Air Wagashi: New Nike Air Max sneakers are the delicious kicks we’ve all been waiting for
Limited-edition footwear inspired by traditional Japanese confectionery.
Over the years, we’ve seen some amazing sneakers pay homage to Japan, with sakura cherry blossom designs, Great Wave styles, and nods to characters like Hello Kitty and the cast of Pokémon.
Now it’s time to gaze in awe at another Japanese-inspired release, and this one is amongst the best we’ve ever seen, as it takes its inspiration from wagashi, Japanese confectionery.
▼ Say hello to the “Air Wagashi”.
A collaboration with @chaseshiel . Tea-drinking began to flourish as an art in Edo-period Japan
, and the craft of Wagashi was elevated as a sweet complement to the bitter complex flavors of green tea 
For those who like their kicks a little sweeter, @chaseshiel and I co-designed this pair – and each day this week, we will reveal a closer look at the details and release
Wagashi are traditional sweets commonly enjoyed during Japanese tea ceremonies, and they come in a variety of shapes and designs usually displaying a seasonal theme with colours and motifs seen during the season.
and are often named after poetry, historical events, or nature 
@chaseshiel and I invite you to take a moment for a tea break
The new Air Wagashi, a collaboration between sneaker customiser Chase Shiel and photographer Ryustyler, is a perfect follow-up to the sold-out, limited-release “Matcha” Air Jordan 1s the pair designed last year.
▼ The perfect shade of green.
The Air Wagashi are covered in soft pastel hues, with laser-engraved floral detailing on the Nike logo resembling the look of Japanese confectionery.
Made from nubuck and boarskin sourced from Japan, the shoes come with leather insoles for maximum comfort.
. Nicknamed “mountain whale”
, the Japanese boar’s supple leather is featured through the body shoe. It is known to be a fearsome and reckless animal and symbolizes both determination and impetuosity
A big thank you to everyone for all the love for this release, @chaseshiel and I are excited to make this concept a reality
The shoe comes with custom-made translucent laces which have been inspired by ingredients used in traditional confectionery.
The “Wagashi Pack” includes another six sets of laces in various shades, presented in a round wooden gift box designed to look like a box of traditional confectionery.
@chaseshiel . Complementing the AM1s are 7 sets of laces in a mix of colorful ombre hues, translucent jelly, and the classic white – presented in a wooden gift box
The entire shoebox is stunningly packaged in handwoven Japanese fabric wrapped in traditional furoshiki style
Lastly, the pack includes an exclusive lookbook of the project from concept to creation
. Release will go live on Oct 20th at 9AM PDT/ 11AM EDT/ Tokyo 2AM / Paris 5PM
The sneakers themselves come in a shoebox that’s wrapped in traditional furoshiki style, using handwoven Japanese fabric. With so much thought and detail going into the design and packaging of the shoes, these Nike Air Max kicks look set to sell out as soon as they become available.
The Air Wagashi go on sale in limited numbers at Chase Shiel’s website on 20 October at the following times: United States – 8 a.m. PDT / 10 a.m. CDT / 11 a.m. EDT; Tokyo – 2 a.m.; Melbourne – 2 a.m.; Singapore 11 p.m.; Dubai 7 p.m.; Rest of World – 5 p.m.
While there’s no word yet on the retail price for the Air Wagashi, we’ll be poised to make our purchase online as soon as they go on sale. After buying our Nike Air Mo’ Money hiragana kicks last year, it’s definitely time to add more Japanese sneakers to our collection!
Sources: Instagram/chaseshiel, Instagram/ryustyler via Japaaan
Featured image: Instagram/ryustyler
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