Why are Japanese children encouraged to go barefoot?

Teachers and parents believe that children will be healthier and more gentle when their feet are in direct contact with the ground.

In many Japanese homes, people leave their shoes outside and enter the rooms barefoot. This is also true in kindergartens and elementary schools.

Children in Japan are encouraged to be close to nature and do not need to keep their clothes and hands and feet clean. Photo: Rocketnews24.

Most parents in Japan believe that children who often go barefoot will have better resistance and be more active.When it was proposed that students should wear shoes in class, many people objected.

A comparison study was conducted between two groups: children who wore shoes and children who went barefoot at school. In the toilet area, slippers were still available for both groups to use.

The playgrounds at both schools are covered with soft, non-slippery ground. The toys have a firm grip on the hands and feet. There is also a place for children to wash their feet before going to class.

Parents in Japan believe that children who often go barefoot will have better resistance and be more active.

According to Skeanie, the results of the study showed that students who go barefoot have better grades, are less absent from school, are less disruptive, get sick less often, and enjoy going to school. To avoid harmful trash on their feet, students are required to clean their classrooms. Thanks to that, they learn teamwork, discipline, cleanliness, etc.

Some people believe that children get the infection by walking barefoot. In fact, fungi need warm, moist, dark conditions like those in sweaty shoes to thrive.

Schools restrict pouring concrete in playgrounds. Photo: Dezeen.

Nowadays, in many Japanese kindergartens and elementary schools, the yards are made of brown soil or covered with soft grass.The school’s leaders hope to bring the children closer to nature. Many Japanese believe that their gentle nature comes from their close contact with the ground. Concrete, on the other hand, is hard and hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.

Japan is not the only country to have noticed the benefits of going barefoot. Numerous studies have shown that going shoeless does not cause any harm. People who adopt this habit also suffer less from back problems.

According to VNE