Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
In Japan you take your shoes off and on many times a day, so habits such as treading down the heel or slipping shoes on and off still laced come easily. They affect both the life of the shoe and the health of the foot. How to wear shoes is asked more often than you might expect in every country. Here is the general guidance of Japan's footwear industry and foot specialists.
| Step | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loosen the laces and put your foot in | Forcing it stretches the opening |
| 2 | Tap the heel lightly on the floor to seat your heel in the heel of the shoe | The position where the foot does not slide forward |
| 3 | Tighten the laces in order from the toe end | Holds the instep evenly |
| 4 | Tie. Leave room for one finger | Too tight restricts blood flow and causes numbness |
| 5 | Loosen the laces to take the shoes off | Pulled off still tied, the opening and heel break down |
| Size | About 1 cm at the toe (捨て寸, sute-zun, "spare length"), no pressure across the width, try on in the evening (feet swell) | The toes can move |
[Verify] The effects on the foot are based on general explanations from the Japanese Society for Footwear Medicine and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association. The sizing guide (sute-zun) is footwear-industry convention.
The heel counter crushes and does not recover. The shoe loses its ability to support the foot, and its life shortens sharply. Use a shoehorn.
Taking shoes off and on while tied stretches the opening and breaks down the heel. Loosen them every time you take the shoes off. If that is a chore, choose shoes without laces.
The foot slides inside and the toes are pushed forward. Seat the heel, 1 cm at the toe is the guide. Check the width too.
It restricts blood flow, causing numbness and cold feet. Room for one finger. People with a high instep can relieve the pressure by skipping an eyelet or two when lacing.
Shoes that are too big are generally described as a cause of falls and foot deformity. 0.5–1 cm of room at the toe, check every 3–6 months. Make a habit of pulling the Velcro strap tight before fastening it.
---
https://www.kutsuigaku.jp/
https://www.joa.or.jp/public/sick/
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/child/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
Tell us if this has changed
Approved contributions keep the contributor's name, shown in five languages.
Other languages：日本語 ／ 简体中文 ／ 繁體中文 ／ 한국어
Value Village is not a government body. Always confirm procedures on the official site.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site.