Onitsuka Tiger by Asics Tai Chi® SKU #7165605(View on Zappos.com Classic)

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Tai Ji Quan is famous for it's graceful movements and it's stress relieving effects on the mind and body.
It was also an important element of the Jeet Kune Do teachings of legendary martial artists.
A similar philosophy was used in the evolution of the Onitsuka Tiger® to the company known today as ASICS.
The name, an acronym, derives from the Latin phrase Anima Sana In Corpore Sano which means “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body."

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Customer Fit Survey:

Customers surveying this product said...

74% "Felt true to size"
92% "Felt true to width"
77% "No arch support"

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Recent Customer Reviews - 161 Reviews Total

Posted: Nov 2, 2009
Reviewer: from Miami

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First off, let me say Zappos customer service is great! If I could rate that, I'd give them six stars. Also, I love the design of these shoes. I wanted minimalist shoes for everyday use: very light, thin soled, and flexible. These fit the bill. They are also very comfortable. The soles may be thin, but they have just enough cushion. To me, the shoes feel great. I think the design looks good, too. However, I am only giving these shoes 3 stars because the toes wrinkle. Between sizing issues and delivery errors. I ended up going through three pairs. And all wrinkled in the toe area (some worse than others). The left shoes wrinkle a little by the left toe. The right shoe has two large creases over the middle toe. I believe this to be a defect. Don't know if they all have the problem or just some "batches". I kept a pair hoping they'd get better with wear. The wrinkling gets worse. Unfortunately, I can just wear them as gym shoes now.

Posted: Sep 17, 2009
Reviewer: from Detroit

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These are great for running in the barefoot style (landing on ball of foot), in a more urban setting; you still get a bit of protection against pebbles, glass etc. I used to run in adizeros, but the tai chi's are a completely different experience and really work the spring in the arch of the foot like running barefoot.

Posted: Aug 6, 2009
Reviewer: from Berkeley, CA

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I would not use these shoes for anything but tai chi, or around the house, or perhaps at a party. You need to be really light on your feet. They are quite light and comfortable, but with no arch support and little padding. I've found that Asics 'Budokan' shoes are what I'm now drawn to wearing, both for tai chi and for street wear. I'm waiting for them to stock the Budokans in size 14 again, and preferably in more subdued colors. I really don't want to wear bright white shoes on the street, or for tai chi. A couple of years ago, I was fortunate to get a pair of Asics Tai Chi shoes in brown, size 14. Since then the color selection seems to have shrunk to just dazzling white. Why must so much attention be drawn to one's feet?

Other Brands Recommended by Reviewer: Asics "Budokan"

Posted: May 31, 2009
Reviewer: from Washington DC

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Almost 2 years old...very, very durable shoes. I ordered these shoes just about 2 years ago. They are a mocha and brown color. Just to follow up I still wear them and they are great. I wore these bad boys to the Dominican for a summer trip last year and abused the snot out of them. I wore them after getting out of the pool, along the beach and even to a concert. Initially I was worried about the leather shrinking or becoming damaged but that never happened. I have also run a few times in these but that was extremely uncomfortable...but they aren't meant for running. The heel is a slightly darker color now from wear and the toe area shows creases but the rest of the shoe is fine. I love Zappos and I have been checking back periodically for new Tai Chi colors but white is all that is available. :(

Other Brands Recommended by Reviewer: Ultimate 81 Tigers

Posted: Apr 8, 2009
Reviewer: from ny

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I bought them in October, it is now April, and I wear them nearly every day regardless of the weather - there isn't much sign of wear in these yet! Just a little scuffing of the leather near the toe and heel, and the imprint of my foot in the insole. The rubber part of the sole is in great shape, which is shocking considering how thin these shoes are, especially the sole. These shoes were designed for tai chi, so keep that in mind if you are planning on getting a shoe for going out and running errands/a daily shoe. It will probably take a while for your foot to get used to the lack of support or cushioning, but I feel that once you get used to it it's a pretty nice shoe. Not too great for walking in wooded trails or in the freezing cold (your feet will freeze!) - but for daily activities, these shoes last! A word of caution though if you live in an area that gets snow - these shoes have absolutely no traction whatsoever on ice. At all. Overall I would totally recommend this shoe to anyone who wants a fashionable, super duper lightweight shoe to walk around in who does not mind having no cushioning for the foot. This shoe is very very well made.

