Archive fashion is currently at the peak of its popularity. Consumers and collectors alike are continuing to go deeper than ever before when searching for hidden gems, lost treasures, and forgotten fossils, and the more people dive deeper into the history of brands and are finding these legendary items the more it excites us for the future of both archive and modern day fashion.

The only downside to archival fashion is that certain things are simply lost to time and space, never to be discovered. Things are buried in the past, and without knowing the right people or stumbling across the right things, these items may never see the light of day again. Once cherished possessions, some that redefined their era, could simply be forgotten in the onslaught of new brands and items released since. So, what if we were to tell you that one of these brands has not only been unearthed but also alongside it a story that quite literally brought nations together through its narrative? Well, this brand does exist, and the story behind it is one straight out of an Academy Award-winning movie.

Four years ago, the sabukaru team was informed of this brand and story. A story in the realm of archived sports gear. A tip-off that would have us diving into a rabbit hole of historical and functional revolution and countless scanned magazine pages.

An old Japanese sneaker manufacturer by the name of Koyo Bear; a forgotten Japanese classic that in fact held as much weight against its name as the likes of Asics and Onitsuka Tiger. Hidden in the basement of an old Japanese Table Tennis Club, an old pair of Koyo’s were dusted off and would be the catalyst for the resurgence of a sleeping legend.

With the discovery, the brand is set to come back to the market. It is almost unheard of that an archive brand as rich with history as this one comes back to life, so this would start our own journey of exploring into the brand and falling in love. In a time where archive fashion is at the peak of popularity, it couldn't have happened at a better time.

We dug deep, researching into the heritage of the brand through old magazines we found in dusty boxes; some that haven’t been opened in years. We saw the Koyo Bear name next to the biggest players in the game, such as Asics, adidas, and Converse.

After hunting through Tokyo’s magazine district to look for more insight, we also heard about a legendary table tennis club in Mitaka and headed there to rummage through their own archive and speak to members of the club to see what more we could find out about Koyo Bear.

Like Tokyo-noir detectives, each clue brought us closer to the man pulling the strings behind the operation. The man that chiseled the Koyo Bear name into the history books; Ichiro Ogimura. And much like the detective films, once this final piece of the puzzle was discovered, the whole universe exploded open to more findings of his own legendary story.

As the legendary sneaker brand, Koyo Bear, awakens from its beauty sleep for their rerelease, we act as a voice for their historic story. One of Ichiro Ogimura, the greatest table tennis players to ever live, who played a pivotal part in Koyo Bears past success, and Koyo Bear’s Sharpman, the greatest tennis table shoe ever designed. A shoe and player that would change the course of table tennis forever. We’ll unravel a story like no other, from player to coach, to connecting the world through the sport he loved, and also speak to past friends of Ogimura and still current members of the aforementioned Table Tennis Club to truly dive into the archive of the sneaker and Ping Pong master’s story. Ogimura and Koyo Bear sit in their own hall of fame, and it's finally time to shine light on their legacy.

Koyo Bear – A Sole Story

Our story starts from the beginning. Founded in Kobe, in 1952, the brand originated in the Nagata district which was one of Japan’s most famous centres of traditional vulcanized rubber shoe production. Sporting the “Made in Japan” vulcanized sports soles, and originally starting out producing shoes for sports like table tennis, basketball, volleyball, and running, they primarily produced shoes for the Japanese market and became one of Japan’s leading footwear brands.

Eventually, Koyo Bears would become best in class for table tennis sneakers around the globe from the 60s through to the 80’s. If you look at any old table tennis magazine, you will find a pair of Koyo Bears without a doubt, and one model in particular above all else. The Sharpman. Designed by Ichiro Ogimura himself, this model dubbed ‘the first shoe specially made for table tennis’, was the pinnacle of sneakers at the time and made unheard of waves within the industry on its arrival.

