Japanese House Rules: Shoes, Slippers and Tatami Etiquette
Take your shoes off at the entrance and put on the indoor slippers provided. Swap to the separate toilet slippers inside the toilet room, switch back afterward, and take all slippers off before stepping onto tatami mats, where socks are fine.
Video out Oct 13The 19-second video, with Hako. Follow on YouTube to catch it.
The 3 things to know
Shoes off at the entrance
Shoes off at the entrance, then put on the slippers. Avoid stepping on door sills.
Toilet slippers: switch, then switch back
The toilet has its own slippers. Switch, then switch back. Never wear toilet slippers outside the bathroom.
Tatami: slippers off
On tatami mats, take the slippers off. Socks are fine.
Quick answers
Do I have to take my shoes off in Japanese homes?
Yes. Shoes come off at the entrance, and you put on indoor slippers instead. Western-style hotel rooms usually let you keep shoes on past the entrance mat.
What are toilet slippers for?
They are separate slippers for the toilet room. Switch into them before you enter and switch back when you leave.
Can I wear socks on tatami mats?
Yes, socks are fine. Just take your slippers off before stepping onto the tatami.
Read the video transcript
Staying in a Japanese home or ryokan? Mind the slippers.
One. Shoes off at the entrance, then put on the slippers.
Two. The toilet has its own slippers. Switch, then switch back.
Three. On tatami mats, take the slippers off. Socks are fine.
Simple, once you know.
Sources & how we checked
The tips on this page were checked against these official pages:
- Updated
- Video
- 19 seconds, made by Ready in Japan
- Good to know
- Rules can vary by place. Follow local signs and staff.
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