Minimalist Running Shoes vs Seaford Beach Parkrun — I Wore Japanese Jika-tabi For My 5k?

I picked up a pair of jika-tabi (地下足袋) while travelling in Japan — traditional split-toe shoes used by construction workers, martial artists, and rickshaw runners for over a century. Then I decided to race them at Seaford Parkrun! This is a minimalist running shoe experiment. Jika-tabi have zero cushioning, a thin rubber sole, and a split toe — about as close to barefoot running as you can get without actually going barefoot. But can I still get a respectable time, or even a PB? Tune in to find out! Become a casual strider! 🏃‍♂️💨 Please like and subscribe for more videos! 🔔 I would also love to hear your thoughts and your experiences. Run day: 25th April 2026 Location: Seaford Beach Parkrun 00:00 - Intro 00:59 - Start 02:15 - 1km 02:51 - Jika Tabi Lesson 04:02 - 2km 05:34 - 3km 06:57 - 4km 07:35 - Final Push! 08:16 - Final Thoughts 09:12 - Results #parkrun #minimalistrunning #barefootrunning #jikatabi #5k #runninguk #seaford #japantravel