One of fashion’s favorite sneaker brands is hoping to encourage more people to get their 10,000 steps in. Best known for its high-performance running shoes, this month, Asics is launching a new range of walking shoes in the hopes of driving global sales.
On top of its sports offering, the Japanese company has managed to establish a strong standing in the fashion market through long-term partnerships with designers including Kiko Kostadinov and Cecile Bahnsen. Now, this week in Tokyo, the brand will roll out its Asics Walking line — previously only available in Japan, since launching in 1983 — to the global market with the Moon Amble, a new flagship range of squishy-soled shoes marketed for everyday walking.
“We’re intending to use the launch of the Moon Amble as an opportunity to roll out the [walking] business globally,” Asics Corp. CEO Yasuhito Hirota tells Vogue Business. Beginning online with the Greater China region (including Mainland China and Hong Kong) at the end of September, the plan is to gradually expand the business worldwide. “The Asics Walking brand is already deeply established in Japan’s domestic market, so we want to further expand this business and take it to the global stage.”
The Moon Amble, a new flagship range of shoes marketed for everyday walking.
Photo: Courtesy of Asics
Why now?
Since launching its first dedicated walking shoe, the Pedala, Asics Walking now has 48 dedicated stores throughout Japan. But the range has remained entirely exclusive to the domestic market until now. Why, 43 years after the line launched, is it the right time to go abroad?
“Our top priority was first to firmly establish the Asics brand in markets around the world,” says Hirota. “Having now successfully achieved that solid footing, we believe we have reached the right time to expand our walking business as well. We’re ready to enter this new phase.” The CEO points to the Asics Walking store on the ground floor of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo that offers tax-free shopping, which he’s been observing closely in recent months to test the response from tourists. “It’s proven to be popular with international visitors, so seeing this has given us confidence in our ability to expand it abroad,” he adds.
Asics Walking is already a huge success in Japan. The brand projects net sales of JPY 15.8 billion ($100 million) for fiscal 2026, having reached JPY 8.6 billion ($54.4 million) in sales as of the end of Q2, according to Asics. Hirota believes the interest in walking boomed after the pandemic, and its uptake will continue as people look to accessible ways to stay healthy. “Running is, of course, beneficial, but it does carry certain risks… it isn’t something everyone can simply jump into, because it often requires a level of conditioning,” he explains. “Walking, on the other hand, is accessible to everyone.”
