Getabako
Japanese shoe cupboard
A getabako (下駄箱) is a shoe cupboard in Japan, usually situated in the genkan, an entryway or porch of the house. This is often called a cubby in the United States. In Japan, it is considered uncouth to not remove one's shoes before entering the house. Near the getabako is a slipper rack, and most people in Japan wear slippers around the house, except for rooms which have tatami flooring, as they are bad for the floor. The getabako is usually made of wood and bamboo, and there are many sold all over the world.
The word "getabako" is from geta (下駄, Japanese wooden clog) and hako (箱, "box").
Usually there are big getabako in schools, and each student has their own section. Sometimes, students store personal things there as well, or use them to leave love letters.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Getabako”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Minatoyama-onsen 湊山温泉下駄箱 C263002.jpg by 海野碁仙堂, CC BY 3.0
- Hitane es.entryway.jpg by Douglas P Perkins (Douglaspperkins (talk)), CC BY 3.0
Fathomly is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation. Spotted a problem? Tell us.
