Along with boxes of matcha powder, &ldquo;mysterious&rdquo; Monchhichi figures, or bags of snacks from 7-Eleven, tourists in Tokyo are now taking the opportunity to stuff a special item into their suitcases before returning home and that gift is making waves in the fashion industry.

That is the Onitsuka Tiger sneaker, launched in 1949. The thin-soled shoe line, which has been associated with fashionistas for decades, is witnessing a spectacular revival, fueled by the tourism craze to Japan and the trend of glorifying everything &ldquo;made in Japan&rdquo; on social media.
Onitsuka posted net sales of nearly 66 billion yen ($434 million) in the first half of 2025, up 50% from the same period last year, according to its latest financial report. Investors have also been quick to flock to its parent company, Asics Corp., whose shares have tripled in just two years through Oct. 27. Adidas shares have risen just 13% in the same period, while Nike has fallen 30%.

Street racing

Videos of the iconic Mexico 66 and Tokuten sneakers, with their low profile, slim soles and vibrant colour palettes, are now trending on social media. Onitsuka&rsquo;s flagship store in Ginza, Tokyo&rsquo;s most fashionable shopping district, has become a pilgrimage site for influencers. There&rsquo;s an entire floor dedicated to the Mexico 66, a shoe designed for athletes at the 1968 Summer Olympics and made famous by Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. Customers can even have their initials embroidered onto the shoes, making each pair unique. &ldquo;Next time I go to Japan, I&rsquo;ll get the silver, the gold and the brown,&rdquo; Seattle-based creator Elise Brulotte says in a TikTok video showing off her black-and-white Mexico 66.
With the yen falling to a 38-year low (2024), Japan is becoming a shopping paradise for international tourists. Compared to prices in the US, goods in Japan are significantly cheaper, making shopping here a bargain. Jeff Yamazaki, a men's fashion influencer from Los Angeles, once posted a guide to where to buy Onitsuka in Tokyo. In an interview, he said he paid only about $95 for a pair of Mexico 66s when he visited Japan earlier this year, while ordering online and shipping them back to the US would cost more than double.
While inflation and tariffs during the Trump administration have driven up prices for many consumer products, Onitsuka&rsquo;s high prices in the U.S. are also due to the company's decision to close all of its North American retail stores by 2023, a move Asics said at the time was aimed at improving profitability.

Now, Onitsuka is planning a return to the U.S. market by 2027, according to an investor presentation this summer. Jessica Ram&iacute;rez, co-founder of retail consultancy Consumer Collective, said the temporary &ldquo;absence&rdquo; from the U.S. has helped Onitsuka become more upscale and luxurious. Upcoming collaborations with Versace and a Milan Fashion Week show earlier this year also signalled the brand&rsquo;s move toward the global luxury segment.

Right time, right trend

The recent resurgence of Adidas&rsquo;s Samba and Gazelle models, which have similar slim, flat-soled silhouettes, has also helped Onitsuka Tiger take off, according to Brendan Dunne, community manager at resale platform StockX. &ldquo;Onitsuka came along at the right time for the slim wave, offering a less mainstream option than Adidas, but still tapping into the Y2K nostalgia that&rsquo;s permeating fashion,&rdquo; he says.
In the UK, Loulou Algosaibi, a social media manager in Winchester, switched from Adidas to Onitsuka after five years of loyalty and bought the Tokuten at the London flagship store at the suggestion of her father.

&ldquo;They really strike the perfect balance between classic and modern, minimalist but stylish,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;Gen Z can wear them, Millennials can wear them, my mom can wear them and they&rsquo;re still super cool.&rdquo;

Onitsuka Tiger’s Comeback: Conquering Gen Z

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