Adventures with TokyoMike (Fool’s Judge)
What’s good people, it’s your friendly neighborhood TokyoMike coming thru once again with some more tidbits of sneaker pleasure from Tokyo, Japan…..so sit back, if you’re at work or school or driving past the cops, go ahead and crack open a cold one, and enjoy the pictures of today’s featured Japanese sneakerhead hotspot; Fool’s Judge.
Like alot of the other shops I’ve hit up and sent TSG pics of, Fool’s Judge is located on the same street as Kicks Lab, Atmos, Neighborhood, Supreme, BBC, LTD etc…… I kinda just refer to it as “heart attack alley” because if you’re not ready for that amount of heat, physically or finacially, well, you’ll feel your heart explode when you see everything over there, and it’s hard to tell the guy working at the shop you need a size 10 when you’ve got bleeding in your chest.
Unlike Kicks Lab and Atmos, which are like finding a venereal disease in a Thai stripclub, Fool’s Judge is like ALOT of Japanese shops, in that it’s tucked away down in a basement, somewhat hidden away and not as easy to spot. Their sign doesn’t indicate that it’s a shop worth stopping at, but their display case has enough certified heat in it that, once you see it, there’s no chance of you passing by without at least a peak inside…..you know, just to look at the price tags, feel poor, cry, and go home a broken, sad soul.
When you get inside…….I’m not sure how to say this…….OK, I’ll put it in
easy-to-understand sneakerhead language……THIS PLACE LOOKS LIKE A NUCLEAR FALLOUT SHELTER FOR HYPEBEASTS…….for real, it looks like 100 filthy rich Hypebeasts knew the world was ending, and so they stocked up on all the good stuff…..just to stay dipped in only the freshest clothes and kicks out there, so they can look ultra-flashy when they came out of the shelter and had to start re-populating the planet. Fool’s Judge seems to move alot of stock in and outta the store, so as far as kicks, you never know what you’ll see inside the store, but one things for sure, they always have heat. RACKS, AND RACKS, OF HEAT…..it’s a very small shop with VERY limited room as far as being able to really look around “comfortably,” but hey, I’ll take a tiny shop with Heat over a strip mall Foot Action full of wack a$$ kicks anyday.
Apart from the BAPE stores themselves, Fool’s Judge has THE biggest selection of legit BAPE’s I’ve seen, period. In fact, you’re better off going to Fool’s Judge vice the actual BAPE store, since they’re always sold out, and this place has RACKS full of it……and I figured someone’d want to be a $m@rt @$$ and crack “Bape Sucks” jokes, so I asked the guys at the shop what sells the best, and before I could even finish butchering that question in my half-a$$ Japanese-nglish, they let me know, without fail, it was in fact the BAPE merchandise that was making them the most money…….not a surprise to me, but it may be a surprise to someone else.
They also carry all the other brands we drool over, and this day had a very good amount of Jordan stuff, from some recent releases like the Toro Bravo Flop, uh, I meant “Pack”, to some older stuff from way back in the good ol’ days. On this day, outside on their discount table were some Retro “Mars Blackmon” 4’s in excellent condition, for about $80.00…..they were my size too, and I DIDN’T grab em……not too sure why, but I think it has something to do with me being a goddamn idiot.
As far as the evil lady we all have a Love/Hate relationship with (Nike SB) Fool’s Judge is not messing around with the good stuff…..they had a few of the newer releases here and there, but for the most part, they keep the shelves stocked with the kicks everyone loves to talk about…..lots of pink box bangers, including what I think may have been a whole size run of Tiffany’s,….which is odd to see…..well, then again, when you need to sell a kidney to afford em (79,000 Yen, or $770.00,) maybe it’s not that odd afterall. Jedi’s, True Reds, Zoo Yorks, Supreme’s, blah blah blah…….lots of nice SB’s……and on this particular day, they had two pairs that blow straight past nice…….Autographed De La Hi’s and Lows. I wanted to buy em, but my name’s not Bill Gates, so it didn’t happen. Let’s move along shall we?….