The Sharpman was worn by a plethora of Japanese table tennis world champions of the 50s, 60s and 70s like Ogimura, Shigeo Itō, Nobuhiko Hasegawa, Toshiaki Tanaka, Fujie Eguchi, Kimiyo Matsuzaki and Sachiko Morisawa. All dominating forces of the international table tennis circus, Sharpmans quickly made noise and became very popular far beyond Japan. Light, understated, and functional, the Sharpman was a culmination of Koyo Bears passion for quality and Ogimura’s continual efforts to better himself and his craft.

Ichiro Ogimura – The Spirit of Table Tennis

Born on the 25th of June 1932 in Itō, a town in the centre of the island Honshu, Ogimura’s journey with Koyo Bear would start with the Sharpman, although his story stretches far before and beyond just the Sharpmans. To truly understand the importance of the Sharpman we must also understand the importance of Ogimura’s impact on the sport itself. The story of Ogimura is also the story of table tennis. With the sport becoming very popular in Asia, especially due to a few key characteristics of the sport itself, Ogimura’s journey is one straight from a motivational film.

At the end of World War Two in 1945, Asia lay in ruins. It was underdeveloped and poverty was widespread. The pre-war colonial times and the two world wars weakened the region, and it’s in this context that table tennis quickly rose to mass popularity. A sport that didn’t need wide spaces like football or expensively crafted instruments like baseball or hockey, nor was it necessary to find whole teams of players. All it took was a small ball, two pieces of wood in the rough shape of a paddle, a rather even surface and two players. It was a sport for young people and something to do to take their minds off their current situation.

Ogimura started playing table tennis like every other teenager of his age. He didn’t show any specific skill or talent, which is something that he later said to be completely irrelevant in sport. All he had was strict discipline and a pure and strong form of dedication. This is exactly what later became known as the Ogimura Spirit. Ogimura would start to play when he joined Tokyo Metropolitan Nishi High School in 1948, and just a few years later he would reach the top of the world.

Ogimura also transcended the sport, becoming an almost pop culture icon. An unprecedented aura oozed off him, like a Japanese James Dean, and his timeless fashion sense mixing smart with casual clothing, alongside his effortlessly cool yet calm look made him likeable and magnetic to people. Even a Japanese Manga was created about him, and the emperor of Japan at the time also used Ogimura as his personal table tennis coach.

The 1954 Table Tennis World Championships

Ogimura's first great achievement would be in 1954 when the Table Tennis World Championship in London invited Japan for the first time after the war. The invitation was pure excitement for young Ogimura and his fellow sportsmen, but it was soon revealed that there was no funding to be given to the athletes. This meant that they would have to pay for the flight to London and their stay for themselves. An impossible task, but again Ogimura’s spirit of dedication and discipline would forbid him to give up. The locals around his table tennis school organized a fundraiser and Ogimura would spend several afternoons and evenings standing in the freezing, snowy cold outside the main train station collecting money for himself and his fellow athletes. The money was raised, and they were finally able to make their way to London.

Although an incredible experience, it would also be one which left a scar. Though now the western culture views Japan as a fascinating place, it was not always like this. Being the first competition since the War, Ogimura and the other contestants would witness firsthand the ridicule the Western world had towards the Japanese. Ogimura and his team were met with hostility and were often boycotted during the event. The audience made sure to both be dead silent whenever a Japanese player scored or won a game and to cheer in roaring applause whenever a Japanese player lost or missed a ball. This influenced the psyche of the Japanese team harshly.

Ichiro Ogimura during an international table tennis tournament

Ogimura couldn’t stand to see his fellow athletes down and he started to motivate them in order to play skillfully, and dedicatedly and to be as respectful as possible during public events. Although conditions were brutal, the Japanese team would continue to showcase mastery in table tennis and would create a bridge between the west and east through the medium of the sport. When one player tripped and fell, Ogimura quickly rushed and extend his arm to help the player up, which in return metaphorically extended Japan’s hand of peace to the rest of the world. The event changed the crowd’s behaviour towards the Japanese and filled the team with confidence, going on to win the championship and Ogimura taking home his first of many trophies. It would also be his first experience of how the sport he loved so much could help connect nations and bring us closer to a more peaceful world. Not only starting his journey to the most famous table tennis player ever, but also his journey of bringing the world closer through his passion.

