Dining Guide / What to Wear
What to Wear to a Tatami Room
In a Japanese tatami room you take off your shoes and sit low to the floor. Slip-on shoes, clean socks, clothes you can sit in and a light touch with fragrance are what matter most.
Key Points
- In a tatami room (zashiki) or a sunken-floor seat (horigotatsu), you remove your shoes at the step. Shoes that slip on and off easily save everyone a wait.
- Your feet will be on display, so wear socks or stockings without holes. Going barefoot on tatami is best avoided.
- You'll sit on a floor cushion at a low table. Longer hemlines or relaxed trousers make it much easier to sit comfortably and neatly.
- Japanese cuisine is about delicate aromas like dashi, so keep perfume and cologne light. JNTO gives the same advice for sushi counters.
- Take your coat off before stepping up, and hand it to staff or put it where they show you — never in the decorative alcove (tokonoma).
Do
- Wear slip-on shoes
- Wear clean socks and pack a spare pair
- Choose clothes you can sit on the floor in
- Keep fragrance light
Avoid
- Going barefoot on tatami
- Strong perfume or cologne
- Short or tight clothes that are hard to sit in
- Leaving bags or coats in the tokonoma
Handy Tip
On a rainy day or after a lot of walking, keep a spare pair of socks in your bag and change in the restroom before you step up.
Customs That Vary
Many restaurants now offer sunken-floor seating or private rooms with chairs, so you may take off your shoes without kneeling. Asking “Is it tatami or horigotatsu seating?” when you book helps you choose what to wear. You may also remove shoes at ryokan inns and some temples.
Practice in a Lesson
Sources
- Japan National Tourism Organization, “Japanese Customs and Etiquette” — Taking off shoes at some restaurants, and avoiding strong fragrances at sushi restaurants.
- Kansai Productivity Center, “Seating and Conduct in a Japanese Tatami Room” (in Japanese) — Entering a tatami room and handling cushions and mats.