If you’re invited to a friend’s house in Japan, here are a few pro tips.
When you take off your shoes at the genkan (entryway area), do so gracefully—it’s considered very rude to kick them off haphazardly. After removing your shoes, avoid stepping directly onto the genkan floor with your socks, as this can dirty them and, in turn, dirty the house floor when you enter. Instead, slip your heels out of your shoes and step directly onto the clean house floor or into the slippers if they are available.
Another tip is to crouch down and organize your shoes neatly along the line that separates the genkan from the house floor. Make sure to turn them around so that the toes are facing the door. This makes it easier for you to slip them on when you leave.
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