Sakamoto Ryōma was the name of the first man in Japan to wear Western shoes, specifically boots. We thought would be it a fitting tribute to name our first pair of boots after him.
The Ryoma is substantial, capable of taking you through foul weather while keeping you dry. We built this shoe atop a rubber sole, with a tall shaft that keeps your ankles warm and covered. The slim line of the rubber sole, and refined brown calf makes this boot casual, but sleek.
We named the Ryoma after the man credited to have brought the western shoes, specifically boots, to Japan.
Our Jiro 次郎 last translates to second son as it is the second last we’ve designed with Yohei Fukuda. The last has a soft almond toe, fits slightly tighter in the heel, and adds more space in the toe box and forefoot. The last is also very suited to people who have fallen arches.
As a Chelsea boot is a great option for more casual settings we like to wear the Ryoma with our Sport Chinos or Nigel Cabourn denim.
Using our Jiro last, which was originally designed for loafers, improved the shape of the boot around the ankle. It also better accommodates those with fallen arches.
A classic, easy wearing material that will stand up to years of use. This model picks up character and looks better with age.
Our calf leathers are sourced from the 150 year old Weinheimer-Leder tannery in Germany. They have excellent qualities and with a little attention can hold a high shine.
The goal of The Armoury Shoe Collection was to produce a new line of shoes that was uniquely ours. We partnered with the renowned master shoemaker, Yohei Fukuda. Fukuda-san was trained in England and developed his skills under the tutelage of great English shoemakers: John Lobb, Gaziano & Girling and Cleverley. He is an exemplar of classic English shoemaking.
To compliment the lengths that we went to during the design process, Northampton, England seemed like an obvious choice for manufacturing. We partnered with a century old shoe factory who’s skills and experience allowed us to make a hardwearing shoe with our unique style at an accessible level.
In the uncompromising search for quality, all of our shoes are goodyear welted, feature a wooden shank, are fully lined, and made with premium calf leather or suede. They offer exceptional value, especially when well maintained.
Our friend Mr. Slowboy illustrated our shoebox labels. Our shoe models are named after special landmarks in Hong Kong or New York, the home of The Armoury, the illustrations show those places on the outside of the box.