This place also stocks ALOT of Visvim kicks, which are so far off the average sneakerheads radar, I almost don’t want to mention em, but I feel compelled to speak about em. Visvim more or less SH*TS on every brand out there as far as quality……they’re hand sewn, made with untanned elk leather, which molds to your foot over time and becomes “part” of you. The prices and availability, especially outside of Japan, are insane…..apart from Dover Street Market’s online shop, HUF’s online shop, and a few other very select retailers, you’re not gonna see these shoes outside of Japan….and, of course, you’re gonna pay ALOT, but again, it’s like owning a Ferrari……you either own one and can comment on it with honesty, or you don’t know what the hell you’re bumping your gums about. That being said, Fool’s Judge has ALOT of Visvim…..
They also carry an INSANE amount of Adidas kicks, a few other off brands, and like I said, they’re not just playing with the shoes….they’ve got a very good amount of clothing in there too, from Supreme’s older stuff, to NBHD stuff, to….well, you get the idea…….this is again, one of those places you have to set foot in to actually know and feel how crazy of a shop it is.
Overall, from a personal standpoint, I’d have to rank Fool’s Judge as……maybe, the 4th or 5th best shop in Japan for kicks. Definitely worth hitting up when you’re making your money wasting rounds thru Tokyo…….speaking of which……I always buy something at the shop I profile for TSG, and today, I got to add another gem to my ever growing vintage collection. So, my pick-up of the day at Fool’s Judge, was a pair of deadstock, OG 1992 Air Ballistic Forces…..those lovely, super high top neck breakers that David Robinson used to rock back in the day, and one of the sneaker models I pray, on a NIGHTLY basis, that Nike would retro (along with the Command Forces……please Jesus make it happen!…..) Only paid $30.00 for em too, which is always a welcome break from the usual routine of dropping a bill or two on some newer stuff.
Anyhow, I hope everyone likes the pics, and I’ll do my best to head back up there soon to snap up some pics of the other wacked out, insanely wonderful sneaker shops we’ve got over here……..
TokyoMike
great post homie
Wow, sounds like another store in Japan that knows what real sneakerheads like. Very cool, TokyoMike. The only issue I can see from a buyer’s perspective is that they keep their shoes wrapped up like bubble boy. How is prospective customer supposed to be able to get a feel for the material on the shoe? I mean, I never ask a store clerk to go find me a size unless I like the material I’m looking at. But then again, a store of that calibur probably doesn’t deal too deeply in shoes that are made out of crap. So the point I’m trying to make is probably lost.
Thank you tokyomike. The pics were great…wish i could swag down in japan and help them “make room” in their store!
WoW …lmao…shoulda got the JAYS!!!
!?!?!?! You didnt buy the 4s!! ill send you a money order for 80 bucks in that case lol nice sneaker spot, gonna check out the website right now, good lookin out T-Mike.
might i add that House of Hoops Houston is off the chain
mike i need those bape shell toes (the gold with white bolt). they’re in the 4th pic down i think. size 10 or 10.5
Good stuff Tokyo Mike.
Well done, TM (as usual). Like how the store hrs is in military time….12-8 caught that in the quickness. Those De La’s are dope eventhough the signature looks a tad bit sloppy, but its a signature so it is what it is. Nice pick up on the Robinson’s. If I were there, I’d cop all the 29cm kicks I see til my credit card says “decline” or til the cashier shake his head & show me the way to the door….
I wish I had a reason to go to Tokyo. Or just a shit load of money and no job/school to worry about so I could just take a long vacation.
Dope pics, good read…TM im trying my best to make it out there around or b4 my bday man i need to embrace those relentless wallet deflators we call heat
Dayuum!!! Thats like “shoe heaven”!!!
good read TM always dope
Damn, sneaker heaven.
you did it again TokyoMike
Um jealous.looks real nice over there
Yo TokyoMike,
I was in Japan last month (I was staying in Kichijoji!!!), and hit up this place as well as K-Skit and LA Avenue (size runs of De La’s of Tiff’s anyone?????)
trust me everyone, this man is NOT lying when he says ‘heart attack alley’!!
for me it was more like ‘brain f*ck alley’ cos i damn near went mentally retarted my brain was so fried from seeing all that heat, just sitting there in front of me like its nothing!!!
whatup G-Roc!
