taking shoes off

[kacjp5]

Hi all,

Am visiting japan in Summer (I've been in every other season!) Just wondering when you take off your shoes for restaurants and houses - is it ok to be bare foot? So if you're wearing no socks it's ok?

Cheers,

Kat

[jkid]

High class restaurants often require you to take your shoes off. Moderately priced restaurants do not normally require this. You　should be able to tell straight away when you enter an establishment what is expected of you because normally there will be a designated spot to take off your shoes before you enter the main area of the restaurant.

I therefore wouldn’t worry too much about taking your shoes off at restaurants unless you　plan to go to more `upper class` places.

You should expect to take your shoes off when entering a house. I would say you should wear socks.

[Belton]

I've been to some cheap places that also required you to take your shoes off. Sushiya, or izakaya with more Japanese style. Usually when alone I'd be sat at Western style seating where you don't take your shoes off however.
I usually carry a couple of pairs of clean lightweight socks. (Either for when I wear sandals or when when my summer weight boots are still a bit sweaty.) I also usually don't fit into slippers when they are provided. (I bring my own for Ryokan and staying at someones house)
I've definitely been barefoot in castles. Maybe in other places, I can't remember.
In houses? Only when I'm part of the family. Defiantly at least socks elsewhere and then only because I don't fit into slippers.

(---for people who haven't been to Japan before ---
As said it will be obvious when to do so as there will be a place to put your shoes and nobody else will be wearing shoes.
Ryokan and Onsen / Sentou are other places where you don't wear shoes. Some old buildings like Castles will ask you to remove your shoes. You usually don't wear your shoes in temples either.
The prime rule is never ever wear slippers or shoes on tatami.
And when provided change into toilet slippers when using the facilities. )

[untmdsprt]

I always thought it was clean socks with no holes, or some sort of stocking. I wonder what people do in the case of sandals?

I guess maybe you could take a pair of socks with you in case you enter someone's house or a restaurant and want to put them on.