Genkan – Wikipedia

– **Design:**
– Genkan are recessed into the floor to contain dirt.
– The step height varies from low to shin or knee level.
– Apartments’ genkan are smaller than those in houses.
– Some genkan have no elevation difference with the rest of the floor.
– Schools and public baths have large shoe cupboards called getabako.

– **History:**
– The custom of removing shoes dates back over a thousand years.
– It started during the era of elevated-floor structures.
– The practice continued even after Westernization in the Meiji period.

– **See also:**
– Engawa is a traditional Japanese veranda.

– **References:**
– Genkan was considered open to the public in rural areas.
– There are references to genkan in Mini Encyclopedia.

– **External links:**
– Wikimedia Commons has media related to Genkan.
– A comprehensive explanation about genkan in Japan is available.