appearance, the new series adds more colors on the basis of red, white and blue to broaden the possibility of daily matching.

The material is endowed with more excellent texture. The leather is softer in order for more comfortable wear. The upper is made of retro light gray, with a sense of retro era, and presents a fashionable and classic effect. And the design of the shoes body is more slender and concise than MEXICO 66.

above: MEXICO 66; below: new upgraded MEXICO 66 SD

For the function, The front and heel of MEXICO 66 SD are made of fuzeGEL, which is used on professional running shoes. So the cushioning performance is better than that of the previous generation, MEXICO 66. The rubber outsole is also optimized and upgraded to be more antiskid and wear-resistant.

Also, the “breathing” ORTHOLITE insole is used inside the shoes, which not only for more comfortable feel than ordinary insoles, but also breathable, light and wear-resistant. The classical MEXICO 66 is upgraded Along With Time Change, but not forget the original “born for professional athletes” mission.

It’s better to say that MEXICO 66 SD is  one more sincere tribute to the founder, than to be a classical copy of MEXICO 66. Till Today, MEXICO 66 is regarded as one of the cultural symbols of Onitsuka Tiger. After more than half a century, it is still on the road of retro innovation and has become a classic beyond the shackles of time.