The Custom of Taking Off Shoes It may be well-known that Japanese take off shoes entering a house. We are particular about wearing different shoes or slippers in different places. For example, stude

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The Custom of Taking Off Shoes It may be well-known that Japanese take off shoes entering a house. We are particular about wearing different shoes or slippers in different places. For example, students usually have three kinds of shoes. When they get to school, they have to change shoes at the entrance of the school building. When they go to the gym, they have to wear another kind of shoes. When they go to a restroom, they have to wear slippers. At home, of course we take off shoes and some wear slippers. When we go to a restroom, we usually use slippers exclusively for its use. Once when I tood a group of Slovenian people to a Japanese restaurant, we had to take off our shoes at the entrance, One of them suddenly got embarrassed because his sock had a big hole. The other day, a Romanian, said that he took off shoes when he visits his friend's home to show respect, I didn't know Romanians also take off shoes inside the house.

Jul 25, 2011 6:52 AM

Corrections · 5

The Custom of Taking Off Shoes

It may be is well-known that Japanese take off shoes upon entering a house1. We are particular about wearing different shoes or slippers in different places2. For example, students usually have three kinds of shoes. When they get to school, they have to change shoes at the entrance of the school building. When they go to the gym, they have to wear another kind of shoes. When they go to a restroom, they have to wear slippers.
At home, of course we take off shoes and some wear slippers. When we go to a restroom, we usually use slippers exclusively for its use.
Once when I tood 3 took a group of Slovenians people to a Japanese restaurant, we had they were told to take off our their shoes at the entrance. One of them suddenly got became embarrassed because his sock had a big hole in it! 4

The other day, a Romanian, said that he took takes off his shoes whenever he visits his friend's home to show respect. I didn't know Romanians also take off shoes inside the house.5

1. As a matter of fact all East Asians do that. It's very logical. Why bring the dirt into the house! I too require all my guests to take off their shoes upon entry into my home. No exception. If they don't, they will never be invited again.

2. Now this is unique! I didn't know. Thanks for the elucidation. It even makes more sense. I shall follow your example for the home.

3. Can't decide if you had misspelt "told" or "took" so I guessed the latter.

4. So what happened? Did he take his socks off too?

5. Like you said he is showing respect. Unless he told you explicitly. I don't think Europeans take their shoes off. However because of the large Asian population in LA, most westerners take off their shoes at the doorstep of an Asian household unless they are told explicitly not to.

July 25, 2011

I think the main reason is that in the old days, we don't have vacuum cleaners and cleaning floors is a time consuming and difficult task, especially when every household chore is labor intensive. So it is a prevention rather than a cure system. Although Koreans have floor heating system, I doubt people walk into the house with shoes when the heating is not on in summer.

July 26, 2011

Hi~ I needed to explain why Korean tends to take off the shoes before entering the house when I had a chance to present about Korean culture a couple of months ago to American at the public library. At the time of seeking about the reason to answer I came up with idea to answer. I thought that it might be from the Korean floor heating system called " Ondol" but it sounds like you are taking off them like Korean also even though you did not have one like Korea. I have to think about it more logical reason instead of answering to them simply it is one of an old custom of Korea if I have another chance for presentation.

July 26, 2011

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