Other Brands Recommended by Reviewer: Puma, Vans, Adidas

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Additional Brand Information

The history of Onitsuka Tiger™ shoes began with the establishment of Onitsuka Co. Ltd. in 1949. Based on the philosophy of bringing up sound youth through sports, the company has maintained the tradition of specializing in the manufacturing of sports shoes and clothing using original ideas and applying epoch-making techniques.

As the Japanese people recovered from the second world war and began to appreciate the benefits of sports, Onitsuka Tiger™ shoes were on their feet. The first basketball shoes in Japan had a tiger face design on the arch of the foot and this became Onitsuka's trademark. In the 1960's, Onitsuka Tiger™ shoes were worn not only by the Japanese, but also by top foreign athletes.

In 2001, ASICS America Corporation quietly resurrected the Onitsuka Tiger™ brand with original models of Onitsuka shoes and Onitsuka clothing updated in today's flavorful colors. Over the past few years, the Onitsuka Tiger™ brand has been enjoying a growing number of new, dedicated shoe followers along with a steady desire for Onitsuka clothing and Onitsuka bags, realized today on Zappos.com. Through sometimes secretive grassroots marketing efforts, ASICS® has been able to spread this word about this authentic comeback for Onitsuka Tiger™.

Now that the secret is out... Onitsuka Tiger™ is a growing and highly sought after brand with its ever-growing lineup of Onitsuka Tiger™ shoes, Onitsuka Tiger™ clothing and Onitsuka Tiger™ bags. There are more Onitsuka Tiger™ mens’s and Onitsuka Tiger™ women’s models just sitting in the ASICS® vault waiting to be re-released. The future is what this retro brand has to look forward to. Because ASICS® knows that there are people out there who don't need to run fast...they just want to look good.

Additional Customer Reviews:

Posted: Feb 3, 2009
Reviewer: from Los Angeles
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Great shoe - Great everyday shoes...conform to your foot. I use them for dry land workouts and also when riding my bike. I would buy them again.

Posted: Jan 21, 2009
Reviewer: Cassandra from San Francisco
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My new white sneaks - I couldn't be happier with the look. There is minimal arch support but the shoe fit perfectly and I am very pleased.

Posted: Jan 9, 2009
Reviewer: H A from Randallstown, Maryland
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Asic Tai Chi - Was a little disappointed in this product. Does not look and wear well. Was not true to size.

Posted: Dec 30, 2008
Reviewer: from Oregon
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Nice overall - I love the look of these and they are super lite in weight (which I love), but what I'm not too crazy about is the front of the shoes. They are so thin that you can see your little toes inside the shoe, looks like eventually (after several uses) the front of the shoe won’t be so smooth, it has little indents.

Posted: Dec 8, 2008
Reviewer: Pg from NC
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Husband loves his Tai Chi shoes! These shoes have given my husband the stability that he needed to do the exercises. He enjoys wearing them and looks forward to putting them on each morning. Thanks Zappos for making this purchase so easy!

Posted: Nov 13, 2008
Reviewer: from MA
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The value of Thin Soles and Light Shoes - The ability to feel the ground while still being protected from impinging objects is very much a Big Deal as we become more aware of how less is more for footwear. We've so long over supported our feet rather than letting all that evolution work for us, this is a shoe that lets the feet do their job. How do you know a shoe works for your foot? Two things: can you twist it from toe to heel? Can you bend it behind where the ball of the foot goes? In this shoe, you can. These are men's cut shoes, so gals may find them a little wide, but that, too, can be an advantage in terms of enabling free foot movement rather than binding the foot into the shoe with tight lacing. The thing that makes me a little nervous is that it looks like this model is Going Away - Zappos hasn't had new shipments/models in awhile, so get 'em while you can.

