I am going to Japan in January for a two-month mission trip.
Most of the guide books recommend wearing shoes without laces in Japan, as shoes are not only removed in homes, but all kinds of buildings, with exceptions like supermarkets and railway stations.
Hence, I got two pairs of slip-on shoes today; a pair of smart leather shoes from Clarks (reduced to £29.99) and some slip-on sneakers (reduced to £10!).
I am not that used to wearing slip-on shoes. I have very narrow feet, so they are not ideal for me. People in Asian countries are blessed with rather broader feet than us Anglo-Saxons. However, they will make it easier for me to remove shoes when visiting friends in this country as well as Japan.