I know what you’re all waiting for is the pictures from my recent Japanese jaunt that show the excesses of wobbliness and heel height that I saw on some Japanese women’s feet.  And believe me, those are coming.  But first I thought I’d showcase a few examples (apart from the Greatest Shoes of the Whole Trip) of the more sensible shoes that still retained a funk and style, since that’s what we Shoebloggers really love to wear ourselves.

First up is a pair that was actually worn by one of the friends of the woman whose gold low heels earned my gold ribbon.  These have a wedge of a couple inches, yes, but they were neat looking.  And they had an ingenious element to them that I saw on a number of shoes in Japan, which is a small zipper along the inside of the arch.  This means that in a country where you take your shoes off going into many buildings, you don’t have to spend the time untying and retying your shoes all day long.

Next up, a pair of green almost-flats.  Not sure how clear it is in this picture, but the tiny low wedge in there is trimmed in snakeskin around the edges except for a little strip on the heel.  These were snazzy.

The weather was beautiful for most of the time we were there.  You wouldn’t know it from looking at these boots, but really there were no Arctic temperatures.  I must say the boots are cute, though.  They make me covet a pair for cold East Coast winters.  And they made me appreciate the reasonable comfort for a day of walking.

And finally, this pair of adorable 2″ heels would make a much more manageable pair of professional shoes in my book than a 4 or 5 inch stiletto, of which there were plenty.  Love the bows (which were sparkly) and the purple metallic leather.

Next time on the Japanese Shoe Connection: a few well-shod fellows in footwear I’d love to have in my size.