The Ping Pong Diplomacy

The next chapter in Ogimura’s life was that of table tennis diplomacy, this time between China and America. China, with its long-standing history of table tennis also, was in a similar position to Japan and the west. A desperate need for a better relationship between the two leaders was apparent, and Japan was at the centre of the metaphorical extension of the hand once more.

The showcase in 1954 by Ogimura in the World Championship would also inspire the Chinese and would spark determination of getting their pride back after the defeat in World War 2. Since the Japanese could do it, they believed they could to through table tennis and in 1959 would go on to win a Championship Trophy.

Ogimura also organized several trips to China with delegates from the Japanese Table Tennis Association during which his main goal was to strengthen the peaceful sport-relation between China and Japan. Two countries that hated each other deeply and whose hate was far older than that of communist and capitalist countries, but Ogimura’s Spirit again overcame the odds and he managed to create this peaceful bond through sport.

Ping Pong Diplomat Ichiro Ogimura meeting with fellow Chinese table tennis World Champion Zhuang Zedong

Using this example, he urged the Chinese officials to also consider turning the metaphorical hand of peace towards the West. Through Ogimura’s selfless dedication to world peace, he managed to organize an exchange of athletes between the USA and the People’s Republic of China, which served as the foundation for the famous Ping Pong Diplomacy that culminated with the historic meeting between President Nixon and Chairman Mao and the eventual opening up of China to the world. Ogimura managed to do what politicians failed to achieve; a simple table tennis coach from Japan whose energy and spirit was far greater than that of big, wealthy diplomats in suits.

Strengthening Bonds in Asia

Fast forward to 1991, Ogimura managed to yet again use his passion for table tennis to contribute towards his mission of peace. Now president of the International Table Tennis Federation, Ogimura would both power and fund several trips to the Korean Peninsula. Amounting to 20 to South Korea and 15 to North Korea in total. His mission was to create a united Korean team that would compete in the 1991 World Table Tennis Championship in Chiba, Japan.

To understand the importance and weight of this diplomatic mission, you must understand the calamity of past relationships. Imperial Japan invaded Korea during the Second World War and created a puppet state called Manchuria, in which the Korean people were oppressed, and any form of resistance was met with death and destruction. After World War 2, Korea had a gruesome civil war itself which resulted in the formation of communist North Korea called the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the capitalist South Korea simply called the Republic of Korea.

North-Korean player Li Bun-hui and her South-Korean teammate Hyun Jung-hwa won the gold medal as a unified Korean team at the 1991 Table Tennis World Championships in Chiba, Japan.

In this triangle of hate between Japan and the two Koreas, Ogimura sought to establish a new era of peace through sport. By fulfilling his mission and dream of a unified Korean team,Ogimura again contributed to international peace in Asia and again managed to achieve what politicians had tried before. Ogimura’s message was peace; his language was sport.

Ogimura’s impact on Koyo Bear

From world peace, to piecing together functionality to create the greatest table tennis shoe ever made. Whilst Ogimura was creating harmony between nations through the sport, he was also deeply involved in the design of the aforementioned Sharpman, a table tennis shoe which was ambiguously the most worn and celebrated sneaker in table tennis.

Introduced in the early 1960s, Ogimura created the Sharpman as a tool for players to further enhance their game. As an individual he would do this across everything he wore and used, from rackets to garments, to always try and improve and better himself. His experience in the sport led him to develop the product that would later be known as the Sharpman.

Functionality was key to the model, being lightweight, having a firm grip, and being incredibly comfortable. The sole design had a slightly crooked and magnified sole pattern for extra grip in the front part of the sole (Ball of the foot), so Ogimura really innovated footwear at the time.

