The No-Shoe Rule

A Love Letter to Clean Floors and Cultural Wisdom

At The Evergreen B&B, one of the first things guests notice—right after the mountain views and our slightly obsessive enthusiasm for labeling everything—is the polite little sign by the door that says:

“Please remove your shoes.”

Now, some guests take this in stride (or sock). Others look at us like we’ve just asked them to surrender their firstborn to the gods of cleanliness. So, let’s talk about why this tiny request matters so much to us—and why it’s not just about keeping the floors clean.

First, the cultural reason.Miyuki, one of your hosts, grew up in Japan, where taking off your shoes at the entrance isn’t a quirky house rule—it’s a way of life. In Japanese homes, temples, schools, and even some restaurants, shoes stop at the door. Why? Because outside is considered the world of dust and chaos, and inside is the world of peace and purity. You don’t bring the day’s dirt, energy, or bad luck past the threshold.

It’s a quiet ritual of respect—respect for the space, for others who share it, and for yourself. When you step out of your shoes, you’re also stepping into a calmer mindset. You’re home. You’re safe. You can breathe.

Now, the clean reason.We live in Hope, BC—where the mountains are glorious, the trails are endless, and the mud is basically a permanent resident. We’ve seen everything tracked in: gravel, pine needles, mystery slush, and once… something we’re still choosing to call “forest jam.”

When you walk barefoot or in cozy slippers across the floor of your room at The Evergreen, you’re not just keeping things tidy—you’re participating in a small but meaningful act of mindfulness. A quiet bow to a culture that found grace in something as simple as clean feet.

So yes, we have notes in the rooms that say “Please remove your shoes.”And no, it’s not because we’re control freaks with a Swiffer addiction.

It’s because we believe in harmony—between the outdoors and indoors, the guests and the hosts, the chaos of the day and the peace of the night.

Shoes off. Heart open. That’s the way we like it.

— Christian & Miyuki, your ever-socked hosts at The Evergreen B&B

(Side Note: The Not-So-Glamorous Truth About Floors)

Yes, we’ll admit it—our floors aren’t marble, or bamboo hand-woven by monks in Kyoto. They’re humble laminate. Durable, dependable, and perfect for a mountain town that sees more hiking boots than high heels.

But let’s be honest—if you saw what we vacuum up every single day from just bare feet and socks, you’d start to understand our obsession. Tiny gravel bits, pine needles, cookie crumbs from midnight snacks, and the occasional mystery fuzz that defies scientific classification.

So, when we ask guests to keep the outside world off the floor, it’s not vanity—it’s survival. We’re not chasing perfection; we’re chasing sanity. Because clean floors aren’t just about looks—they’re about keeping your space feeling fresh, your feet feeling safe, and our vacuum from filing for early retirement. We Need our cleaning products available to us to keep this place, Hope BC's Best Bed & Breakfast.