A easy guide for a smooth visit

Some of the most frequently asked questions we get from travelers are about what to do and what not to do here in Japan.

You likely know that Japan’s a rules-based society with a lot of social etiquette that many Japanese naturally follow. The onslaught of social media information about manners here can be overwhelming for international travelers.

To be honest, some of the voices in the Japanosphere make the situation needlessly complex. Rest assured, no one expects non-Japanese to follow all the minutiae the natives take for granted, and people are generally polite and tolerant of those unable to follow all the local ways.

Still, a little awareness of the situation will do wonders for your trip, and keep you from
being one of those travelers. Fortunately, getting by without causing offence is a lot easier than many would lead you to believe.

You can cut through a lot of the noise and get clarity simply by paying attention. This involves the simple art of Reading the Room.

There are two sides to the practice:

Do: Rather than just charging into a situation, pause and take note of what others are doing. Then do the same. This will not always work, but it will put you on the right path most of the time.

Don’t: Draw extra attention to yourself, through behavior, noise, or aroma. As a non-Japanese in an overwhelimgly homogenous land, every visitor sticks out plenty already.

So the trick is to be mindful of what the majority of people are doing, and then following suit. It’s about not standing out or forcing yourself on others around you or through the situation. It’s about paying attention, putting others first, and considering how your behavior influences others.

Slowing down and “reading the room” is without a doubt the single best move you can make for a smoother trip in Japan.

Pain points and further perspective

These are taken from our experience here over the years.

Common sense will go a long way too. Would you give a random shopkeeper your trash at home? Would you block traffic to take a photo? I’ll bet no, and I’m sure you won’t do it here either.

Trash. Japan’s well known for its lack of trash cans (though there are some parts of Tokyo that are introducing them). Most of the recepticles that look like trash cans are either for specific items or not for trash at all. To help people travel responsibly, we suggest treating it like you’re backwoods camping: pack it in, pack it out. Keep a plastic convenience store bag in your backpack for trash. Then hold onto it until back at your hotel.

Exceptions: If you consume something from a shop, you can safely return any used items to the shop you purchased from (not other trash).

Some receptacles may be designated for bottles or cans, which you can use if you’re sure. You may see some that are overly full though, especially in highly touristed areas. This is the exception to the “do as everyone else” rule. Then you’ll want to keep your trash with you.

Noise on public tansit. Japanese trains and buses are often much quieter than travelers are used to in their home countries. Which doesn’t mean they’re always quiet—get 3 or 4 friends together, and they’ll be talking as loudly as anyone, anywhere. Unless lots of people are talking (which is sometimes the case!), it’s still considered rude. As mentioned in Reading the Room, you’ll want to observe what the majority are doing. Keeping voices low can never hurt. No one should be able to hear what’s on your headphones, either.

Climbing on things or walking into areas not clearly public. If you don’t see stairs or it’s not obviously a public area, just stay off/out. If there’s a road or path, stick to it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen visitors wandering around taking pictures in people’s gardens.

Chopsticks. Two big no-no’s: Sticking the chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice, and passing items between two people’s chopsticks. Both of these are related to funeral practices. There is other etiquette too, some more common, some less. Just knowing these two will keep you from offending.

Road crossing / J-walking. Pause and look around. Almost certainly there’s a crosswalk nearby. You’ll want to use it, and wait for the pedestrian light to change. People barging across the road while Japanese look on in annoyance is far too common.

Shoes. Of course, they usually come off when going inside. But there are many exceptions. A shoe shelf in the entryway after you’ve stepped in indicates yours should go there too. When in doubt, ask someone before proceeding.

Any questions about etiquette, feel free to get in touch!