As many of you are aware, shoes are not worn inside homes in Japan. American children can easily understand this because they understand that not wearing shoes in the home could keep the home cleaner. Just for your information, however, slippers are usually worn in the homes. The family members usually have their own personal slippers; and guests will be offered the use of guest slippers. These slippers are not worn on the ground (or in the entrance of a given place where the shoes are left) for any reason, however.
The idea that many Americans hold that one does not put on another person's shoes/slippers does not apply in Japan. Everyone readily wears the guest slippers offered by the host. In some cases, restaurants, hotels, or other places of business might even provide slide-on sandals to the guests. Japanese-style hotels, for example, usually have slip-on sandals by the door to put on to take a stroll around the grounds; and Japanese restaurants where one sits on the pillows on the floor usually have slide-on sandals so that guests can easily run to the restroom without having to put on their real shoes, which might be more cumbersome to change in and out of.
What children seem particularly surprised by is the fact that there are many places other than the home where one does not wear shoes. (Note: we need to think about the fact that the word for outdoor shoes in Japan is different than for other types of footwear. They have many different names for all of the different kinds of footwear that they have. So, explaining it is a little difficult in English.) Children are especially suprised by the fact that Japanese children do not wear shoes inside their schools. Actually, they wear a type of shoe, which we will hereafter refer to as school slippers, while they are at school. The school slippers, however, never touch the ground outside or the floor at the entrance of the school where the outdoor shoes touch, before the children change into their school slippers. For a visual image of a school slipper, one could imagine a slide-on canvas shoe.
Other common places in Japan where children (as well as others) might remove their shoes include such places as restaurants, offices, or religious locations. As for restaurants, some restaurants, especially more traditional, Japanese restaurants might have seating on pillows on the floor and would require one to remove one's shoes. Many offices also require that one remove one's shoes and put on slippers before entering. Also, many historical places, especially Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, require removing one's shoes before entering. In tourist locations, there are often no slippers provided. It is expected that you will have clean feet and socks (without holes) that you can wear while inside. It is fairly common for Japanese women to carry clean, white socks to put on when they are out sightseeing in such places.
Another important fact to remember is that there are special slippers to be used only in the restrooms, or water closets. In other words, if one is visiting someone's home or in a school, with one's slippers on, one will change out of the slippers that one is wearing and put on the restroom slippers to use while in the restroom. The idea here is that the restroom is unclean and one does not want to effectively contaminate the rest of the house by using the same pair of slippers in the water closet as in the other parts of the facility.
Another important factor still is that on tatami (straw mat) flooring, the traditional and often considered more formal flooring in Japan, one does not wear any type of slipper or shoe. If you are in a home or facility with a hall with hardwood flooring and are going to enter a room with tatami flooring (usually with the sliding paper doors as well), one needs to remove one's slippers and enter either is stocking feet or barefooted.
In general, if one is in Japan, one ought to watch what happens with shoes or slippers everytime there is a change in flooring, a change in level of flooring, or a threshold or doorway. Before making the change, check to see what other people are doing or ask and point to your shoes or slippers. Adults in Japan usually understand that we do not have the same shoe or slipper custom as they and will assist you and appreciate your being cognisant of such. If you accidentally do the wrong thing, correct it as soon as possible and apologize profusely. The words, "I'm very sorry" are very understood and appreciated in Japan.
The idea that many Americans hold that one does not put on another person's shoes/slippers does not apply in Japan. Everyone readily wears the guest slippers offered by the host. In some cases, restaurants, hotels, or other places of business might even provide slide-on sandals to the guests. Japanese-style hotels, for example, usually have slip-on sandals by the door to put on to take a stroll around the grounds; and Japanese restaurants where one sits on the pillows on the floor usually have slide-on sandals so that guests can easily run to the restroom without having to put on their real shoes, which might be more cumbersome to change in and out of.
What children seem particularly surprised by is the fact that there are many places other than the home where one does not wear shoes. (Note: we need to think about the fact that the word for outdoor shoes in Japan is different than for other types of footwear. They have many different names for all of the different kinds of footwear that they have. So, explaining it is a little difficult in English.) Children are especially suprised by the fact that Japanese children do not wear shoes inside their schools. Actually, they wear a type of shoe, which we will hereafter refer to as school slippers, while they are at school. The school slippers, however, never touch the ground outside or the floor at the entrance of the school where the outdoor shoes touch, before the children change into their school slippers. For a visual image of a school slipper, one could imagine a slide-on canvas shoe.
Other common places in Japan where children (as well as others) might remove their shoes include such places as restaurants, offices, or religious locations. As for restaurants, some restaurants, especially more traditional, Japanese restaurants might have seating on pillows on the floor and would require one to remove one's shoes. Many offices also require that one remove one's shoes and put on slippers before entering. Also, many historical places, especially Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, require removing one's shoes before entering. In tourist locations, there are often no slippers provided. It is expected that you will have clean feet and socks (without holes) that you can wear while inside. It is fairly common for Japanese women to carry clean, white socks to put on when they are out sightseeing in such places.
Another important fact to remember is that there are special slippers to be used only in the restrooms, or water closets. In other words, if one is visiting someone's home or in a school, with one's slippers on, one will change out of the slippers that one is wearing and put on the restroom slippers to use while in the restroom. The idea here is that the restroom is unclean and one does not want to effectively contaminate the rest of the house by using the same pair of slippers in the water closet as in the other parts of the facility.
Another important factor still is that on tatami (straw mat) flooring, the traditional and often considered more formal flooring in Japan, one does not wear any type of slipper or shoe. If you are in a home or facility with a hall with hardwood flooring and are going to enter a room with tatami flooring (usually with the sliding paper doors as well), one needs to remove one's slippers and enter either is stocking feet or barefooted.
In general, if one is in Japan, one ought to watch what happens with shoes or slippers everytime there is a change in flooring, a change in level of flooring, or a threshold or doorway. Before making the change, check to see what other people are doing or ask and point to your shoes or slippers. Adults in Japan usually understand that we do not have the same shoe or slipper custom as they and will assist you and appreciate your being cognisant of such. If you accidentally do the wrong thing, correct it as soon as possible and apologize profusely. The words, "I'm very sorry" are very understood and appreciated in Japan.
