Sportswear brand Reebok have recently teamed up with Japanese designer yoshiokubo to create two footwear designs featuring traditional Japanese concepts. It’s not the first time Reebok are letting loose a lineup with distinctly Japanese motifs, previously we’ve seen exciting drops inspired by Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and Gudetama, and even some Godzilla themed sneakers.

But these new designs take a different approach, celebrating the more traditional side of things, as opposed to pop culture. yoshiokubo is a Japanese fashion brand aimed at men, and in this first ever collaboration with Reebok, inspiration from calligraphy has played a big part in the design.

Two existing Reebok sneaker models have been revamped and first up is the Instapump Fury. With an innovative silhouette that already makes the wearer stand out, yoshiokubo’s design uses what looks like calligraphy ink splashes to show various depths of colour all over the shoe and complement the sneaker’s strong impression.

The second design has been applied to the ‘Club C’, a classic Reebok model which is coming up to its 35th anniversary. This more reserved design looks like the wearer has stepped in a puddle of ink and stained the sole of the shoe.

The back of the sneakers have an asymmetrical design, as one shoe has an embroidered bonsai, while the other has the word Reebok written in katakana (a Japanese writing system), in a script that mimics the brushstrokes of calligraphy.

Even the advertising campaign is a nod to traditional Japanese culture, with the model wearing clothes and makeup inspired by the actors of kabuki.

Both designs have already been released and can be found on Reebok’s official online store, yoshiokubo’s online store, and various sneaker retailers in Japan.