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"He came face to face with a woman with a towering helmet of hair pierced by lacquer ornaments. ... Standing on clogs that boosted her 10 inches off the ground, she loomed over him." -- The Ghost Brush, Katherine Govier

Lady Gaga's ability to rock sky-high platforms has historical precedents - notably among the top-ranked courtesans of the floating world of Edo, brought to life in Govier's latest novel.

But there's another Japanese connection: Gaga's most extreme footwear, her heel-less platforms, were inspired by humble Japanese DIY clogs (geta).

"I am interested in history and in the old culture," Japanese designer Noritaka Tatehana, 25, told MTV.com.

"The unique and creative shape comes from 'Kan Pokkuri,' which used to be clogs made of empty cans," said Tatehana, whose work is currently part of an exhibit at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology.

"In the old days, Japanese children used to make these clogs, passing a cord through holes made in the cans. After placing each foot on a can, they tried to walk, holding the cord in their hands."

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