Oh, I forget that it's not completely normal and obligatorily civilized to take off one's shoes at the door - hence my soon to be famous wine boxes full of shoes next to the door. I lived in Japan last year, and worked as a teacher in a public school. We HAD to have two pairs of shoes (and little shoe cubbyholes to accommodate them) - everyone did, and we had to change into the 2nd pair or slippers on-loan so as not to bring outside dirt indoors. When you think about it, it just makes sense, really.