silver_ash86
the crazy hyper one...
- 15 Oct 2003
- 257
- 1
i always take my shoes off... i think it's part of asian culture
Do you take off your shoes?
- Thread starter Elgin
- Start date
samikun
後輩
- 21 Jan 2004
- 16
- 0
Every time. It's a custom here in Finland (and in many many other countries) and it's a very good custom because it keeps the house clean and I would hate wearing shoes all day long. And in the winter it would be really bad to wear shoes inside because snow sticks to shoes so you would always have a wet floor and it's really not a good thing for the floors. I think it's just practical and comfortable.
- Thread starter
- #28
I not only take off my shoes but my pants as well. I don't know if a bum sat in the bus seat before me so its pretty dirty. That and my pants will get wet and salty from the snow. And no I don't ask people to take off their pants before they enter my house but I do tell them to roll them up knee high just for not the floor to get wet.
- 29 Jan 2004
- 13
- 0
it depends on whos house i am in. i just kinda follow by example.
Eternal Wind
聖天使
- 30 Jan 2004
- 826
- 2
I would love to dirty my neighbour's house above with my dirty shoes on cause they are a bunch of hypocrites! hehe...
- 25 Jan 2004
- 52
- 0
Most people do not take shoes off here in america, EXCEPT for during the winter. To easy to clean carpets / floors now.
- 21 May 2003
- 14,310
- 4,404
IF I GO TO LUC'S HOUSE I'LL BE SURE TO....
Wear clean socks without holes & underwear the same when I check my pants at the door !
Frank
Wear clean socks without holes & underwear the same when I check my pants at the door !
Frank
thereisnospoon
Baka Gaijin
- 10 Nov 2003
- 170
- 4
I never used to but since I married an arab I always take my shoes off, and we have special flip-flops for bathroom use only.
I never used to for the first couple of years in J-pain, then I started getting allergies and a friend recommended getting my carpets properly cleaned. I found a place that to Brits ran - they came and steam-cleaned the place. Boy, you shoulda seen the black gunk that came out of those manky carpets ;-(. Got much better after that.
Oh, those guys were at: carpet-butlers.com
Bev.
Oh, those guys were at: carpet-butlers.com
Bev.
Kirakira1232
素敵な冒険始まる！
- 6 May 2008
- 472
- 16
Why does this sound like an advert to me...XD
Yes I take off my shoes in my own home and sometimes i do it absentmindedly while at my friend's houses too...then they all look at me funny and ask me why I took my shoes off.
Yup I think its an asian thing lol.
Goldiegirl
先輩
- 10 Aug 2006
- 1,694
- 69
Everyone takes there shoes off at my house. House rules so to speak. 
I prefer to be shoeless, my toe-sies like to be free! Anyway, it's a small request to ask and with trying to blend Japan and America in my house this small observance makes my husband happy.
I prefer to be shoeless, my toe-sies like to be free! Anyway, it's a small request to ask and with trying to blend Japan and America in my house this small observance makes my husband happy.
kimmikochan
先輩
- 18 Jun 2008
- 37
- 2
:shiver:
nope. no shoes. actually it would be nice to not wear shoes at all, not even outside.
nope. no shoes. actually it would be nice to not wear shoes at all, not even outside.
- 30 Apr 2007
- 1,173
- 84
I've always removed my shoes. I'm also a fan of sandals, slip-ons, things that are easy.
The sandal thing isn't so big over here for some reason but when I did it in Japan I felt right at home.
The sandal thing isn't so big over here for some reason but when I did it in Japan I felt right at home.
Chidoriashi
In imagination land
- 2 Feb 2007
- 824
- 63
Well after living in Japan for 4 years, I do now.. but generally as long as there was no mud etc.. on them it was ok to leave them on in my house... not on the furniture or anything though.
In Australia it's just not part of our culture to take off your shoes when you go to someone's house. There's always going to be people that prefer you take them off, but you just go with the flow. Otherwise if you just rock up and kick off your shoes it looks like you're getting too comfortable. Unless you're really familiar with the hosts. And if your shoes and socks stink, then it's just offensive.
Of course, I take off my shoes at home since it's just more comfortable. We tell visitors that they can take their shoes off if they want, but we don't enforce it.
Of course, I take off my shoes at home since it's just more comfortable. We tell visitors that they can take their shoes off if they want, but we don't enforce it.
- 7 Jun 2008
- 1,029
- 113
The custom actually varies geographically in the US. In the Midwest, where I grew up and most of my relatives live, people don't take off their shoes when entering a home. My poor Japanese wife had difficulty convincing visitors to do so. No, I should say, I did; my wife was too polite to ask, so she expected me to do it.
Here in Alaska, everyone removes their shoes. It's a given when visiting someone's home, just like Japan. I think practical considerations make the difference. In the Midwest the streets and walks tend to be washed clean by heavy rains. Here, we have snow and road silt (the city and state dump silty sand on roads to help with slick driving conditions) to deal with six months of the year, and it never rains hard enough to clean the stuff off in summer.
Here in Alaska, everyone removes their shoes. It's a given when visiting someone's home, just like Japan. I think practical considerations make the difference. In the Midwest the streets and walks tend to be washed clean by heavy rains. Here, we have snow and road silt (the city and state dump silty sand on roads to help with slick driving conditions) to deal with six months of the year, and it never rains hard enough to clean the stuff off in summer.
esra
後輩
- 4 Jun 2008
- 6
- 0
I've never met anybody who don't take their shoes off here. So we never worry if we should take our shoes off or not. Also you can see all the shoes left in front of the door to understand you should take off yours too.
well if there are people who don't take their shoes in houses i think it could be only about %5-10 of the population.
We use slippers and also offer slippers, which we have extra, to the guests. sometimes women take their own slippers (or sometimes home shoes) when they go to visit someone's house. And of course bathrooms have their own slippers which are not allowed to put on in the other rooms of the house.
put aside the cleanliness how can you keep those shoes all day on. I think it's unhealty too.
oh and if you step on the couches or beds with slippers you can get a bad beating from my sister
well if there are people who don't take their shoes in houses i think it could be only about %5-10 of the population.
We use slippers and also offer slippers, which we have extra, to the guests. sometimes women take their own slippers (or sometimes home shoes) when they go to visit someone's house. And of course bathrooms have their own slippers which are not allowed to put on in the other rooms of the house.
put aside the cleanliness how can you keep those shoes all day on. I think it's unhealty too.
oh and if you step on the couches or beds with slippers you can get a bad beating from my sister
emily00
後輩
- 21 May 2008
- 12
- 0
I've never been to a Japan or a Japanese house, and live in Ohio (USA) and me and my fiancee we always take our shoes off before we enter the carpeted area of our house. Also do it when we go to friends houses but most of our friends do the same too and have a 'shoe area'.
Ashikaga
もちもちした食感
- 19 Feb 2008
- 2,220
- 84
I always take them off as I live in a traditional Japanese house. There are times, though, it can be such a drag like when I am about to leave the house in the morning and after I am outside the door, I realize I have left my cell-phone or something up in my room. If I am wearing a pair of boots or laced-up shoes, it's really annoying having to take them off and on again especially when I am in a hurry. If no one is home, sometimes I cheat and go up to my room with my shoes on walking on my toes/heels so I wouldn't leave foot prints. lol
