Etiquette

Here are a few quick tips on the etiquette of entering and leaving your Japanese friends home.

Please remove your coat or jacket before entering the door. Just think about it. When you remove your coat the lint and dust fly off of it and by removing it before you come in, you don`t deposit that lint and dust in your host`s house.
Your host will probably have a pair of slippers ready for you on the step up area. Remove your shoes and change into the slippers. As you remove your shoes, please don`t stand in your stocking feet or barefoot on the deck area. This completely defeats the purpose of changing from your outside shoes into the slippers, which is not to track in dirt from the outside. If you stand on the deck after removing your shoes, you get your feet dirty and track that dirt into the house.
After changing into the slippers, you are now standing on the step up area. Squat down (Ladies,
let`s squat in a ladylike fashion, OK?) and place your shoes side by side with the toes facing outwards. Move them a little to the side leaving the center area open in case someone else comes in. The center area should always be free of shoes.

OK!

Now enjoy your visit.

When it`s time to leave, you change back into your own shoes, of course. Once you`ve got your shoes on, turn around and replace the slippers side by side with the toes facing inside the house and a little to the side ,again leaving the center area open. Wait to put on your coat until you`re outside.

You may not remember all of this, but using as much as you can will make you a welcome guest.

Have a nice day!!