Do you have YOUR shoes?

I have observed a strange phenomena in Fukuoka;　the mysterious abandonment of shoes.

I have, on three separate occasions, seen shoes in a public place with no one around them and no indication of why the shoes were in that place. I understand that in Japan people should take off　their shoes when they enter a house or some buildings, but these shoes are not near homes or buildings.

I always try to think about a situation that I would take off my shoes and not need to put them back on. And I can't find one.

This picture is from a small park with bike parking near Hakata station.


I think they are cute boots. If I didn't have big feet in Japan, I might have tried them on. But, I went home with MY SHOES ON.

Have you ever abandoned shoes? If yes, why?