足を洗う[あしをあらう, ashi o arau] - go straight; become a decent person; turn over a new leaf.

This doesn’t seem to happen very often in Japan. Once a crook, always a crook is the norm. And Japan seems to have more than their fair share of bad guys, the very low crime rate notwithstanding.

Still, when someone does go straight, (not the opposite of gay in this case), it is said they have washed their feet.

Kind of reminds me of when Jesus washed the feet of his followers, but, of course, there is no relation whatsoever.

The Japanese do have a thing (obsession?) for keeping one’s feet clean, that is, NOT wearing their shoes in the house. shoes are NOT worn in the house. Taboo! Forbidden! Don’t even think about it.

Other cultures are similar to Japan, Korea, China, even Far East Russia when it comes to removing shoes upon entering, but I have not seen the line drawn so clearly and enforced so earnestly as it is in Japan.