Tabi socks, or split-toe socks, have been worn in Japan since the sixteenth century, reaching their peak popularity during the Edo period (1600-1868). They were developed to wear with sandals & wooden clogs called geta. There is a special place for your big toe. Lots of people wear tabi socks: martial artists practicing Aikido or Karate, Taiko drummers, Suzuki actors, and traditional Japanese folk dancers, just to name a few! According to Shiatsu theory, wearing tabi socks benefits the back, the spine, and the digestion due to the acupuncture meridians located between the toes.
