surripa-ps

That’s japanese for Slip Ups.

In Japan you are frequently taking your shoes on and off.

In restaurants, it’s not uncommon to sit and eat on a raised platform covered in tatami mats. You eat in socks.

When I go into schools they make us put on slippers(the kids themselves have indoor shoes).

In japanese homes and apartments. there’s normally a little enclave (genkan) from which you actually step UP into the house. You leave your shoes there.

Anyway, my host family here makes me wear slippers (Surripa in Japanese) in the house. They’re too big for me, and I have tripped on them numerous times. The stairs to my room are pretty steep and they’re wooden and slippery. So maybe it’s cause they don’t like me? Going up the stairs I caught a slipper on a stair and ripped the sole away from the bottom. Whoops. I intentionally forget to put them on, but my host father normally notices and asks where they are. I don’t like slippers.


Better yet, last week I came out of the hina doll museum and went to get my shoes (Black low-top converse) from the cubby hole. I took the pair that was there, and said “Are these mine?” – they looked big and clean. Heh. But there were no others around. Anyway, after I had put my foot into the first shoe I got tapped on the back with a “Gomenasai” and there was a woman laughing, apologizing and holding my itty bitty dirty shoes. Next time I go to a museum I’m wearing Uggs. I haven’t seen anyone else in Japan with those.

Then there are toilet slippers too, but that’s another story for another time…

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