Where and When to Take Off Your Shoes

A practical guide to Japan’s shoe-removal culture at home and in some public places.

In Japan, the genkan marks the boundary between outside and inside. You remove your shoes there before stepping up into the living area.

This also applies in some restaurants with tatami rooms, schools, clinics, and other places where shoe racks or slippers are provided.

A separate pair of toilet slippers may also exist in private homes.