Manners & Unique Customs in Japan

Foreign tourists to Japan are increasing.

In Japan, many of them are surprised at unique Japanese customs or impressed the behavior of Japanese people.

On the other hand, some of foreign tourists do the actions of causing trouble to the Japanese people.

Probably, common sense of Japanese society may be different from your country.
But the social manners have been created by Japanese people with the passage of time.

Japanese people hate the behavior that is disturbing to surrounding people.
That is the base of social morality in Japan.
The roots may be a samurai spirit.

Before you visit Japan, it is important to know the manners and unique customs in Japan.

Required manners in town
Trash No smoking Selfish behaviors Desecration of Japanese religions Drinking on the street
Required manners in train, bus
Line up Reserved seat Quiet Meal No smoking
Customs about lifestyle
Taking off shoes Bathing Tattoo Religion
Customs about society
Bow No tipping Cars keep left
Customs about eating
Chopsticks Free water Appetizer in Izakaya Holding up a bowl Slurping noise

Required manners in Japan

In town

Don't throw away trash on any place.

Many foreign tourists say that the towns in Japan are clean.

Prohibition of littering and separating trash have been promoted as social manners by each municipality.
So, the actions are fixed in most Japanese people.

In the first place, separating the garbage should be done in your country.
I cannot understand why you feel admiration for the cleanliness in Japan.

There are a little trash boxes in any town.
Because trash boxes themselves in the town had become dirty garbage dump, these had been decreased for beautification of street environment.

So, we would like to ask to try not to create trash during your travel.

When you really want to throw your trash in a town, you should find a trash box and surely throw the trash away in it.
Of course, it is good to separate plastic bottles, cans of drinks and throw away in special boxes.

Or, you bring them to your accommodation and you should request to dispose them.

Smoking places are very limited.

The smoking rates in Japan are about 25 % for male and about 8 % for female in 2023, and they are decreasing year by year.

So, smoking places in any town are also decreasing.
In most cases, those are set up in one corner of public facilities, offices, parks, etc.

The objects are not only cigarettes but also heated tobacco products.

Additionally, in many downtowns, smoke while walking is also prohibited.
Of course, littering of cigarette butts is against good manners.

Selfish behaviors to take a photo and video makes the residents feel unpleasant and disgust.

Most tourists have a camera and phone.
But, some of them take selfish behavior by absorbing too much in photographing.
For example ...

• Walking about on the roadway that cars are running
• Occupying the sidewalk and blocking the pedestrians
• Dancing or performing on the road and train
• Entering the site of private house and farmland without permission
• Damaging public trees and plants
• Scribbling or carving on cultural properties
• Chasing Maiko girls like paparazzi in Kyoto

Even Japanese children know that above behaviors are what men should not do.
Some of the behaviors are against Japanese law.

We really want them to stop!

Selfish behaviors in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines make Japanese people angry.

There are many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan.
Major temples and shrines are also sightseeing spots and the places for prayer.

Like religious facilities in your country, these are the sacred places for Japanese people.

We will be punished by God if we do evil in the temple and shrine.
We were taught so from childhood.

There are many valuable cultural properties in the site.
And, there are various rare facilities and equipments for you in the site.

Unfortunately, it is reported that some foreign tourists had taken selfish and irreligious behaviors.
These are desecration of Japanese religions.

• Doing pull-up using Torii gate of Shinto shrine
• Continuing beating the bell of worship hall violently
• Taking photo of the sacred objects prohibited photography
• Breaking fence, entering moss field for taking a photo
• Leaving trash in the restroom
• Damaging wild deer as messenger of God in Nara

Most sites of the temples and shrines are opened to the public.
But those are not amusement parks!

Drinking alcohol on the street is discourteous in Japanese society.

Shibuya area in Tokyo had become a popular place of Halloween recently.

The scene of drinking alcohol on the street had sent to the world, so the tourists to Japan had mistaken that drinking alcohol on the street was OK in Japan.

There had been no law prohibiting drinking alcohol on the street.
But, that has been the undoubted troublesome behavior in Japan.

Because of thoughtless foreign tourists, the residents are troubled a lot.

Regrettably, Shibuya Ward enacted the regulation of the prohibition, and refused the place for Halloween.
You must know this when you visit Japan.

In train, bus

When getting on a train, passengers off the train first, and get on in order of arrival.

