The importance of shoes

When you enter a Japanese home, you take off your shoes.  It doesn't matter if you are old or just grabbing your cellphone that you forgot on the charger.  You take off your shoes every time you enter a home here.  It isn't just a tradition, it is a hard and fast rule.

It seems to be a hard thing to explain to visitors.  For me, it is no big deal.  I learned this when I lived here 17 years ago and it just stuck.  We didn't wear our shoes in our home in the US either.  Some of the reasons for not wearing shoes in the house just made sense to me - reduce allergens and not tracking dirt or fecal matter inside.  But another reason was because it was how my husband was raised and wearing shoes inside the house really freaks him out.

When visiting a Japanese home, you will need to take off your shoes.  So, it is important to bring shoes that can easily be slipped off and on.  You might see Japanese people with lace up boots, but look closer and you will see a zipper.  Shoes sold here are easy to put on and take off.

What most westerners don't seem to realize is that the request is not about them.  It is just about maintaining the home and not bringing disgusting germs into the house.  So when visiting Japan,  do yourself a favor and bring slip on shoes!