Although seen as very understated now, at the time with its white canvas, two parallel running blue lines bordering the lace eyelets, the upper edge of the ankle and heel-part, and the vulcanized blue rubber sole made the Sharpman stand out and easily recognizable.

Koyo Bear would see mass popularity with Ogimura as a brand ambassador. If you look at any old fashion and sport magazine or image, you will very likely find a pair of Shaprmans inside. As well as that, as a hugely celebrated player, Ogimura would also be wearing the Sharpmans during tournaments. They became the Jordans of the table tennis world.

The Table Tennis Club

Although Ogimura is no longer with us, his legend and legacy remains and will never be forgotten. The club he set up is a clear indication of this.

Formerly known as The “Seitakukai” Table Tennis Club, “ITS” [international table tennis stage] was set up in 1952 by Ogimura and is a real culmination of his work and efforts. Gathering players and fans alike from all over the globe where they can partake in the sports, the club would harness the essence of Ogiumra’s spirit. Still today people continue to come to make the pilgrimage to the mecca of table tennis, same as us.

A year before Covid, we started our research journey, and then again, after a long 2-year wait due to Covid, we were able to visit the club again.

To truly understand the impact of Omigura’s existence we sent Editor-in-Chief Bianco and Senior Editors Casey and Natsuki to meet Koji Oribe, current president of the club and former Japanese national player, Toshiaki Furukawa (“Toshi”), another former national team player, and Etsuko Enami, president secretary and operation managers at ITTF (international table tennis federation).

By interviewing and talking to them, we were able to explore Ogimura’s legacy like never before. We also found out about the process of the brand coming back into full bloom, and how the new Sharpman is shaped to once again change the game forever. Let’s go.

Thank you for taking the time today. Firstly, can you please introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your connection to the table tennis club?

Toshi:

I first started playing table tennis when I was a fifth grader, and it all started when I first heard Mr. Ogimura win the World Table Tennis Championships on the radio. I remember locking myself in my room and recreating the finals with me against him while listening to the recording (laughs).

I first met him in 1966 when I was in my first year of college, and I was ecstatic to have finally met him, but unfortunately, that was the first and last time as a student. I then started to work for a company managed by Mr. Ogimura's relative, fresh out of college, and that's when I got to meet him again. He asked me to bring his racket to China with him, and that's sort of how our relationship deepened.

These days I teach madam groups, and I happen to coach an 89-year-old player, as well. Sorry for blabbering on and on (laughs).

Koji Oribe:

I started playing table tennis in junior high school, and I remember my senpai recruiting me to practice for Seitaku-Kai, a club he was part of. It was a club hosted by Mr. Ogino, and he was my instructor for the next 20 years.

This place always used to be a table tennis court, but as it got old and was due for renewal construction, Mr. Ogimura decided that he wanted to make this place into the membership table tennis club it is today. I got asked to be part of the management, and I’ve been part of this institution ever since. Mr. Ogimura was my coach until my 30s, and after that, I was a business partner with him managing this club.

Etsuko Enami:

Coincidentally, I used to live in an apartment in front of Ms. Uehara’s table tennis hall (where Ogimura first picked up table tennis) in Musashino way back and got myself and my daughter in her club. I’ve actually never met Mr. Ogimura personally, but I got the chance to work at the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) after he retired from being the Chairman. So, I was close to Ms. Uehara for about 30 years, but it’s nothing compared to more than 50 years of working relationship that the two have had.

How would you describe Ichiro Ogimura’s importance to Japan’s table tennis culture? Beyond Japan and outside of table tennis, how would you describe his legacy?

Toshi:

Just before Mr. Ogimura passed away, he organized a meeting for the Japanese Table Tennis Association (JTTA). He asked us what might be the most important thing in life. We all had different answers, but he said that life comes first and time second. This, in essence, explains who Mr. Ogimura was as a person.

As part of the last things Mr. Ogimura had left with us, he asked us to watch “Listen to the Voices of the Sea (1950).” It's an anti-war film that depicts the lives of student soldiers, and coming from such a time in Japanese history, I think he wanted us to know the importance of life.

