Take your shoes off before stepping inside, even if the host says it’s fine to keep them on. If you see a pile of shoes by the door, that’s your cue regardless of what anyone says out loud.
Step over the threshold, the raised strip at the base of the doorframe, rather than putting a foot down on it. It’s a small physical adjustment, but it reads as basic respect for the home, not an optional flourish.
- This applies to visits of any length — a five-minute drop-in still means shoes off and stepping over the threshold, there’s no informal exception for a quick visit.
- The same threshold rule extends to temples and some traditional shops — treat any raised doorway strip the same way outside private homes too.