Japan is often thought of as a pristine nation where cleanliness is next to godliness. One has to look no further than the ubiquitous surippa (スリッパ – slippers) to understand why. The last thing on most people’s minds when they visit Japan is what to wear on your feet indoors, but it’s important to understand the customs associated with slippers so as to avoid any embarrassing faux pas.
Typically in the United States you take off your shoes at the door and walk around in socks or barefoot. Japan, however, takes this one step further. Every, and I mean every, house or apartment has what is known as a genkan (玄関 – entranceway) which is a small entranceway at the door. Here is where you would take off your shoes and slip (pun intended) into a pair of slippers that are either in a cubby or lined up in front of the main hallway.
The idea behind it is that by doing this you minimize contact between clean and dirty areas. In Japanese culture there exists this idea of uchi (家 – inside) versus soto (外 – outside) that is prevalent not only in social circles but also leaves its mark in the home. Outside is considered dirty while inside the home should be an area that is kept clean. This way of thinking is the main driving force behind the genkan and use of slippers.
Keep in mind that while there will always be a genkan, there might not always be slippers for you to wear. In this case you would simply walk in your socks. If there are slippers there are two things you should keep in mind. First, never wear the slippers while walking on a tatami mat. They can damage the tatami so you should leave them outside the room. Second, the bathroom will have its own set of slippers you need to change into. These slippers should not be worn outside the bathroom, and likewise you should only use these when using the bathroom.
Quite surprisingly, this practice is not just limited to one’s home. When I was a university student in Japan there were numerous academic buildings scattered around campus with a genkan and a cubby full of slippers. It was always a funny sight to see a group of students with a professor all huddled around the entrance, taking turns removing their shoes and putting on slippers. Not all buildings had slippers, however. It seemed only the smaller ones with less foot-traffic had a genkan. Schools, clothing stores some offices and many tourist attractions will expect prince or pauper to pause to change footwear where there is a chance that cleanliness may be compromised.
If you have larger feet you may have trouble finding a pair that fits. Of the generic slippers usually provided for you I only ever saw small, medium and large sizes. A friend of mine from Sweden constantly struggled to walk around because his heels would hang out the back, even in large-sized slippers! At 6’1”, he is not a giant by any means. If you visit a place frequently enough and struggle to find your size you may want to consider buying your own and asking if you can store them there. At best, politely ask if you can dispense with slippers and just keep your socks on.
