You may have heard that Japanese people take off their shoes indoors. And yes — that’s absolutely true.
You might find it strange that people in Japan take off their shoes indoors — especially if your culture doesn’t have that custom.
But we get it.
Even we Japanese would be surprised if we visited a country where people, say, stayed completely naked at home.
If we were guests there, we’d probably start by blushing awkwardly at the door.
The truth is, about 99% of Japanese homes are built assuming that people take their shoes off.
And visitors are expected to do the same.
Even in some public places — like temples, ryokan inns, or certain restaurants — you may be asked to remove your shoes too.
It’s a bit more complex than it seems.
In this article, we’ll walk you through where you’re expected to take off your shoes,
how to tell when it’s required,
and how to avoid the classic mistakes—like showing up in toilet slippers where you really, really shouldn’t.
1. Where You Should Take Off Your Shoes
Figuring out when to take off your shoes in Japan isn’t always straightforward.
We said earlier that even Japanese people sometimes get confused—
and that’s true.
Still, there are a few places where removing your shoes is almost always expected:
Places Where You Definitely Take Off Your Shoes
- The entrance of a Japanese home
No one keeps their shoes on at home. Period. - The front entrance of a ryokan (traditional inn)
You’ll typically switch to slippers at the front desk. - Inside the main hall of a shrine or temple
Shoes are fine on the stone paths—but not on tatami or wooden floors. - At a Japanese-style restaurant with tatami seating
If you see a sunken table or a floor cushion, shoes come off.
Practical Clues for What to Do
Then there are places that look like you should take your shoes off—but actually, you shouldn’t.
Restaurants with wooden floors and table seating.
Certain clinics, salons, or esthetic spas.
Remove your shoes in the wrong place, and you may earn yourself a puzzled look—and a freshly soiled pair of socks.
Clues That Say: Take Off Your Shoes / Keep Them On
| Signs You Should Take Your Shoes Off | Signs You Can Keep Them On |
|---|---|
| • Slippers are placed at the entrance • There’s a shoe rack or cubbyholes • The floor has a step or is clearly raised • Others are removing their shoes • Floor is wood, tatami, or carpeted | • Floor is tile, linoleum, or vinyl • Others are keeping their shoes on |
Why Do Japanese People Seem So Unbothered?
You may recall that we said even Japanese people sometimes get confused.
But once you arrive in Japan, you’ll probably start to wonder:
“Wait… why does everyone else seem so sure of what they’re doing?”
Here’s the secret:
First, they’ve been trained from a young age to watch everyone else and quietly adjust their own behavior.
Spot the pattern. Copy it. Avoid risk. It’s practically a national sport.
Second, even if they make a mistake, they have a socially refined way of handling it.
A soft “sumimasen,” a micro-bow, and a seamless reentry into the correct flow—
like a dancer who missed a step but slides back into formation before anyone notices.
2. Classic Shoe Slip-Ups (And a Line That Might Save You)
For travelers in Japan, the most common shoe mistakes aren’t always the obvious ones—like wearing shoes into a home or taking them off when you shouldn’t.
No, the real danger lies in the little blunders.
Here are a few classic missteps—and a line that might save you, one time out of a hundred.
● Walking Outside in Indoor Slippers (Ryokan Edition)
Oops Frequency: ★★★★☆
Embarrassment Level: ★★★☆☆
Emergency Line:
“Lately my shoes have been distant.
Figured I’d make ‘em jealous.”
● Wearing High-Top Sneakers You Can’t Quickly Take Off
Oops Frequency: ★★☆☆☆
Companion Patience Required: ★★★★★
Emergency Line:
“Smart move not to wear my 8-hole Docs today.”
● Discovering a Hole in Your Sock After Taking Off Your Shoes
Oops Frequency: ★★☆☆☆
Shame Factor: ★★★★☆
Emergency Line:
“Damn you, sockmaker—skimping on fabric at the toes, huh?”
● Wearing the Toilet Slippers Back Into the Room
Oops Frequency: ★★★☆☆
Judgmental Gaze Factor: ★★★★☆
Emergency Line:
“I have a dream—
that one day, bedroom and toilet slippers shall walk hand in hand.”
3. Why Do Japanese People Take Off Their Shoes?
There are a few plausible-sounding theories about why Japanese people remove their shoes indoors.
Popular Theory #1: Cleanliness
Japanese homes often have tatami floors, and people sit or sleep directly on them.
So it makes sense to avoid tracking in dirt from the outside.
Popular Theory #2: Sacred Spaces
Just like people take off their shoes before entering a shrine or temple, homes are treated as “sacred” or pure spaces.
Popular Theory #3: A Clear Boundary Between Public and Private
Removing your shoes at the entrance symbolizes the shift from the public world to your private life — a common theme in Japanese culture.
Reasonable, right?
If a respected professor started saying all this in front of me, I’d probably nod and say, “Yeah… makes sense.”
But if I’m being honest as a Japanese person:
I’ve never actually thought about any of that.
So why does this tradition still survive?
Why do we keep going through the whole routine —
taking off our shoes at the entrance, slipping into indoor footwear,
sometimes even swapping slippers between rooms?
Simple.
Because it’s more comfortable.
We just want to relax at home.
Lie down. Sprawl out. Be lazy.
Even if someone doesn’t buy into any of the three “cultural” explanations above,
this one?
Every Japanese person will agree with it.
And if someone tried to change the rule now?
Like, “Hey Japan, it’s the global era — let’s start wearing shoes indoors”?
Well…
You’d see protests across the country.
People waving their slippers in the air, chanting:
“Give us back our laziness!”
4. Conclusion: So… Do You Take Them Off or Not?
Shoe rules in Japan can be surprisingly tricky.
Sometimes you take them off. Sometimes you don’t.
And sometimes, you’ll find yourself staring at the floor near the entrance thinking,
“What is it you want from me…?”
But really, there’s just one thing we ask of you:
If everyone else has taken off their shoes, please follow suit.
Please don’t say, “My ancestors didn’t fight in powdered wigs just for this!”
As long as you can agree to that, you’re good to go.
And if you mess up?
A quiet little “Sorry about that.”
That’s all it takes.
Everyone will instantly forgive you—
especially if you slide into those slippers quick enough to hide the hole in your sock.