I got interviewed by The Mainichi (Mainichi Shimbun) the other day, and I remember telling them the story of his first press conference as the chairman of the ITTF. They asked what he was going to base his decisions on for the ITTF, and he answered, "I will be making decisions as if I was the world's president." That should tell you what sort of person he was.

Koji Oribe:

My relationship with Mr. Ogimura changed as I got older, but I firmly believe that he may be one of the most hard-working and patient persons in human history.

Etsuko Enami:

I've only ever heard stories about him when I was working at the ITTF, but they all said that he was always looking far ahead to the future.

Can you tell us a little bit about this beautiful table tennis club? It seems that you are the ones who are connecting the past and the future of Japanese table tennis culture.

Koji Oribe:\: Mr. Ogimura not only led various table tennis clubs but also impacted the sport of table tennis as a theorist, enriching a lot of people's lives around him. Even then, I think his most important work ends up being how he built a place to play table tennis. As simple as it may be, that small table tennis court brought people together, yet after all these years, it became an institution of Japanese table tennis culture. The seed he planted all those years ago grew into something much larger than when he sowed it, but it's now our responsibility to carry on watering it. It's a club but also ends up being homework he's left for us to solve, a dream of his that we want to keep from dying.

When did you first hear about KOYO BEAR?

Toshi:

When I first started playing table tennis, most people played with bare feet, actually. Very few people wore shoes playing table tennis until I started playing in college. Mr. Ogimura used to wear boots that a pro wrestler would wear, and most of my senpais wore tennis shoes to play, too. And then, the KOYO BEAR shoes came out. It was light and very easy to play with, so everyone started to play with them.

Koji Oribe: When I started playing everyone had the KOYO BEAR shoes on, so it was something I understood as the norm.

Flipping through old magazines, KOYO BEAR shoes were often advertised next to big brands like Adidas and Nike. It must’ve been a very popular shoe back then.

Koji Oribe: I don't recall ever comparing KOYO BEAR with other brands, actually. It was as if KOYO BEAR was the only brand that mattered (laughs).

We often hear about the Ogimura-spirit being alive among the people around him. Can you tell us a little bit about what the Ogimura-spirit is, and how it may be alive in the KOYO BEAR sharpman, as well?

Toshi:

Mr. Ogimura was very particular about the tools he used for playing table tennis. KOYO BEAR's Sharpman was a favorite of his, but YASAKA's Mark V Table Tennis Rubber for his racket was also something he came back to time after time. He won his first World Table Tennis Championship with sponge as his rubber, but over the years, he made small tweaks on his tools, then to his uniforms, and eventually with his shoes. He wanted to play in the best peripherals to play his best.

The Sharpman was never always perfect, too. Mr. Koji Kimura's smash used to puncture a hole in the bottom of the shoe after three days of use. Mr. Ogimura saw this and made adjustments to withstand Mr. Kimura's smash.

How did you guys feel when you found out someone was trying to bring back KOYO BEAR?

Toshi:

When I first heard they were bringing back the Sharpman, I was amazed by how foolish some people could be (laughs). But I came to be reminded that this is how history is made. People will make fun of it until they can't anymore. I was under the impression that they were bringing it back one-to-one, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they were tweaking it to serve a different purpose.

Mr. Ogimura used to tell us how history is not something we protect but rather something we change, so I think the idea of recreating the Sharpman for fashion sort of goes with what he believed in. I hope to be in any way helpful in promoting the newly reborn Sharpman.

Koji Oribe:

I remember Mr. Ogimura telling us how mountaineers spend 40 minutes tying their shoes. I don't think he told us this story to make us spend 40 minutes tying our shoelaces, but he told us about this to lecture us on the importance of wearing shoes that fit.

