Does color of socks matter?

I know this is probably a silly question but during the numerous times I will need to take off my shoes and walk indoors in just my socks while in Japan, do they need to be all white or it okay if they are colored, such as athletic gray on bottom and white on top?

In general, your socks should match whatever else you are wearing, i.e. dress socks with suits/formal wear, and anything goes with casual wear. What is the social situation you are thinking of?

what says your common sense?
like the poster before me said, that in casual situation you can wear everything. my boyfriend is japanese and he also wears socks with holes so...do whatever you want.

You don't think that people wear white socks with business suits in Japan, do you? Wear whatever socks you would normally wear- I disagree with dotcom though, it's a bit embarrassing if they have holes in them.

I am going as a tourist for 2 weeks, no business attire, but my husband and I will spend several nights at various ryokan where only socks are worn indoors, often we will wear a yukata. I didn't know if gray sports socks were viewed as unclean since they would hide any dirty spots better than all white. They WILL be clean, we just want to do all we can to follow customs correctly. Thanks again!

The ryokans will most likely supply you with slippers to wear indoors.

yes, in ryokans you left your shoes at the reception and you get slippers. when you go out you can also get some wooden getas to walk around. but when I do this kind of exercise, I always get blisters, cause the shoes are too large...
^^

@ Sira: I agree with you that holes in socks are embarrassing. but just wanted to say that even some japanese people have this kind of behavior and that nobody would cut off a foreigners head for doing it. or it is not so a big no go like walking in the house around with toilet slippers on.

cnoelg,

any color will be no problem in the ryokan. sometimes they even provide you with socks during your stay, and some people choose to go sockless (although with slippers) when wearing yukata.