In crowded railway station, Japanese passengers make a line in front of the position of train door naturally and wait for the train.

When the train door is opened, they wait for the passengers who get off the train and they get on the train in order of arrival.
There are few passengers who cut into the line.
The stream of passengers is smooth, and many passengers can get on the train soon.

Many foreign tourists are surprised at the scene.

But, Japanese passengers know that the way is the most efficient and safe, and each passenger observes the way as a social manner.
By doing that, the trains can run on schedule.

When you don't have a reserved seat ticket, you can't enter the reserved seat car in the train.

Many cars of limited express and Shinknsen trains are Reserved Seat Cars, and only a few cars are Non-reserved Seat Cars.

Even if you have Japan Rail Pass, you must get a "Reserved-seat Ticket" to get on the reserved seat car.

Because the ticket reserves a particular seat in a train, you can certainly sit on the seat.

But, sometimes, some foreign tourists without Reserved-seat Ticket enter the reserved seat car and sit on the empty seat.
To make matters worse, they often refuse to give up the seat when the real passenger having the Reserved-seat Ticket has come there.

That is against the law in Japan.
Even if the seat is empty, only the passenger having the Reserved-seat Ticket has the right to sit on the seat.

On the train and bus, the passengers shouldn't talk loudly.

In Japan, all Japanese passengers are silent in any train and bus.
Many foreign tourists are also surprised at such silence.

That has been the social manner in the public space in Japan.
Loud passengers are hated.

Of course, your conversation in a quiet voice is OK if that doesn't make trouble around you.

In addition, you should not make a phone call on the train and bus.

Eating and drinking on the train and bus are bad manners.
But, that is OK on Shinkansen and long-distance limited express.

Eating and drinking on the train, subway and bus are bad manners.

But that is OK on the long-distance trains.
They are Shinkansen and limited expresses of JR.

Dining cars of train had abolished in Japan.

So the passengers can buy a box lunch (It is called "Ekiben") and eat on the train.
Various Ekiben are sold in major stations in Japan.

Smoking is prohibited in all trains and buses.

In Japan, smoking has been prohibited in all trains and buses by 2024.
In addition, there are hardly smoking places in any railway station and bus terminal.

Unique customs in Japan

About lifestyle

You must take off your shoes, when you enter Japanese house.

Shoes are the implements to walk out of house in Japan.
You must take off your shoes at the entrance of Japanese house.

The structure of traditional Japanese building is based on such lifestyle.

We spend time in the house without shoes.
When going outside, we wear the shoes at the entrance.

You must get naked, when you enter a public bathroom.

Japanese people like to take a bath.
Especially, most people enjoy to soak own body up to the shoulders in the filled hot water.

At that time, both men and women get naked.
Wearing swimsuit in bathroom is senseless in Japan.

Even in public bath and onsen resort, the style is required.
Of course, the bathrooms for men and women are separated.

Most Japanese people dislike tattoo.

In Japan, there were tattooed persons since from ancient times.
But from 1872 to 1948, tattoo had been prohibited by law.

After that, because only gangsters have been tattooed, most Japanese people think that tattoo is an antisocial thing.

Recently, tattoo as a fashion has been done among some people.
But it is said that the proportion is only 2% of all Japanese people.

Most Japanese people still have a bad feeling about even such tattoo and avoid the persons implicitly.
Therefore, it is said that some tattooed people regret the unerasable pictures on own body.

Probably, the feeling of Japanese people will not changed into the future.

You should know that even tattoo as a fashion is not accepted by Japanese people.

In many public bathes, ryokan (Japanese-style hotel) and onsen (hot spring), tattooed person may be refused to enter a bath.

If you have a tattoo, maybe you shouldn't show it openly in Japan.

Most Japanese people have little interest in religion, but native Shinto and Buddhism are embedded in the daily life.

It is viewed that the Japanese people have generally no religion.

But, Buddhism and Shinto are the native religions in Japan.
Buddhism is to believe in the teaching of Buddha, and Shinto is to worship many gods in the nature and heaven.

Japanese people depend on Buddha or the gods for the events and ceremonies in the life.
So there are very many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in all areas.

Funeral, wedding, visit the graves of ancestors, shrine visit for new baby and young child, visiting temple and shrine in the New Year, annual festival of shrine, etc.
Above important events and ceremonies are performed according to the manners of Buddhism or Shinto.

