Japanese sports footwear brand, Onitsuka Tiger, has gone next level by opening its first-ever Innovative Factory in Tottori, Japan, the birthplace of its founder, Kihachiro Onitsuka. The new facility showcases the entire creative process, from material development to design and production. It will also act as a cultural hub, showcasing the brand’s vision and the artistry of Japanese craftsmanship.
The facility is being developed in collaboration with the Milan Design Center, the brand’s international creative headquarters, and the Asics Institute of Sport Science, which specialises in advanced research in sports technology, to strengthen the production for luxury footwear. It also marks the brand’s first venture into leather bags. Alongside the new factory, an exhibition gallery with archival pieces, named Onitsuka Gallery Store, has opened its doors in the Tottori region. The store offers selected Nippon Made products produced at the factory and a custom-order shoe service.
On top of that, the brand launched a new limited-edition sneaker model to mark the opening of the new space. Its iconic Mexico 66 sneakers have been designed by Tomohisa Yamashita, artist and creative director of Onitsuka Tiger. The shoe features a colour palette inspired from the beauty of Tottori sand dunes – a sophisticated beige with a suede leather upper.
“I find profound meaning in sharing new forms of expression with the world through my own design from this special place—Tottori Prefecture, the birthplace of Onitsuka Tiger’s founder. This design first embodies Onitsuka Tiger’s deep respect for the Japanese craftsmanship they have inherited,” said Yamashita. “It also reflects what Onitsuka Tiger means to me: simplicity, comfort, and being like a close friend who accompanies me in everyday life. I poured those feelings into every detail of this shoe.”
The limited-edition model comes with an exclusive shopper and a special card, with only 1,000 pairs available worldwide. As the first collaboration model to be manufactured at the facility, it will be released in March 2026 at the Onitsuka Gallery Store and the brand’s official online store.
