Our founder, Ichiei Hirota, left Fukui Prefecture to serve his apprenticeship at Hishiya in Karamonomachi, Osaka.
Our business traces its origins back to 1926, when Ichiei was entrusted with managing the small accessories business department at the Hishiya kimono store in Karamonomachi, Osaka. After leaving Fukui and completing his apprenticeship, he established an independent branch that specialised in the manufacture of hanao thongs for traditional sandals.
In 1972, Yoshihide Hirota took over the family business as the second-generation head and expanded its scope, focusing on traditional zori sandals and the design of Japanese-style bags. He also developed Hishiya’s premium Yoroi-ori material and introduced distinctive designs such as the zebra pattern.
Yasunobu Hirota joined the company in 1998 as its third- generation leader and launched the Calen Blosso private brand. Notably, he developed the Café Zori series, pioneering the use of EVA material as an alternative to the traditional cork core in the zori sandal construction. This innovation combined comfort with design, opening up a new market.
Through this evolution, Hishiya Calen Blosso has grown into a brand that seamlessly blends tradition and innovation while promoting the appeal of Japanese attire culture.