Japanese native Shinto and Buddhism are embedded in the daily life.

By the way, Japanese people have accepted even Christmas, Valentine's day and Halloween as pleasant events without religious meaning.
Japanese people are tolerant of the other religions.

About society

Japanese greeting is to bow.

Japanese greeting is usually to bow.
Handshake and hug are used among very close friends, but that is not so common.

Bow is used on the occasion of "How do yo do?" and "Good-bye".
And it is also used on the occasion of "Good morning", "Good night", "Thank you", "I'm sorry", etc.

In a shop, after you have bought some goods, the clerk bow to you.

In any case, Japanese people bow very often.
Most people do the action unconsciously or reflexively.

Japanese traditional cultures such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, etc. need to bow.

And, in Japanese traditional sports such as Judo, Sumo, Karate, etc., the players must bow before and after the match.

In Japanese religions such as Shinto and Buddhism, bow is needed in the worshipping actions.

Bow is the act of showing your respect or gratitude for the person in front of you.

It is said that the original meaning was to express no hostility by stretching out your head which is the most important part of your body.

Formal bow is to bend your body forward deeply.
But in ordinary case, a slight bow is OK.

It is not customary to tip for service in Japan.

While you are in Japan, you need not give a tip.

Japanese people don't have the custom of tipping.
Even if you give a tip in Japan, most Japanese people probably decline that politely.

On the contrary, when we travel to foreign countries, we are puzzled by the custom of tipping.

Cars are driven on the left side of the road.

In Japan, cars must keep to the left side of the street and pedestrians to the right.
That is opposite to many countries.

If you are living in such country, you must be careful when you walk across the road.
Watch out for traffic when you walk around in Japan.

About eating

Chopsticks are the main tools to eat Japanese food.

Japanese people use chopsticks to eat foods.
All Japanese people learn how to use chopsticks from childhood, so we can use them at will.

Chopsticks are the main tools to eat Japanese food.
Even in many Western restaurants, chopsticks are available.

To pinch the foods and to cut the foods are the usage of chopsticks.
But, to stick into the foods like a fork is a bad manner.

In most homes, each member of the family has own chopsticks.
So, chopsticks are one of favorite items.
For foreign tourists, chopsticks may be a Japanese souvenir.

In restaurant and cafe, a cup of green tea or cold water served at first is free of charge.

Japan is water-rich country and drinkable and tasty water is supplied by the water-works.

In many restaurants and cafes, a staff brings a cup of water or green tea when coming to take the order.
The water or the tea is free of charge.

And, you can ask for a second helping during the meal.

Needless to say, never leave the restaurant without order of dish!

In Izakaya (Japanese style pub), the first served small dish which you don't order is included in the fee.

When you sit on a seat in Izakaya (Japanese style pub), the staff brings you chopsticks and wet hand towel for you and takes your order.

In many Izakayas, a small dish which you don't order is served at that time.
It is called "Otôshi" or "Tsukidashi" in Japanese, and it is an appetizer.

But, it is not a free service, and it is included in the fee.
It is a kind of table charge.

Most foreign visitors may feel dissatisfied with that, but that has been a traditional custom in Izakaya in Japan.

It is OK to eat Japanese foods with the bowl in a hand.

Boiled rice is Japanese staple food and miso-soup is traditional soup.
These are the essence of traditional Japanese meal.

The foods are put in small bowls and served.
But, it is difficult to eat the foods in the bowl on the table with chopsticks.

I hold chopsticks on my dominant hand, so I can use the other hand to hold up a bowl.
I can put the rice into my mouth from the bowl near the mouth with chopsticks.

And, I eat Japanese soup from the bowl directly like drinking coffee from a cup.
Because, chopsticks can't spoon up liquid soup.

But large plates are never hold up.
Above way is only for small bowl or plate.

It is OK to make slurping noise when eating noodles.

Udon, soba and ramen are the popular Japanese noodles.
Mainly, the noodles are in the soup.

I bring my face close to the bowl.
I pick up the noodle with chopsticks and draw the hot and long noodle into the mouth.
It is natural that slurping noise occurs at that time.

So, it is OK to make slurping noise when eating noodles.
It is not against manners in Japan.
Rather, smart noise gives the others an appetite.

It can't be helped if you are unpleasant, but that has been the received manner in Japan since ancient times.

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