Indoor Shoes?

[Terin317]

What's the deal with indoor shoes for school? I've heard they should be easy to take on and off, and have soft rubber soles. I have no idea what I should buy, though. Are we talking running shoes or Vans slip-ons or what? I'm not a shoe guy at all. Suggestions?

[Namisuke]

From what I have noticed, you can pretty much wear anything indoors as long as what you wear is clean. I have seen men and women wear converse, dress shoes, slippers with socks, crocs, runners, etc. Only for ceremonies do you need to wear black shoes. Simply buy comfortable shoes that you can wear with almost anything. It is good to be able to slip shoes on and off easily, expecially when you go to restaurants and so on so that you don't hold everyone up. Or, you can leave the laces pretty loose so that you don't have to tie them all the time.

[DoubleSupercool]

What's the deal with indoor shoes for school? I've heard they should be easy to take on and off, and have soft rubber soles. I have no idea what I should buy, though. Are we talking running shoes or Vans slip-ons or what? I'm not a shoe guy at all. Suggestions?

Comfortable non-marking. I am getting a pair of black Converse skate stars or some black New Balance ones (the ones for cops/nurses, super comfy if you are on your feet all day). Comfortable and you don't look like a goon

[kenkennif]

Are we talking running shoes or Vans slip-ons or what?

I actually have a pair of Vans AND some running shoes/sneakers/trainers which work perfectly fine. They don't even have to be black in colour - the Vans are purple and the sneakers are just a pair of Nike whitish normal shoes.

Before I came here I bought a pair of crocks in black *forgive me* because I had imagined that would be the style which would be suitable, but actually I was kind of wrong on that one and I don't think I ever wore them apart from at the beach or for paddling in a river.

Anything clean is okay... Anything not particularly clean is okay actually, too - as long as you go through the process of taking off one pair of things on your feet as you enter school and putting another different pair of things on afterwards, you'll be fine.

[kemek]

Anything clean is okay... Anything not particularly clean is okay actually, too - as long as you go through the process of taking off one pair of things on your feet as you enter school and putting another different pair of things on afterwards, you'll be fine.

That was going to be my question. I teach in Korea and we do the same thing but it's more of a comfort issue than a cleanliness issue. I have a pair of Tevas (ugly but comfortable) for teaching that I'd like to keep using.

[akarih]

From what I have noticed, you can pretty much wear anything indoors as long as what you wear is clean. I have seen men and women wear converse, dress shoes, slippers with socks, crocs, runners, etc. Only for ceremonies do you need to wear black shoes.

In my school we don't need to change into black shoes for ceremonies
guess that's another ESID

[mcchan]

From what I have noticed, you can pretty much wear anything indoors as long as what you wear is clean. I have seen men and women wear converse, dress shoes, slippers with socks, crocs, runners, etc. Only for ceremonies do you need to wear black shoes.

In my school we don't need to change into black shoes for ceremonies
guess that's another ESID

Same here. For ceremonies usually we wear the same indoor shoes (aka old lady's sandals in my case) or socks. Anything is fine for most schools. Some, like technical schools, you don't even need to change. If your size is not too bad for Japan don't bother bringing any, you can always buy crocs here. In the beginning, you can wear the school guest slippers. I wore them for weeks before I brought my own.

[shortsmallsweet]

From what I have noticed, you can pretty much wear anything indoors as long as what you wear is clean.

Totally second that. In ES it seems like most teachers wear trainers/sneakers as indoor shoes - maybe more convenient for them to run around with the kids and do stuff. And since it's almost summer now, both male and female teachers in my JHS are opting for the socks with sandals look. My school does the black shoes thing for ceremonies too, but I don't change into something nicer since my indoor shoes are already black pumps. I abhor the guest slippers cos they never fit and always go click-clack-click-clack really loudly.

[teabot]

In the beginning, you can wear the school guest slippers. I wore them for weeks before I brought my own.

eh, i wouldn't necessarily recommend that... some of those guest slippers are really annoying or uncomfortable. they offer your feet absolutely zero support. if you have any problems with your feet that require support, you will feel it. (i do. :[) also, they can be death traps on stairs. D:

i often just use the slippers at the elementary schools i visit, and i've found that some school's slippers are better than others, some i would literally prefer walking around in socks all day because i'd trip on the stairs and have to shuffle around just to keep them on my feet, whereas others were more ok.

[nicklar]

I just used cheap canvas slip ons. Easy to find in Japan unless you have very large feet. I had one pair in my base school locker and another pair in my backpack for visit schools. I also kept a pair of athletic shoes under my desk as I used to play basketball in the gym with the students at lunchtime quite often.

Pretty much anything is okay as long as they are used only for indoors. Dress shoes for formal events at my school were pretty much expected.

[Kain of the Wired]

5 page thread on shoes here viewtopic.php?f=26&t=11377

[CMT_YamaguchiPA]

Rubber shoes might squeak annoyingly with every step you take, so something to be wary of! I just got flats at Target that were simple, black, and slip-on style.

[mcchan]

In the beginning, you can wear the school guest slippers. I wore them for weeks before I brought my own.

eh, i wouldn't necessarily recommend that... some of those guest slippers are really annoying or uncomfortable. they offer your feet absolutely zero support. if you have any problems with your feet that require support, you will feel it. (i do. :[) also, they can be death traps on stairs. D:

i often just use the slippers at the elementary schools i visit, and i've found that some school's slippers are better than others, some i would literally prefer walking around in socks all day because i'd trip on the stairs and have to shuffle around just to keep them on my feet, whereas others were more ok.

lol yeah, they are not the best, but I wouldn't bother bringing one if you can buy them in Japan. I came from the UK and was allowed only one suitcase, so it helps saving space.

[Keshu]

As long as they don't see you use the same shows indoor and outdoor you'll be ok.

I thought it was funny when I saw my JHS principal wearing white sneakers with a black tuxedo for graduation ceremony... I guess anything goes and it depends on the school. I switched school and now works in SHS. Many of the teachers have slippers here.. but wear proper sneakers for ceremonies. They won't expect much from you at first so just take it easy and see how it is at your school. I doubt you'll have trouble.

[darlo]

I've found it much simpler to just use the school slippers. My bag's normally a bit too bulky with lesson stuff to clump in an extra pair of footwear, and I have 13 schools so don't fancy buying a pair for each school. Plus kids sometimes find it funny.