TSG
KNOWS
Great piece TokyoMike…Nice pick up on those Ballistic Forces…I’m alongside you praying for them to be retroed…Preferably the Olympic colorway for me.
Looks like they got some heat over there! I got a friend in HK (Hong Kong) that sends me kicks. Where is a good spot for him to hit up there?
Great read TokyoMike!
Your writing style should
trademarked no doubt!
Vizvim will be apart of my
winter pick-ups and the pics
you took just ensured that motion!
Good work!
tokyo mike mayn!!!!!!! im sure next time you go youll have to take a firefighter outfit or something cuz dayum all i saw were walls covered in FLAMES~!! wish i was there….but thoes pix could make great POSTCARDS for sneaker heads…
THANKS EVERYONE…….I DO THIS FOR Y’ALL SO I’M GLAD YOU APPRECIATE IT.
xxCOREYxx I BEEN A BIG VISVIM FAN FOR YEARS…..UNDFTD IN TOKYO’S GOT SOME NEW, ALL BLACK FBT’S FOR $400.00 I’M ABOUT TO SCOOP FOR THE WINTER….QUALITY IS INSANE!
CONVERSE KING, THEY WRAP EM BECAUSE OF THE HUMIDITY, AND BECAUSE OF SPACE CONSTRAINTS….MOST SHOE SHOPS HAVE THE GOOD LOOKING DISPLAY AREA FOR CUSTOMERS, AND THE BOXES WITH THE SECOND SHOE IN IT IS SOMETIMES IN A STORAGE BUILDING SEPARATE FROM THE FIRST AREA…BUT THEY’LL UNWRAP 10,000 PAIRS WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE IF YOU WANNA FEEL EM UP….I ALWAYS ASK TO MOLEST THE SHOE TOO LOL
STREET, YOU MEAN THE ALL GOLD SHELL TOES WITH THE WHITE BOLT? I’LL GET AHOLD OF EM AND SEE IF THEY HAVE YOUR SIZE AND THE PRICE….
Sophomore year of H.S. balling in the Ballstic mid’s… Nike’s team shoe that year. Thanks for taking me back brother!!!
YO Tokyo MIKE! Is there any hot spots in Hong Kong that you can suggest?
man i hate seeing this to be honest cuz i want half of thoose and cant find hardly any of them down here but i was alrady subtracting some kicks out my next check if i was there!!!
gotDAM TokyoMike. gotDAM. I’m glad my broke ass won’t be going nowhere near Japan no time soon…a 6′2″ Black man in Japan crying like a woman over shit he won’t be gettin’ and drooling over all this mess at the same time wouldn’t be a good look in any country.
yeah mike i need those gold bape shells with the white bolts & white toe. dallas austin wore those to the 1st sneaker friends in 05
^’06, buddy, Sneaker Friends ‘06.
^^djgregstreet… I’ll see what I can do….
Oh!!!! I wish Nike would retro the shoe in the last pics. The Air Ballistic Force Hi. David Robinson wore those back in the day. I have been wanting another pair since I had my first pair back in 6th Grade!!!
HEY TM…. I AM SOOOO GLAD that these spots are THOUSANDS of miles away from me and my WALLET…… that street should be called HADES…… HEAT GALORE… I swear I saw SATAN in the background trying on a pair of DE LA HIGHS……..
Yo G-ROC…. good lookin’ on that MI GENTE website…..
^^^^^TokyoMike, whats up with the VI’s (7th pic)? Mr. Cartoon AF1 live strong (1st pic)? Prices? Need size 9. Really appreciate if you could do me that favor brother
YO!! I REALLY NEED THOSE GOLDEN DOLPHINS (Japan release only)!!! 11.5-13!
