In a Japanese house, does the genkan have to be enclosed or can it just be sunken/depressed ?

do genkans have to be enclosed or can it just be open and instead, make it a sunken/depressed area in the entryway, to make the distinction...In a Japanese house, does the genkan have to be enclosed or can it just be sunken/depressed ?
Nice try. The foyer or entrance hall of a house, for changing from outdoor shoes into indoor slippers.


When you enter the genkan, you step out of your shoes, and step into the house proper. Then turn around, kneel or bend down, and turn your outdoor shoes around so that they face the door - ready to be slipped into again when you leave.





Also, note, the Genkan is considered part of the outside of the house, even though it is on the inside. This means that for example, when the Gas Man, calls, he will happily step into your Genkan, but will then wait there for you to invite him into the actual house itself.





In otherwords you have to have the stoop to sit on so it is sunken. The practice of a stool is considered bad manners. You must have been in the country.





God Bless You and Our Southern People.





Dewa sono uchi niIn a Japanese house, does the genkan have to be enclosed or can it just be sunken/depressed ?
It is usually an internal part of the house to protect you and your empty shoes from the elements so you can remove your shoes before entering the inner sanctum of the home.