This is a lovely, vintage pair of Japanese girl's shoes. My research tells me that they were most often worn by Maiko, or an apprentice geisha. I have also read that there is Shichi-Go-San, a traditional rite of passage and festival day for 3 and 7 year old girls and 3 and 5 year old boys, considered a coming of age day where these shoes were worn. I believe the Maiko shoes were taller, but I am not sure. I believe they probably date from the 1930's, which puts them at nearly 100 years old. While the condition could be considered fair by some, I believe that their apparent age and use puts them in a condition that is pretty remarkable.
What I know about them factually is that they have been in my possession since 1968. My family lived in Japan when Dad was in the Navy. These were gifted to me by a woman who was part of a small group of Japanese students with whom we had some sort of Navy supported relationship - I believe they were students of English language and we were students of Japanese culture. It was my 9th birthday and the shoes and kimono were her own, childhood things. The extra picture is myself on the day these items were given to me. I could barely get my feet in the shoes, which are less than 8" long. They measure about 3 1/4" wide and are just over 2" tall. Thanks to my mom's impeccable notes, the young woman who gave them to me was named Yoshiko.