Jikatabi

Damn. They've profiled my special shoes. I have the white ones in a lovely brown. It's true that the split toe is great for grip. They're amazing for grip, actually. I went fishing with my office in Kagoshima once and the boss lent me his fishing jikatabi--they had spongy bottoms and the split toe. They were fantastic for walking on the slippery, seaweed-covered rocks. Cautious me was entirely fear-free.
Whenever I have worn my standard black jikatabi to a Japanese farm, the farmers have always been really enthusiastic about my shoes. "Wow! You really dressed the part!" "You're really ready to pick tea leaves now!"
Small North American children, however, tend to comment, "You have really weird shoes."
Whatever your viewpoint, I love the split toe. So practical and yet, so aesthetically pleasing.