The Shoemakers Guild

​​Yes, that’s fine! In the Guild’s Beginner Course, you’ll learn the fundamentals by making three types of shoes: “babouches,” “baby shoes,” and “Derby sandals.” Although these are designed for beginners, they cover all the essential steps that form the foundation of shoemaking. If you’re confident in your skills, you can also start by making Derby sandals right away and apply to advance to the Intermediate level.

Yes, that’s fine! You can ask questions via our members-only chat service (Discord). We’ve also compiled a valuable archive of past Q&A logs, so you can search through them to find solutions. To preserve technical expertise and foster an independent, craftsman-like perspective, we provide advice that goes beyond simply checking answers—we also share the “thought process” behind them.

The cost varies depending on what you’re making, but as a rough estimate, if you were to purchase all the tools needed to make a beginner-level babouche brand-new, the total would likely be just under 7,000 yen at most. [Reference] Required Tools and Approximate Prices: Cardstock for patterns... 110 yen (purchased at a 100-yen store, etc.) Utility knife... 110 yen (purchased at a 100-yen store, etc.) Metal ruler... around 500 yen Ballpoint pen... 110 yen (available at 100-yen stores, etc.) Awl... around 500 yenRubber cement... 500–1,000 yenRubber cement brush... around 200 yen 1.5mm hole punch... around 500 yen Hammer... 500–1,000 yen Mini rubber mat... 500–1,000 yen Leather craft needle... Around 500 yen Nylon thread... Around 500 yen Scissors... 110 yen (purchased at 100-yen stores, etc.) Sandpaper... Around 500 yen Compass... 110 yen (purchased at 100-yen stores, etc.)

I definitely recommend buying online at first. There are plenty of stores that come up in a search, so I can’t say for sure which one is best, but one store our staff frequently buys from is Phoenix. They have a wide variety of products and their descriptions are easy to understand, so I think it’s worth checking them out for reference. As for the type of leather, if you’re making babouches, for example, I recommend using soft, thick leather (such as cowhide with a soft finish).

No, pattern-making content is sold separately. If you’d like to learn pattern-making techniques, please purchase the pattern-making video series separately. Please note that Guild members are eligible for a special price; for details, please check here (https://www.theshoemakersguild.com/services-7). We do not currently offer content on last-making, but we plan to produce and sell it in the future. For an overview, please see the roadmap (https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3b8cad_7fa4e286b46c4d5cbe9a87d72c6f6518~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_1176,h_1662,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/ %E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%E3%83%9E%E3%83%83%E3%83%9720251011.jpg).

Exclusively for Guild members, we are offering a set of ready-made last and pattern supervised and produced by world-renowned shoemaker Mr. SoTsuchiya. Even if you don’t have the skills to create patterns or make lasts, using this set will allow you to “start by making a pair of shoes.” We offer a wide range of sizes—men’s from 23.5 cm to 28 cm and women’s from 21.5 cm to 25.5 cm—so please consider purchasing this set.

You can purchase optional content at the long-term member price (discounted price). In line with our Guild’s policy—“We don’t sell our techniques on the cheap, but we want to generously share them with those who are committed to shoemaking in the long term”—we’ve set our prices to give preferential treatment to those who are serious about learning.

For those who have joined now, this offer will remain in effect until you cancel your membership.

As a general rule, “cancellation of membership” results in the forfeiture of your rights. Therefore, the monthly fee will apply when you rejoin. To keep our operational structure simple, we do not offer options such as temporary suspension of membership.

Yes, that’s fine! You can apply even with shoes you’ve made in the past (including those that show signs of wear), so experienced participants can be promoted to the intermediate level immediately after joining. There are two requirements: “The shoes must be hand-sewn welted,” and “You must have watched all the beginner-level videos (as they provide the prerequisite knowledge for the intermediate level and beyond).” The design and stitching method are not restricted.

Please feel free to contact me at the email address below so.tsuchiya.project@gmail.com (mailto:so.tsuchiya.project@gmail.com)