John Kim The 1980s is such a unique period in sneaker history. The battlefield was far more level and technology and materials science was limited, which meant marketing was everything. New Balance hit one right on the nose in 1985 with the debut of a $130 “luxury” sneaker called the New Balance 1300, a shoe that the brand touted as the best running shoe they ever made.
In the late 1980s, a silk road of sorts formed connecting the US to Japan. A lot of sneakers inaccessible in the Far East landed in Tokyo, specifically in Ueno, which generated the single most unique market of sneaker fanatics in the world. This pipeline likely sounds familiar: a new sneaker launches to moderate fanfare, gains a cult following in Japan, and later relaunches to a newfound audience seeking the next cool thing.
Due to that unexpected demand, New Balance re-issued the Made In USA 1300 exclusively in Japan in 1995. Since then, the shoe has followed a twice-a-decade roadmap of releases, dropping the mythical sneaker in super-limited quantity every five years.
The tradition continues as New Balance confirms the return of the Made In USA 1300JP as part of the brand’s overhanging “Grey Days” campaign throughout May. The sacred colorway of Steel Blue makes a return, resetting the countdown clock for the next drop in the year 2030.
This limited release will globally on May 29th with an MSRP of $330.
WHERE TO BUY
Mens New Balance 1300 JP
US 05/29/2025 Thursday
Powered By:
| Retailer | Release type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New Balance US | Raffle | Raffle |