When I initially heard about some people wanting to bring back Mr. Ogimura's brand, I didn't think they were looking to recreate the Sharpman. But as soon as I knew, I wanted them to respect the fact this was the first table tennis shoe that came out in Japan. Back then, a good grip, lightweight, and a durable yet flexible composition were some of the things that made a table tennis shoe. But someone obsessive enough had to have realized these things first, and that some was Mr. Ogimura. In essence, the Sharpman is Mr. Ogimura, and I hope they don't forget that.

A peculiar phenomenon in that younger people are increasingly more interested in archival works, especially in fashion. As more people find out about Ichiro Ogimura, there’s no saying his style could end up as an inspiration for the newer generation of kids. How do you feel about the potential of this happening?

Koji Oribe:

I think it's amazing to think that there's this thing that younger people are able to sense that we no longer can. If it means that Mr. Ogimura's spirit keeps living on for longer, I'm more than happy.

What are you excited about the sharpman coming back?

Koji Oribe: I hope people discover the Ogimura-spirit by wearing the shoes and accompany them in living their lives to the fullest.

There’s no doubt that Ichiro Ogimura himself was a man of value, but it also seems that his way of living has influenced you as a person. Can you give some words of advice to your younger readers?

Toshi: First of all, I'd want them to learn about Mr. Ogimura, whether through reading a book or watching a video about him. I've learned the importance of thinking through things till the end from him and the simple joy of meeting people. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from him, and I hope the re-release of the sharpman becomes a starting point.

Koji Oribe: I think peace and freedom are two of the most important things in life, and I hope kids don't forget that. War and conflict are the most foolish things any human being can be part of, and in contrast, culture is the most precious thing.

A Legend Returns

Ichiro Ogimura is like the Michael Jordan of Table Tennis. And Koyo Bear is like the forgotten Japanese Jordan 1’s of table tennis, redefining the sports they were designed for and transcending their position as just another sneaker.

Now, after 33 years of being dormant, the Koyo Bear brand and Ogimura’s story returns. The brand is set to rerelease the Sharpman and one of its direct successors, the Sharpman Nimble, paying homage to the historic sneaker that changed the game forever. Maintaining the iconic sole, and understated yet effective colourway, the sneaker is a love letter to the master of table tennis, and a testament to the impact he has left on the world.

An archive brand of this magnitude coming back to bless our soles once again. Table tennis fan or not, every collector, archivist and sports-fashion lover should keep a close eye on Koyo Bear to see its next moves.

We are grateful to the ITS table tennis club in Mitaka, Tokyo, for their valuable help with the research for this work. Their cooperation and support were essential for this project. We also thank Mitsuru Jojima for his book "OGI - The Life of Ichigo Ogimura," which provided historical background and guidance for the parts of our piece that discussed Ogimura.

Koyo Bear – A Sole Story

Ichiro Ogimura – The Spirit of Table Tennis

The 1954 Table Tennis World Championships

The Ping Pong Diplomacy

Strengthening Bonds in Asia

Ogimura’s impact on Koyo Bear

The Table Tennis Club

Thank you for taking the time today. Firstly, can you please introduce yourselves and tell us a little bit about your connection to the table tennis club?

How would you describe Ichiro Ogimura’s importance to Japan’s table tennis culture? Beyond Japan and outside of table tennis, how would you describe his legacy?

Can you tell us a little bit about this beautiful table tennis club? It seems that you are the ones who are connecting the past and the future of Japanese table tennis culture.

When did you first hear about KOYO BEAR?

Flipping through old magazines, KOYO BEAR shoes were often advertised next to big brands like Adidas and Nike. It must’ve been a very popular shoe back then.

We often hear about the Ogimura-spirit being alive among the people around him. Can you tell us a little bit about what the Ogimura-spirit is, and how it may be alive in the KOYO BEAR sharpman, as well?

How did you guys feel when you found out someone was trying to bring back KOYO BEAR?

What are you excited about the sharpman coming back?

There’s no doubt that Ichiro Ogimura himself was a man of value, but it also seems that his way of living has influenced you as a person. Can you give some words of advice to your younger readers?

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