Welcome to the ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS) in Kobe. This isn’t your typical lab; it’s a secured R&D bunker dedicated to “human-centric science.” Their objective is simple: to reverse-engineer human movement to create technology that unlocks peak athletic performance, and how that all translates into ASICS SportStyle where the data is applied to lifestyle footwear for everyday wear — Hypebeast was amongst the first group of journalists to get an insider look at what goes on behind the scenes.Established in 1985 and fully operational in its current Nishi Ward location by 1990, the ISS serves as the definitive center for all ASICS innovation. The Institute is a self-contained research complex, unique in its ability to handle all phases of the R&D cycle in-house. This includes everything from the initial analysis of raw materials to final product testing.Inside, a Biomechanics Lab lies at the heart of its operation. ASICS agents use sophisticated motion analysis systems to quantify an athlete’s every action: stride, cadence, stability. Here, athletes are fitted with dozens of motion-capture markers while high-speed cameras and force plates record their every movement, generating terabytes of data that are immediately processed. Then, the data is used to design materials and structures from the ground up, with the explicit goal of improving performance and mitigating failure (injury). The facility is equipped with a vast array of sophisticated instruments designed to quantify human performance under extreme duress. And to think all this had evolved from an octopus salad.Kihachiro Onitsuka, the founder of the company that would eventually become ASICS, found unexpected inspiration for his first basketball shoe in 1951. While eating a dish of vinegared octopus salad, he noticed a piece stuck firmly to his bowl, prompting an epiphany about creating superior grip.The resulting shoe featured a sole with small depressions, designed to mimic the suction cups of an octopus tentacle. This innovative “Suction Cup Basketball Shoe” dramatically improved a player’s starting, stopping, and turning performance on the court, which was crucial for the fast-paced game. Although the initial prototype had too much stopping power, refinements led to a successful model. This early design, born from dinner inspiration, laid the groundwork for the company’s continuous commitment to athletic innovation.The work conducted at the ISS is responsible for nearly all of ASICS’ most successful and performance-defining technologies that are patented breakthroughs resulting from decades of research. One of the most critical discoveries is the GEL cushioning system — which is especially used in the ASICS SportStyle Division for everyday application. First integrated into ASICS footwear in 1986, the GEL material is continuously refined at the ISS. Its function is to absorb the massive vertical impact forces generated during running and disperse them horizontally, drastically reducing the shock transmitted to the athlete’s joints and soft tissues.Beyond the biomechanics, the ISS utilizes specialized environmental testing chambers. The Weather Simulator can precisely control temperature and humidity, allowing testing under the most demanding competitive conditions, from the blistering heat of a summer marathon to the cold, damp environment of a cross-country race.There is also simulation with the use of robotics that tests a shoe’s durability. Generally referred to as an outsole durability evaluation robot, a robot arm equipped with a shoe simulates the precise and repetitive impact of a human running gait on said shoe. This mimics a variation of speeds, weight (or pressure), and running surfaces, to produce data from hundreds of miles in a fraction of the time that would otherwise take human runners two to three months — a key part of the human-centric design process, ensuring that shoes meet high standards for performance and longevity through rigorous scientific analysis.
