Are shorts okay to be worn in Summer Japan?

I'll be traveling to Japan soon and I was told that it was inappropriate to wear shorts in Japan due to their conservative country. I've done research and saw that the upper body is more strict on coverage than the bottom, but I really want to know if it's okay.
I'm now stressing a bit on what to wear because it will be hot. The shorts I have are short enough to be shorts, but nothing like a short short that will show my butt.
Help?

Shorts are perfectly fine. Perhaps you've read to dress conservatively when visiting temples/shrines, but I've seen people (including Japanese) in shorts visiting temples.

It's fine :) I see a lot of tourists in shorts in this season! Even in spring or winter! I personally wouldn't wear shorts in tatami room, or any places you take off your shoes and sit, and it's true that many guys still don't like wearing shorts in this hot humid weather for some reason but we don't mind it especially when you're traveling from other country :) Hope you'll have a fun trip!

Japanese, tourist are wearing shorts, depending of the occasion but now problem

I live in a Tokyo suburb and often discuss this with my husband. So I really understand your concern.

On work days, Japanese will close to never wear shorts (despite the crazy summer heat).
But on weekends you see men wearing shorts for family trips around town.
Women rarely wear shorts, but often skirts of varying length (also very age dependent).

I (female) wear shorts or skirts of whatever length is comfortable with the weather. And my husband wear shorts on the weekend. Tourists can wear whatever they want, even at temples and shrines. However, showing a lot of cleavage or walking without a shirt will probably be seen very ill upon.

The Japanese aren't "conservative" in terms of clothing. You'll know when you visit Harajuku. What they are is that they prefer to look classy, especially in the city centers.

For example, we'd go to the beach in shorts and rubber flipflops, and as our train comes back closer to central Tokyo, some change into their trousers and shoes (while I get off just before Tokyo ;)).

So it's not that shorts are inappropriate, but you might not look good depending on how you coordinate your outfit. But then, you'll just look like a foreign tourist. By the way, there is no dress code for temples and shrines, but many of the establishments stand in the woods where you might want to cover yourself to protect your skin from insect bites.

Here are photo images of the locals depending on the environment:

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E8%BF%91%E6%89%80%E3%81%AE%E3%83%95...

https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%E8%BF%91%E6%89%80%E3%81%AE%E3%83%95...

Japan is NOT an Islamic country, there are no major restrictions on private clothes.
(You will be taken to the Police station if you wander only with underwear or naked.)

Ultraviolet rays that affect the skin are enemies in recent years,
exposure of the skin tends to decrease. A sunshade(parasol) is one of.
Japanese women are not a good body style than Westerners,
so it is normal for people who are not confident in the lower body (mainly the legs) to hide their legs.

There is a famous phrase saying "‚¨‚µ‚á‚ê‚͉ä–�(Oshare wa gaman) = Fashionable is a patience" in Japan.
http://negi-batake.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/g-il-kutsu.png
http://kinako.org/jgz/20100707_1342309.jpg
(It is not the word which was said from long ago)

So, you can wear your favorite clothes.
HARAJUKU fashion is not common.
https://youtu.be/hVyc_o8LLZM

Pls be careful "burns" in outdoors when seating and touching.

Japanese women are not a good body style than Westerners,
so it is normal for people who are not confident in the lower body (mainly the legs) to hide their legs.

That's the point. In a lot of other countries, women expose their legs no matter how chubby or freckled or whatever they are, and I truly admire that. But in Japan, a lot of people tend to choose only clothes that make them look like a snapshot in a fashion magazine, or they would just wear something that don't stand out (which is not always conservative, but what "everybody else" is wearing in that fashion season).

So if you don't follow suit you will look very different. But there's nothing wrong with being different!

Sorry to hijack this thread, it was a question that I was going to ask in the comming months, and since my questions is very similar, hopefully someone can help.

My visit will be early December, so If I wear knee high sports shorts from brands like adidas or nike type, this will still be alright, I have no intention to visit temples or shrines.

There is nothing wrong with knee-high sport shorts. December can be pretty cold (especially when the wind blows) though.

Unless your in Okinawa, I'd probably take a couple of pairs of pants as well as it can get pretty cold in December. People might look at you for wearing shorts in December - but it will be because "why is he wearing shorts in cold weather" rather than "why is he wearing shorts"....

I understand, but i'm ok with cold weather, I will also be driving for 2 days of the 11 Days trip, so wearing shorts is much more comfortable.

thanks to all for sorting my problem. we should probably get back on topic for the ops, since this thread was not opened by me.

Well. I think there are no countries that doesn't allow shorts or tank top in summer.

Hi Kiwi, I to am going soon for the 5th time and always about Sept. I,ve never had a problem with wearing shorts but of course certain places you wouldn,t anyway. and temples etc. are obviously not allowed. They are so polite they wouldn.t say anything anyway. I sometimes take a pair of long trousers or jeans in my back pack if not sure.

Never had any issues wearing shorts in temples. Or seen any signage or had conversations with resident about them being a "obviously not allowed" item of clothing.

As a local, I can't recall any temples or shrines in Japan that have a dress code. I really wonder why people keep mentioning the contrary. I mean, look at all the en-nichi. Everyone's wearing tank tops. And what about the Hadaka-matsuri?
https://www.google.co.jp/search?biw=1366&bih=638&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=%E8%A...

As a traveler, I know that there are many countries that do not allow shorts or tank top in summer in public. Many Muslim are so, and some Cathedrals do not allow tank tops.

I agree. The only two clothing rules I have ever seen in Japan are:
- naked and without tattoos in onsen (written rule)
- wearing black suit / black skirt on your first day/weeks to your first work (not a written rule, but de facto)
Apart from that everything goes, as long as you are prepared to get strange looks if you walk around dressed like a doll / geisha / anime character or otherwise strangely.

- wearing black suit / black skirt on your first day/weeks to your first work (not a written rule, but de facto)

Just to set the record straight, those suits may look like black, but they're supposed to be dark grey or dark navy (or at least that's how the shops explain it to us). In the recent decades, the colors got darker enough that a freshman with little money won't have to buy a new suit just to attend a funeral where black is truly the dress code.

Shorts are perfectly fine. Japan is really conservative only in schools with uniforms and at many working places like offices where you need a suit. However, walking around in your free time there aren't specific dress codes. Only one point here many Japanese like fashion especially in Tokyo so they are often well dressed even in free time.
About shrine and temples never seen that there's a particular dress code either. There may be one if want to join meditation season in Zen temple maybe.