How well do you know the Mizuno brand, dear community? Mizuno is definitely a name in the sneaker scene, but you rarely see the kicks in the masses. We keep getting questions about the brand - so we thought we'd answer them directly and in detail in this ultimate Mizuno FAQ. Let's get started!
The history of Mizuno
First things first: Let's start with the history of Mizuno. It starts in 1906, which makes the brand one of the oldest sports brands around. The brand has been around for over 100 years, but they only started selling sports shoes in the second half of the century.
As you might guess from the name, the Mizuno Corporation was founded in Osaka, Japan, by Rihachi Mizuno and his younger brother Rizo. The shop sold products from the West, including baseball equipment. Mizuno was himself a big fan of the sport- and wanted to bring it to Japan.
After starting out selling custom-made sportswear, the brothers moved the business to Umeda-Shinmichi in Osaka and named it 'Mizuno Shop'. In 1913, the brand started producing baseballs and baseball gloves.
Twenty years later, the brand designed the 'Star Line', the first golf clubs made in Japan. Two years later, Mizuno's golf showroom became the largest in the world.
In addition to sportswear, the Mizuno brothers had success in glider manufacturing. From 1936, they carried out research and construction of gliders and were also asked to manufacture military ammunition during the Second World War.
In the early 1960s, Mizuno was given the opportunity to sponsor the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics.
In 1987, Masato Mizuno, Rihachi's grandson, then took over the management of the brand. He brought fresh impetus to the company, including some ideas and a lot of knowledge of marketing strategies.
Since then, the brand has sold products for running, tennis, football, handball, volleyball, hockey and more.
The ultimate Mizuno FAQ
Let's answer your most frequently asked questions about Mizuno. Are there any other questions we haven't answered here? Then feel free to ask us directly via Instagram @sneakerjagers!
Mizuno is a Japanese brand that specialises in the production of sporting goods. Mizuno was founded in Osaka in 1906 and has since developed into a world-renowned brand and firmly established itself in the sneaker scene. The brand is famous for the Mizuno Wave Rider, the Mizuno Sky Medal and many more sneaker models.
Mizuno offers many different sneakers. The brand is famous for silhouettes like the Mizuno Wave Rider, the Mizuno Sky Medal, the Mizuno Wave Prophecy and the Mizuno Contender.
You can find and compare all of the brand's models in an overview on our website.
Meanwhile, Mizuno is owned by Akito Mizuno, a member of the Mizuno family. He took over the business after Masato Mizuno handed over the reins to him. If you want to read more about the history of Mizuno, you can click here to learn more.
Yes, Mizuno is a reputable brand and is perceived as good and high quality. The company has a long history and is known for producing high-quality sports products. Runners in particular appreciate the brand's innovative cushioning - which is why Mizuno also equips football players such as the Brazilian Hulk, Lazar Marković or Keisuke Honda.
Mizuno officially has its production facility in Japan. However, there are allegations that Mizuno has partly outsourced its production to other parts of Asia in order to save costs. These allegations have not been confirmed.
Almost all Mizuno sneakers are true to size. That's why you don't need to worry about the sizing here. You can find more information in our sneaker sizing guides if you need it.
That's it for the ultimate Mizuno FAQ! Do you have any other questions about the brand? Feel free to ask us via the channel of your choice, dear community!
You can find a FAQ for almost every brand and popular sneaker in our archive.