Posted: Nov 3, 2008
Reviewer: Mark H from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
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Most comfortable martial arts shoe I have ever worn - I used to wear Tiger shoes when I did a lot of running, 10K races, etc. In the past two years, I took up martial arts including tai chi and karate. Recently a local medical doctor criticized me because I was not wearing shoes during my training. I remarked that the shoes I had for karate were uncomfortable, so I stopped wearing shoes. My tai chi coach recommended I try the Onitsuka Tiger Asics Tai Chi shoes. I did, and I found them to be comfortable. I am pleased with the purchase, and I would highly recommend them.

Posted: Oct 5, 2008
Reviewer: from
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Other great Asics shoe - These shoes are very comfortable and light although they do not really have any arch support. I got the white ones and they are a little hard to keep clean.

Posted: Sep 25, 2008
Reviewer: from Naperville, IL
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This is my 3rd pair of these shoes. They are great for running around without looking like having "workout" shoes on. They are thin and flexible, but very comfortable. My only complaint is that the sole seems to wear out quickly, but they are supposed to be for tai chi, not endurance so I really can't complain.

Posted: Aug 31, 2008
Reviewer: from Washington DC
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Just what I was looking for - I needed a new pair of tennis shoes to wear to the gym that I recently joined. So I use them while running, lifting weights, and sometimes pilates. I just wanted something simple, low profile, and lightweight that wouldn’t take up too much space in my bag. These are just what I was looking for.

Posted: Aug 14, 2008
Reviewer: Emily from
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I got these shoes in black and white about a year ago and they are absolutely amazing! I wear them to school almost everyday and they have held up very well. The only thing that is a downfall, in my opinion, is the comfort. They are okay, but nothing to brag about. However, I have to wear custom arch supports, so that could have changed the comfort a bit. Overall, I love the shoe.

Posted: Jul 11, 2008
Reviewer: from Los Angeles, California
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My new favorite pair of shoes! I've purchased at least five pairs of shoes from Zappos online and these are my favorite so far! They are light, comfortable, and stylish - a great wear for a casual night out. However, you might need to buy some insoles, depending on your preference. I've added insoles simply because I have minor back pains. These are my first pair of Onitsuka Tiger and am now a big fan.

Posted: Jul 9, 2008
Reviewer: Sy from PA
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Quality and looks are great - It really is a comfortable shoe. The leather is great and it is lightweight, I bought the ivory/green, it is a nice shoes.

Posted: May 20, 2008
Reviewer: from Berkeley, CA
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Light, Comfortable, Great-Looking; One Improvement Suggested - After months of tai chi practiced on a paved schoolyard playground, there is a vulnerability in this shoe which I've found. The many heel pivots in tai chi (and the many times a foot is cocked and the heel touched to the ground) were wearing down the thin sole in the heel area, threatening the leather upper. A cobbler replaced a few inches of the sole in the heel area with a "Vibram" brand sole of similar tread and thickness, but with greater durability than the Asics sole. The cobbler also suggested I replace my "Dr. Scholl's" Pillow inserts with the more durable and washable "Spenco" brand inserts. (They're green.) I love these shoes for their intended purpose. I would not, however, recommend them for regular street use. Around the house, or at a party? Sure. Now if Zappos would only stock size 14 in more styles, I'd be a happy camper. Why must the only styles offered in larger sizes be bright white? With feet this large, why attract attention?

Posted: May 7, 2008
Reviewer: from Carson City, Nevada
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These things last, I've had these shoes for over three years and they are still holding up strong, and are still my favorite shoe. I put a gel insert in them, just the heel insert, which is totally worth it if you're on your feet a lot. I'm 18, and am definitely over-active. These shoes have seen many a day of dodge ball and Lake Tahoe. I am buying another pair soon. I have black with the red stripe right now. They're amazing! But buy a half size under your normal size, because they run large. Also, they are leisurely shoes. They're not good for running at all, so if you plan on running a lot with the pair of shoes you’re buying, don't buy these. I like them so much because they're weightless, and feel like I'm wearing slippers, but much more supportive and sturdy than any slipper.

Read Additional 141 Customer Reviews

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Onitsuka Tiger by Asics Tai Chi® SKU #7165605(View on Zappos.com Classic)