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(If no one know what they are they are the ones next to the NITRO HIGH AF1)
Damn tokyo
how much more is it over there than it is over here for them jays
cuz i would happily pay pal u $$$
VINCEATLSNKRHEAD I dunno how much for the Golden Dolphins or what sizes they have but I can find out….good bet would be to check out Kichioji Skit’s website, and whatever they have listed, these will be really close to the same price….you’re lookin’ at a grip of cash for em without a doubt…..
DaHero1017 the blue/white 6’s? like the others, I gotta check. I know for a fact the Cartoon AF1’s are over $500 easy…..they dropped for retail only on their release day, and even then, by the time they hit the cosignment shops an hour later, they were triple the price…..
DaHero1017 them blue/white 6’s were/are $670.00…..hope you’re a doctor, or your real name is Oprah, cuz them shits are expensive.
TokyoMike after reading all of your post about the fire shoe spots in Japan, I bought a plane ticket and I’m going to each spot. I used to be stationed out there and couldn’t find any of these spots, I must have been looking in all the wrong places.
Sidebar: A couple days ago LMC said they had true blues in the UK for $111, made a call to some people I know out there and they sure do have them. Hopefully mine are in the mail now.
Wow…are you serious….WOW@ OG 1992 Air Ballistic Forces…Damn son…those are tough
i think i wuld probly pass out if i went into dat store…soooooo much heat yo…i wuld den wake up nd pass out again frm da prices haha but u gotta expect dat from crazy heat like diz….great post yo…
DAMMIT MAAAN I need some visvims in my life…to go along with what t.m. said I heard the shoes are made amazingly well with top notch materials…and trying to caryy that brand is nearly impossible (as I was told by 1 store owner) but they are up there in price out here…what is the pricing like out there t.m. for a pair??…NICE post by the way as always.
I was lucky enough to stumble upon this store when i was in Tokyo in june. this place is well hidden, but FUCKING CRAZY.
“J.Chang -Sidebar: A couple days ago LMC said they had true blues in the UK for $111, made a call to some people I know out there and they sure do have them.”
Wanna spill the beans on where you ordered from?
Nice post. Should have got the 4’s to cut the lawn just cause you could have. Did they have the McFly Hypermax any where in heart attack alley and if so how much???
THANKS ALOT TOKYOMIKE!! IMMA CHECK THE WEBSITE NOW… I KNOW THE PRICE TAG ON THEM ARE CRAZY BUT THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU WANT A WOODEN BOX. I JUST CAN NEVER FIND PASS A SIZE 11 IN THEM. IM GLAD I DONT HAVE TO GIVE UP THE HUNT!GOOD SNEAKERHEAD ISH!
@Soares…. My fault, they have them at any Nike retailer out there…. I just had my homegirl go to a couple different stores and she found them…. Price range was from like $111 to $130 from what she told me….
I just picked up a nice check yesterday @ FOOLS JUDGE
Kanye and Don was just in the building last week, but they didn’t buy cr@p compared to last time they came.
Im on a little vacation myself in Tokyo, just picking up checks everywhere and Im back in Los Angeles Tuesday. I’ll be hitting the 4th Kicks Lab sneaker event ( like dunkxchange but 10x better) this Sunday so I’ll be sure to take some pictures myself and post them on the RIF LA blog ( http://rif-la.blogspot.com/ )
TOKYO MIKE maybe you’ll be attending? It would be a pleasure to meet you.
Gregstreet, main email not working in Japan, so email me @ everyones.enemy@yahoo.com
wutsup G-ROC! i got some tees to send you brotha!
-everyonesENEMY
^^I’m gonna try my best to get up there for the event….
yoh mike, wens the next time u go out to tokyo for shoes.
im deff. feelin’ upto sneaker hunts.
sick coverage again man. i definitely gotta put these spots in my itinerary for my trip.
i’d really like to find out what other spots there are in tokyo.
ill be out there for tokyo auto salon in 2 weeks and am totally clueless about where to go.
any info would be greatly appreciated bro. (mc00ch903@aol.com)
thanks again
-matt