Little Pianist's Shoes "Piafit" | ピアノ演奏用の靴　Little Pianist（リトルピアニスト）

Pedalling naturally.

Free the pianist.
～Little Pianist's Shoes "Piafit" 2023

Little Pianist, creator of the world's first "pianist's shoes", has developed indoor shoes
in response to user feedback.
Since the damper pedal was developed by an English piano engineer in 1780,
the world's first product to address pedalling was the Little Pianist pianist's exclusive shoes.
Since the birth of the Little Pianist shoes, users from children who dream of becoming first-class pianists to professionals have been attracted by the gentleness and fit of the shoes, which do not make them conscious of "stepping on the pedal", and have said "I can never go back to the time when I did not have piano shoes".
The Piafit was developed in response to the growing demand for that same fit, not only for concert use but also for practice.
The pursuit of a literal fit and the usability of indoor shoes required trial and error in various aspects, such as material selection and form, but we developed indoor shoes for pianists with the cooperation of professional pianists who tried them on and ergonomics experts who analysed data.

We want to free all pianists from the foot strain caused by pedalling.

Footbeds researched with Tsukuba University

The strain on the feet and muscles that pianists suffer from pedalling has been overlooked,
even though experts are alarmed by the level of strain. The data shows that it is particularly serious for pianists of a developing age. Just as the Little Pianist shoes were born out of a mother's desire to see her daughter pedal as she practised the piano, Pierfit has been devised to be a shoe that accompanies pianists in their daily lives.
The keyword for Piafit is "wrapping". The fit transmits the force of stepping into the pedals without wasting any energy, and has also eliminated any worrying foot misalignment. Not only does it allow you to concentrate on the movement of your fingers, but it also contributes to the healthy development of the growing 'little pianists'.

To be one with the pianist's feet.

Piafit's keyword is "wrapping". Ergonomically designed for a sense of unity.
Pianists' problems, such as calluses on the pedalling area, cramps in the feet and breaks due to foot pain, have been caused by unnatural foot movements. The Piafit is thoroughly ergonomically designed to enable pedalling with much less energy than conventional shoes by making the entire area of the sole of the foot act on the pedals, rather than the conventional action of pressing down on the pedals with a part of the foot.

① Cup-shaped heel head
The cupped heel head eliminates the slippage that occurs when practising with slippers.

② V-shaped slit
Makes it easier to squat under a piano or walk up and down stairs.

③3D footbed
The arch support design provides a sense of balance for the entire foot and realises a single experience.

④Curved heel(patented)
This is a patented feature of the Little Pianist that enables delicate pedal operation.

⑤Center seam design
The opening of the footwear is not easily crushed, making it easy to put on and take off.

⑥Toe spring
The toe does not easily get caught on carpets, etc., making them safe for everyday use.

⑦ Original boat-shaped soles
Quiet design to reduce clattering noise when walking(patented).

⑧Original line sole
Reduces squeaking noise when in contact with metal pedals.

Voices of Experienced Persons Voices of Instructors

Ms. Yurie Kawana

Performs throughout the country as the "Piano Duo Unit RAI".

I wear slippers for long performances to ease the pain, but the Pier Fit shoes feel stable and wrap around me, so I can concentrate on my performance without worrying about my toes slipping off.
I would like to use them as room shoes for everyday use.

Mr. Yuto Iizuka

2nd Prize at the 2nd Rachmaninov International Piano Competition Japan

I usually wear Little Pianist piano shoes because I want to keep the feeling of the real performance. These are quick to put on, easy to pedal and I feel like I'm getting closer to the music I want to play.

Mr. Kentaro Yasujima

Winner of many domestic and international piano competitions. He teaches at Showa University of Music and Senzoku Gakuen College of Music.

The pianist's right leg is subjected to an unnatural load, so much so that people ask, What sport do you play? The students' performances on the Piafit clearly show a change in tone. I want to use it all the time myself. I really have been waiting for a product like this.

A range of seven sizes for pianists of all ages
Piafit is available in seven sizes, from 34(21cm) to 42(27cm) in increments of 1 cm, in the hope that it will appeal to people of all genders and ages.

Piano motifs loved by pianists

A demonstration test was conducted with pianists to quantify the burden on the feet during pedalling and to measurethe effectiveness of Piafit.

In September 2022, an experiment was conducted at a piano studio in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, using electromyography and accelerometers to measure the effects on the feet during performance, proving that muscle strain and left-right wobble of the feet are reduced when wearing Piafit.

Dr Kazutaka Adachi, Associate Professor of Physical Education, University of Tsukuba.

In pedalling, a force of 5 to 7 kg is exerted on the right foot only, and in developing children, this can affect bone development if they do not wear suitable shoes.The hardness and shape of the soles and the curvature of the heel of the Piafit make ergonomic sense, and pedalling is particularly easy and as desired because the fulcrum is located close to the ankle joint. This results in less stress and awareness on the feet and allows the brain to concentrate on the finger movements.

■SHOE FOR PIANO PERFORMANCE is patented under PAT5470498.
■Little Pianist is registered under TM5742991.
■Little Pianist Logo is registered under TM5742992.
■Piafit is registered under TM6613754.
■Piafit design is registered under D1732978.
■SHOE FOR PIANO PERFORMANCE is patented under Chinese PAT105163620(B).