When I say modern, I specifically mean younger like less than 40 but preretirement is ok too.
I mainly ask this as I have lived here a long time and while the indoor-outdoor shoes do seem to be the way (at least in the rural areas) I have also seen plenty of people wear their indoor shoes outside. Let it be for brief periods.
Of course, when you go to someone’s house you should assume inside means shoes off but if they don’t care that’s fine.
I remember watching a movie years ago at an American not knowing went up the Genkan with their shoes on and the guy “freaked out” about ruining the purity of his house or something like that. I’ve never seen anything like this even when I was first here and made a mistake when reading a sign. They just told me shoes off.
I’ve also had people come to my genkan and I wore my outdoor slippers onto the first step inside of my house(literally the house I bought and owned) to grab something and were like you can take off your shoes.
Just wondering the current state of this piece of culture.
Edit: I am not against this custom. I don’t think it is bad. Just a question like “ is it ok to go shirtless when bouldering?” “How strict are people in western countries about shaking hands when meeting?”. I want to make it clear as some people think I’m judging.
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I don’t know about freaking out but my impression is 99.999% of Japanese people young and old would still firmly insist on you taking off your shoes before entering their home.
Better question is who actually wears outdoor shoes inside?
If someone wore their shoes inside I would get them to clean and sanitize my floor. I can’t understand people who wear shoes inside their homes. That shit Is nasty.
I’m not sure what to say. Wearing outdoor shoes inside is definitely a no-go.
But (at schools, for example), certain “outdoor” areas can be set aside for being walked on with “inside” shoes. So there are always exceptions.
And, as with all things, everyone is different. Some people will happily step outside briefly, others perhaps not.
My mom would probably kill me if I ever dare to do it.
just to be clear, wearing your outdoors shoes in the house is considered weird in most countries, not just Japan. most Western countries are less strict about taking the shoes off in the entrance area, so people may bring the groceries into the kitchen without taking their shoes off first for example. but I’ve only ever seen it considered “normal” to walk around the whole house with your outdoor shoes on in America. so likewise, “modern” Japanese may keep their shoes on if they just come back inside to grab something near the genkan area or gotta just go in and out for a moment. but I don’t see it ever changing that people will take off their shoes when they enter a house for a while.
I have never in all of my time here seen someone think it’s ok to do that or even try. Even my gym has to specifically state it is ok to wear outdoor shoes in there otherwise everyone would change into indoor gym shoes, and some still do.
only those who can afford american-size houses
You don’t wear shoes in a house. There is no concept of “inside shoes” and “outside shoes”. Shoes come off at the genkan. Simple.
In other contexts it’s more complex. Shoes are usually left on, inside of large scale “facilities”. Malls, office buildings, things like that. But then again, shoes are often taken off in the context of other more “homely” settings like Japanese style restaurants, gyms, smaller shops (especially for traditional arts & crafts).
But the specific answer to your question is “shoes always come off at the genkan, and this is among all ages, genders, and walks of life”.
I am not Japanese but I will beat you with kutsubara if you enter my apartment without taking off your shoes past genkan.
It isn’t a matter of “strictness.” I don’t think any issue comes up with most people. It is just what is done in Japan. No young, middle, or old Japanese person wears outdoor shoes inside their home. Most have house slippers at the doorway to wear inside.
I think it is only ever an issue in the minds of foreigners, either out of ignorance or arrogance.
Wearing outdoor shoes inside most businesses, stores, government offices, museums, hospitals, clinics, universities, etc. OK.
But if it is a traditional shop with tatami or carpet, you may be asked to remove shows and wear slippers there as well.
High school and below kids change into special indoor school only shoes at the school doorways
Toilets have special slippers for only inside the toilet.
I am so used to slipping my shoes on and off to enter homes that I got rid of all my lace-up shoes (except hiking boots) years ago to avoid the “gaijin-hunched-in-the-genkan-lengthily-unlacing-shoes syndrome.”
OP: I live here for a long time.
Also OP: What’s the current state of this piece of culture?
They’ll say don’t do that.
Don’t think there is any generation gap difference on that issue.
Asking something like this should be an instant ban. That’s how strict “modern Japanese people” are about this issue.. whatever that means.
Considering the high likelihood that every square inch of a train platform has been puked on by a drunk salaryman at least 10x, I recommend taking your shoes off before entering any home in Japan.
I remember mentioning this as one of a myriad of potential factors regarding the spread of covid… so many took offense to that for some reason.
Not Japanese but this is one custom that I wholeheartedly embrace and now insist that people visiting my home remove their shoes even when I am living outside of Japan.
Very.
Yeah this isn’t a generational thing, “The Way of the Genkan” is universal, at least for homes and schools. Perhaps the only thing that has changed in the last 20-30 years is the number of other public buildings or offices where you have to take your shoes off and switch to slippers has fallen considerably.
For me It’s not about tradition, but about the fact that if you’re wearing your outdoor shoes in my house, then you’re damaging the wooden flooring and scratching it all over the place with the tiny dirt particles stuck in your shoes’ soles. Nobody sets foot in my floors while wearing shoes. No exceptions.
The tatami room goes one level further: in the wooden floors you’re welcome to wear interior slippers or walk barefoot, but I don’t allow slippers on the tatami.
Back when I was living in Barcelona wearing outdoor shoes inside the home didn’t bother me because the floors there are made of stone or (very hard) ceramic tiles designed to take the abuse.
I lived in Prague and Czech people also have the custom of changing shoes at the door. The Japanese are more strict about it though.
I’m from France and we don’t keep shoes at home … in Japan it’s the same.
You know know where your shoe have been put in … old dog poop, vomit, etc.
Keep it for the outside ..
Wearing shoes in the house isn’t a modern concept which the throwbacks in Japan haven’t accepted yet.
It’s just gross, and Japanese are all about cleanliness in the home.
The closest I can say is that around school my teachers sneak around a little outside with their indoor shoes and thats alright. Like if they just cross the car park they’ll sometime wear their indoor ones. But my schools are also old and dirty anyway.
A while ago, my apartment building had a fire inspector come and check everyone’s smoke alarms, fire escapes, etc. The guy came inside, took his shoes off, *carried them to the balcony* and put them BACK on to inspect the fire escapes, then took his shoes off while he was checking the smoke detectors and stuff in the apartment.
Seemed silly to me not to just wear shoes the whole way from the front door to the balcony, or while he was climbing ladders inside…but I was not about to disrupt the 和 by suggesting it!