Ask any sneakerhead what some of the best NMD colourways are, and the “Japan” is bound to come up at least a few times — though its design can feel rather archaic by today’s standards, the sneaker was downright revolutionary back in the day, rocking a never-before-seen black Boost sole, contrasting stripes on the collar and Japanese characters on the plugs for a “familiar, yet different” triple black look that’s still highly coveted to this day. It was really only a matter of time before Adidas brought the “Japan” aesthetic to the NMD R2, and if you were wondering how that would turn out, well…you don’t have to wonder any more.
Now christened the “Tokyo”, the sneaker appear to be inspired by the city’s iconic Shibuya Crossing, and ditch the all black look in favour of a more traditional black / white combination. To add on to the road crossing motif the three stripes are made of a reflective material (which look very reflective in pictures, but pictures can be misleading), but the most eye-catching design choice is still the large striped pattern on the heel tab and tongue, which could easily pass off as an unofficial Adidas x Off-White collaboration. The only thing missing from these kicks are the signature Japanese characters, but even without them the shoes are definitely still worth copping.
The Adidas NMD R2 “Tokyo” will see a limited international release tomorrow, and will be exclusively available at adidas Originals flagship stores in Berlin, New York, Mexico City, Paris, London, Milan, Moscow, Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul (if you have a friend in any of these cities we suppose you could get them to cop a pair on your behalf). We really hope that “sneakers inspired by famous landmarks” is going to be a thing…and if so we can’t wait till Adidas comes up with an “Eiffel Tower” colourway or something.
Adidas NMD R2 “Tokyo”, available 19th May at select adidas Originals flagship stores.
Header image: Adidas
adidas.com.sg
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