Merippa
"like slippers, but not slippers"
Merippa creates playful, comfortable house shoes that are "like slippers, but not slippers." Each pair is hand-finished, ultra light, reversible, and designed to radiate warmth in both appearance and feel.
Knitting arrived in Japan during the Nanban trade period (1543–1614 CE) through European contact. The term meriyasu, derived from the Portuguese "meias" (socks), originally described fabric with a plain stitch that stretches both horizontally and vertically.
Production began in Nagasaki and soon spread to Edo (modern-day Tokyo). During the Genroku era (1688–1704 CE), many samurai took up hand-knitting to supplement their income. After the feudal system ended in the Meiji era (1868–1912 CE), even more samurai turned to knitting, crafting items like tabi socks, undershirts, gloves, and sword covers in the Honjo district, where former samurai residences became knitting workshops.
Today, meriyasu refers to machine-knitted fabrics, while amimono and nitto are more common for knitted material. Honoring Japan’s knitting tradition, Nakahashi Meriyasu introduced merippa: reversible, hand-finished slipper-socks combining meriyasu and “slippers.”
Touch and feel
Thanks to the reversible quality, you can enjoy the colour and texture of the fabrics on the front and back.
The lightweight of only 100 g per pair and the soft comfort. Plus, you can easily wash it at home and wear it cleanly and comfortably at any time. Take them anywhere, they are packable and take up little space.
