There are a few house rules to remember when visiting Japanese friends or acquaintances. Guests who know the proper etiquette expected in someone else's home leave a good impression and enrich their own experience.

* In Japan, it is customary for the guest to bring a small gift (omiyage) as a token of appreciation to the host. Consumable items are safest such as cake, biscuits or chocolates. Flowers are also a great gift idea. This gift should not be purchased in the host's local area. An Australian souvenir would be particularly suitable.
* Most Japanese houses have a traditional entrance (genkan) where you take your shoes off before entering the house. This entrance should be obvious to the visitor, as the rest of the house beyond is slightly elevated in comparison. Other people's shoes will often be laid out in this area as well.
* If the host greets you at the genkan, this is where you should give them their gift, letting them know it is a token of your appreciation.
* Approach the edge of the genkan and take your shoes off before stepping onto the elevated wooden floor (agari-guchi). Put your shoes together in the genkan and face them towards the door. You should also move them aside so they don't get in the way of other people who may be arriving after you. Make sure you have checked that your socks don't have holes in them!
* Usually, as in the case of hospitals and traditional Japanese inns (ryokan), slippers will be offered for you to wear. You should wear these everywhere around the house except for tatami rooms (rooms floored with traditional straw-woven mats) and bathrooms. When leaving, don't forget to put the slippers together and face them away from the door.

* Once you have been led through to the guest room, often a tatami room, wait until your host invites you to sit on the zabuton - usually a flat, square-shaped cushion.
* The conventional way to sit on zabuton is seiza (kneeling with buttocks resting on the heels). This is the preferred way to sit in formal settings. However, if you are a man and struggling with the seiza, don't be afraid to ask if you can cross your legs before you get pins-and-needles! Women can just slide both legs out to one side from the seiza position, instead of crossing them.
* If you use the bathroom, be sure to wear the bathroom slippers. These are different to the slippers you were offered at the genkan. To avoid embarrassment, ensure you swap them back before you return to the guest room!
* In Japan, it is considered polite for the guest to suggest they will leave at an appropriate time instead of waiting for the host to hint at your departure.
* If you happen to visit late in the afternoon, the host may invite you for dinner even if it hadn't been pre-arranged. In some cultures, turning down this offer may be considered rude. In Japan, it is considered more polite to decline such an offer with gratitude rather than accept it straight away.
* After politely declining a dinner invitation several times, you should take up the offer only if the host insists you stay (unless, of course, you have made other plans).
* When leaving the house, don't forget to place your slippers neatly together on the agari-guchi, facing away from the front door, before putting your shoes on to leave.

Visiting someone's house in Japan is not all that complicated once you get the etiquette right. The key thing to remember is to be polite and appreciative of the host's efforts to make you feel welcome.