In Japan, it is customary to take off one's shoes and put on slippers to wear inside a Japanese house, temple, restaurant, ryokan or school. There are two reasons for this. One is psychological: by following this ritual, you will leave the worries and stress of the outside world behind as you enter a quieter place.
A common rule of thumb is if the place is culturally traditional, has tatami mats, or is someone's personal space like a residence, then you should take off your shoes. Otherwise, it is likely okay to leave them on.
Respect in Japanese Culture
Taking off your shoes at the door shows you have respect for the place you are entering. Whether it is a home, a hotel, a restaurant, an inn, or even a hospital, taking off your shoes when you see a tatami mat near the door is necessary.
When do I need to take my shoes off? There is no hard and fast rule on where you must be shoeless, so your best guide is your eyes. Homes and hotels will typically always be shoeless as well as anywhere with a tatami mat floor.
In most Japanese schools, everyone has to change out of their outside shoes and into their inside shoes (called Uwabaki or Uwagutsu) when they enter the school.
This small space right after the entrance is called a 'genkan'. A genkan is usually a little lower than the main part of the house. It is the only place in the house you can wear your shoes. You are supposed to leave your shoes at the entrance and step into the room.
Japanese have developed the custom of eating meals sitting on tatami mats, not on chairs. They also roll out the futon on which they sleep on the tatami floor. Therefore, they take their shoes off when entering the house to avoid getting the floor dirty.
In Japan, it is customary to take off one's shoes and put on slippers to wear inside a Japanese house, temple, restaurant, ryokan or school.
Firearms such as pistols, revolvers and machine guns, and bullets or parts thereof. Explosives, gunpowder, materials for chemical weapons, germs such as anthrax. Counterfeit, altered or imitated coins, bank notes or securities, and forged credit cards. Obscene or immoral materials, and child pornography.
Dressing modestly is important to maintain cultural customs and norms. Avoid things like tank tops, shorts, and mini-skirts. Opting for more conservative clothing is always a safe bet even if you don't plan to visit temples or shrines. It's also generally frowned upon for women to show cleavage.
It is viewed simply as a matter of preference. In many cultures (see map below) it is considered rude and unhygienic to wear outdoor shoes indoors. Here in Australia, the majority opt for the convenience of keeping shoes on, especially as guests.
First, at a nice restaurant, it is considered rude to rub or scrape your chopsticks together as this implies that you think their chopsticks are cheap or poor quality. When not using your chopsticks, you should lay them on the “hashi-oki” or chopstick rest.
Always finish your meal!
The Japanese consider it rude to leave food on your plate, and even more so to order more food when you haven't finished everything you've already got. This is related to one of the fundamental concepts in Japanese culture, mottainai, which is a feeling of regret at having wasted something.
Don't leave food behind. It's considered bad manners to leave even grains of rice behind, so be sure to clean your plate! If there are some foods you cannot eat, ask to have them left out of the dish.
In many countries like Germany, Switzerland, Skandinavian countries, Turkey, Japan, Korea etc. it is common use to take off the shoes when entering someone's home. In these countries it is considered a major faux pas to walk through a house with shoes on.
Wear comfortable clothes that you can easily move in, but also are stylishly sharp. Tuck in your shirt to a well-fitting pair of jeans or shorts, and be sure to wear shoes you can easily slip on or off.
Food. Food items brought into Australia need to be declared on your Incoming Passenger Card if you come by plane, or on the parcels you mail. Biosecurity officers may need to inspect some of the food you're bringing with you.
Smart casual is the preferred dress code at all TABLEALL restaurants. There is no need to dress formal, but please avoid shorts or T-shirts / tank tops.
This is the place to wear the shiny items and take fashion risks, if you'd like to, that is. I speak about footwear quite a bit in my 'Preparing for Japan' article here but I will talk about it again and add some more information. All footwear is fine. Heels , flats, boots, sneakers, sandals.
Instead, it is polite to say "gochisosama deshita" ("thank you for the meal") when leaving.
Never hugging or kissing
In Japan, touching another person's body is considered rude, even with friends or family. Hugging and kissing are mostly for couples.
Slippers are provided by the host. If you are not wearing socks, it is polite to bring a fresh pair of socks to wear after removing your outdoor shoes because entering someone's house barefoot is not considered well mannered, although acceptable in informal situations.
Uwabaki (上履き) are a type of Japanese slippers worn indoors at home, school or certain companies and public buildings where street shoes are prohibited.