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The Puma Suede Made In Japan are a premium offering from the brand. Reviews of my latest pairs are towards the end of the article. My latest acquisition are the Yellow/Green pair.

Click/tap image to shop for these on eBay!

I’m a big fan of Puma Suedes and I’ve been picking them up here and there. This shoe is a classic that stands the test of time! I always pay attention when something drops from the Made In Japan (or MIJ) line. It usually signals a quality release. Skip to the end of this article for links on where you can buy the same pairs I’ve reviewed.

How Do The Puma Suede Made In Japan Fit?

The Puma Suede Made In Japan Collectors fit true to size on the roomy side, with a fairly wide, cushy and overall comfortable feel. They require little to no break in period.

This version of the Suede has some minimal build changes. These include a slightly narrower sole and a shortened toebox (or “vamp”). Neither of these affect the comfort or fit compared to a regular non-MIJ pair. If anything, the use of leather liners makes the Made In Japan Suedes even roomier.

This is a casual sneaker with midsole technology from the 60s, but still has a comfortable enough feel underfoot to be wearable all day. There’s no bells or whistles as far as fancy Boost or Air tech, but the Suede gets the job done as far as casual retro kicks go.

I Really Like This Shoe

Overall, there’s not one pair of the MIJ line that I haven’t liked. The suede itself is such a simple yet classic model that Puma would have to try to mess up a premium release.

While more premium line imparts a more premium price, the patient are often rewarded as these often go on discount. The Puma Suede is not only a classic sneaker, but criminally slept on as well! This may have to do with the lack of flashy collaborations or hyped-up releases. The model itself is relatively plain as far as its construction, and probably only those “in the know” would be able to guess why a Made In Japan pair is exciting.

That’s part of the appeal for me, a “sneakerhead” shoe that remains low key and blends in. This is why the Suede is perfect for those that want something clean and versatile, and the MIJ component adds that “collectable” edge to the sneaker.

Puma Suede History

The model originally released in 1968 as the Puma CRACK. This model later evolved into the Puma CLYDE, which eventually became the Puma Suede towards the end of the 70s.

One feature of the sneaker historically was its ability to display multiple color combinations. The suede uppers helped with this, making seemingly endless variations possible.

In the 80s, breakdancers popularized the sneaker. I remember a friend of mine in school that would breakdance and swore by Puma Suedes with fat laces. The popularity of the sneaker in hip hop culture and relative inability to get pairs outside of the US made the sneaker a hot commodity in the UK where it was renamed the Puma STATES. The simplicity and versatility of the casual shoe even eventually grew fanbases in the skate world.

I’m not sure when Puma’s Japanese factory was established. From what I understand, the Puma Suede model began having limited runs made entirely in Japan in 2010. It seems as if Puma has been increasing the amount of MIJ releases of late. Whereas it began as a few hundred pairs of a few different colorways, the line has evolved into a mainstay for collectors.

That said, I still get excited when I hear some more pairs are releasing. It takes a lot of self control for me to not impulse buy every colorway, but as stated earlier, discounts await the patient sneaker shopper!

How Are The Materials on the MIJ Puma Suede?

These have some really nice suede. It looks great visually, and texture-wise is quite soft, exuding the “premium” feel of the sneaker.

Although not quite as buttery as some older silver box SB Dunks or Made In USA New Balance, these still hold their own as far as quality. The leather ankle liner is a nice touch as well.

I’ve heard claims that the suede itself is a similar quality to the regular Puma Suede which retails for a third of the price. However, in my experience the regular editions of the Suede are hit-or-miss as far as materials used. The MIJ pairs do evoke a more premium feel and are way more consistent in quality.

Where To Buy the Puma Suede Made In Japan?

You can usually find new colorways of Puma suedes on the Puma website. The price tag of Made In Japan pairs can be steep, however they can typically be found at a discount a while after release.

Links to purchase individual colorways that I own are below.

Puma Suede Made In Japan Spectra Yellow-Amazon Green Review

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These are part of a 3 pack of Suedes that also include a red and black and black and tan versions. This pair includes green and yellow flat laces and come in a white Puma box.

The suede on these is immaculate. I love the lushness and craftsmanship that goes into these Made In Japan pairs and this pair epitomizes that. Not to mention, the colors pop on this pair! This type of color combo with this level of quality is what the Suede is all about in my opinion.

Puma Suede Made In Japan Grey/Silver Review

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These are part of a 2 pack of Suedes that also include a black pair (see below). These feature vintage effects such as exposed padding on the tongue and the Puma Suede logo being more true to the OG.They include grey and white flat laces and come in a white box with a Puma size tag in Japanese.

Instead of all suede, these opt for a metallic silver stripe on the side. While the retail is pretty high on these, I was able to get them for around half off.

Puma Suede Made In Japan Black/Silver Review

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These came out alongside the grey pair mentioned above and also feature the exposed padding on the tongue and the Puma Suede logo on the side missing the “Suede”. They include black and white flat laces and come in a white box with a Puma size tag in Japanese.

Besides the stripes being a silver leather, these silver striped pairs have a shorter hair suede than the all suede Made In Japan pairs. That said, either pair is definitely buttery and more than acceptable quality, and especially worth it if you can find these for below retail.

Puma Suede Made In Japan 50th Anniversary Review

This Lakers-themed pair are part of the 50th year celebration of the model. They come with 3 sets of laces and a slightly fancier box and paper than a typical release.

There is nothing bad I can say about this sneaker! The quality is impeccable and is a standard that I hold every MIJ Suede to as I continue to collect the model.

This sneaker went from heavily discounted on sale to being extremely difficult to find at or below retail.