--- title: Global Kigyo - TIME - Partner Content - The Making of a Japanese Icon description: The Making of a Japanese Icon canonical: https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/ article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-10-05T10:20:41.438Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T10:20:35.236Z article:section: Paid Partner Content og:title: Global Kigyo - TIME - Partner Content - The Making of a Japanese Icon og:description: The Making of a Japanese Icon og:url: https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt271be1224c525f82/6ac3794d13e949ba760522b1/Page3_thumbnail_1.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9%2Coffset-x0.00%2Coffset-y11.36 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Global Kigyo - TIME - Partner Content - The Making of a Japanese Icon twitter:description: The Making of a Japanese Icon twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt271be1224c525f82/6ac3794d13e949ba760522b1/Page3_thumbnail_1.png?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9%2Coffset-x0.00%2Coffset-y11.36 --- # The Making of a Japanese Icon > Sponsored content. 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Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is included in a TIME print and digital subscription? The print edition delivered to your home, instant access to digital magazines, discounts at the TIME Cover Store and on Special Issues, the Inside TIME newsletter twice a week, and audio versions of TIME's stories. It is from $29 for one year or $49 for two years at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### What is the difference between TIME's digital and print plans? Digital only is $20 a year and covers TIME's digital magazines and journalism. Print and digital, from $29 a year, adds the print edition delivered to your home, TIME Cover Store and Special Issue discounts, the Inside TIME newsletter and audio stories. #### Is TIME a reliable news source? TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923. Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=df3e46d3-495a-41e6-83e4-3a28341edb88&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=df3e46d3-495a-41e6-83e4-3a28341edb88&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1)  ##### A century of shoemaking lies behind Haruta’s enduring appeal Take a train in Japan in the morning and look down at the footwear around you, and you will notice one thing. Students of all ages, as well as those looking to add some preppy flair to their outfits, are often sporting a certain kind of leather loafer, a symbol of youthful cool. They are made by one company: Haruta. While Haruta is synonymous with the loafers worn by generations of high school students, the brand’s relevance extends far beyond. Haruta’s 1955 easy-on, easy-off “Spock” design has long been favored by everyone from doctors to monks and remains popular among Tokyo’s fashion-forward crowd.  The appeal of Haruta shoes lies in understatement, with muted tones and natural leather working with a wide range of outfits. Isao Haruta, president of the family business and a staunch supporter of “Made-in-Japan” footwear, is keen to see this aesthetic spread around the world. “Simplicity is one of the greatest advantages of the loafer, it’s a timeless design,” he said. “People are free to style it in their own way, and we continue to see new combinations and ideas emerge.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/"},"headline":"The Making of a Japanese Icon","datePublished":"2026-10-05T10:20:41.438Z","dateModified":"2026-10-05T10:20:35.236Z","description":"The Making of a Japanese Icon","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"Paid Partner Content","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/the-making-of-a-japanese-icon/","name":"The Making of a Japanese Icon"}}]}] ```