These words of wisdom come to you courtesy of our American Youth Leadership Program, through which 30-plus high school students and three educators are currently spending three weeks of living, learning, and exploring Japan with Cultural Vistas.

Always take your shoes off before entering a Japanese home in the genkan げんかん　玄関　(entry way). This is not optional, and not “usually”—always! However, you will see people hurry back in to grab something doing the knee-shuffle with feet in the air. 

Be sure to change from the bathroom slippers (often with a little toilet mark) back into household slippers before going back into the rest of the house, or you might get laughed at.

Oh, and do expect to take your shoes off and put on some sort of indoor shoe/slipper when going into schools. Students have shoe boxes at the entrance and change into their indoor shoes when the enter the school buildings.

Finally, be on the look out for young people, especially guys, running around with crushed down heel sections on their shoes. Being too lazy to actually put on/take off their shoes properly, they turn the shoes effectively into slippers or sandals by repeatedly stepping/walking on the back of the shoes.

The American Youth Leadership Program with Japan is a virtual and international exchange experience supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by Cultural Vistas.

Learn more about Cultural Vistas’ intercultural exchange programs by following us on Facebook  and Twitter @Cultural Vistas.