Uwabaki

Uwabaki (上履き) are traditional Japanese indoor Slip-on shoe typically white with colored rubber soles and a ballet-flat design, worn in home, schools, hospitals, and companies and public buildings^[1] where street shoes are prohibited to maintain cleanliness by replacing outdoor shoes. They are designed for durability, comfort, and easy cleaning, fostering a mindful, sanitary, and traditional lifestyle.

Japanese culture mandates that people should remove their shoes when entering homes and other buildings, especially where the floors may have rugs, polished wood floors, or tatami. Uwabaki are light, flexible shoes which are easy to slip on and off, designated for indoor use. As they are not generally worn outside, the soles are kept clean, and thus cleaning and maintenance of the building's floors are kept to a minimum.^[2]

At the entrance of every school, from preschool to college, there is a genkan with an assigned locker (getabako) for each student to put uwabaki. A student's grade level is often indicated by a colored stripe across the toes; the body color of the Slip-on shoe is always white.^[2]