All my shoes

Japan has a shoe culture. I think most of us are at least vaguely aware that in Japan one's shoes are removed before entering someone's home. What many people may not know is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The practice of owning and wearing several different pairs of shoes for different occasions isn't uniquely Japanese - just ask any American women how many pairs she has in her closet. In Japan, however, there are cultural forces driving this practice. Specifically, the Japanese concern for cleanliness. While there are many instances where this concern is overlooked or ignored, it has become deeply rooted in many Japanese customs and daily practices - such as treatment of shoes.

日本は靴の文化がありますね。外国人は日本では家に入る前靴を脱ぐってことうすうす分かると思う。でもこれは氷山の一角って分からないと思う。いくつかのくつ(ごめん)があることは日本の慣行ではない。アメリカ女性に聞いてみて。しかし確か日本ではこの慣行の原因は文化的です。特に、日本人は清潔さを大事にする。もちろん時々日本人は清潔さが気にしないけどこの考え方はたくさんの慣習の根源にあると思う。例えば、靴。

Take my base school for example. I wear my work shoes only to walk or cycle over to the school building. I take them off at the inside entrance (玄関, げんかん) and put on my indoor slippers (which for some reason can also be worn outside, but only on school grounds). I usually wear these. If there's an event in the gym, though, I either have to take off my shoes and go it in socks, or wear a pair of sneakers I bought specifically to be worn indoors. That is, unless the tarp is laid out on the gym floor. In that case I can wear my indoor slippers (but not my outdoor shoes). Today was the entrance ceremony for the new 1st-year students, and I noticed that all the attending parents had brought their own slippers from home!

Lastly, let's not forget about bathroom slippers. Yup - the bathroom entrance also has slippers on the inside, which you must exchange for your indoor slippers.

It's a practice I've gotten used to, and I can understand the reasoning behind the custom. And hey, I like the idea of not wearing shoes in the house. I have to say, though, sometimes it is still frustrating - especially at work.

例えば、僕の本部の学校。仕事行くと正装の靴を履く。玄関で脱ぎで内のスリッパを履く（どうしてか分からないけどこのスリッパは外でも履けるが学校の構内だけで）。たいていこのスリッパを履いてる。でも体育館に行ったらダメだ。そこに入りたかったらサックスソックスでか内の用スニーカーで入らないとダメだ。でも床はタープがある場合は、スリッパを履く（外の靴はダメ）。今日は入学式だった。で両親は家からスリッパ持って来たのに気が付いたんだ!

最後は、トレイトイレのスリッパある。

この慣習を慣れまして、原因の理由というか考え方よく分かる。それに家に靴無しでいることを解する。でもたまにまだちょっと困ると思う（困るってちょっと強すぎかな・・・「不便だと思う」って感じの方がいいかな）。特に仕事で。