Man, what a barbarian.

"Yoshiko caught him putting on his shoes in the living room. What a barbarian."

You know, I would be a man in the dog house if my wife caught me trying this at home.

I have read that the "no shoes in the house" culture rule dates back a couple of thousand years ago when japanese people lived in large houses with a seperated outside portion that they keep the animals in. As dirty as it sounds, it was done evidently to caputure the heat that they gave off.

So along comes the idea that your shoes are very icky from walking through the animal dung. Well know that I think about it, have you ever really looked at the floor in public restrooms? I don't think that we have come that far in two thousand years.