OKOBO - "Maiko's Wooden High Platform Sandals "

Above the new Maiko is trying her new OKOBO before her Misedashi.

The word OKOBO is an onomatopoeia, that come form the sound that this wooden sandals produce walking with them. In the Hanamchi's, (Geisha~Town), street one can hear the sound of the Maiko walk- 'Kobo-kobo-kobo'.
(For those interested in the sound when a Maiko walks in the street, please press this LINK. The last part is the sound of a Giko's ZORI.)

They are generally quite plain, made of unfinished wood with red strap and 11cm high. Some time ago the colour of the straps indicated the rank or experience of the Maiko. Starting off with red and ending their days as Maiko with yellow before becoming full Geiko. Nowadays all Maiko, with some exceptions, just wear red straps util they become Geiko

They're different theories why they wear OKOBO as follow:

1- To prevent the wearer's Kimono from touching the ground.
2- To elevate their high and to train them to walk in very gentle steps.
3- They were created to walk when snow.

Geiko don't wear Okobo, they wear either GETA or ZORI.