Are you planning a trip to Japan? Japan has always been a top destination for locals and international visitors alike. It’s a good idea for all travelers, whether frequent or first-time, to learn about Japanese culture and etiquette. Here are some tips to get you started.
Take off your shoes when indoors
In Japanese culture, it is customary to remove your shoes when entering someone’s home or when there are tatami floors in hotels, restaurants, or at horigotatsu tables. This is a sign of respect.
Tip: When visiting Japan, it’s a good idea to wear clean matching socks so that you won’t feel embarrassed when removing your shoes. It’s also important to wear easy-to-slip-on shoes so that you can easily put them back on after your meal at a restaurant or visiting a temple.
Avoid talking too loud on public transport
When commuting on public transportation such as buses, trains, and subways, avoid talking too loud. Mobile phones are allowed but avoid answering phone calls or playing media on speaker. It is considered rude and will wake up fellow commuters who are napping on the train.
Tip: Set your mobile phone to silent mode and check the media volume before playing a video when inside public transportation.
Throw your trash in the bin
Japanese are known to be very self-disciplined, they clean up after their trash. This is a trait that I like about Japanese, and I think everyone should learn from them. We should always throw away our trash in the trash bin. If there is no trash bin nearby, keep it until you find one.
Escalator Etiquette
In Japan, people stand on one side of the escalator, so that people who are in a hurry can use the other side of the escalator. Interestingly, different regions have different escalator etiquette. For instance, in Tokyo, people stand on the left side, while in Osaka, people stand on the right side. If you are unsure where to stand, just follow the people in front of you.
During my recent trip to Fukuoka, I noticed that some staff were holding out illustration signs about escalator etiquette. Last year, I also read a piece of news about Japan passing a law that prohibits people from walking on escalators in Nagoya.
Chopstick Etiquette
In Asian culture, chopsticks are the main utensils used when dining. Here are some things to note when using chopsticks.
- Although it can be challenging to use chopsticks to grab the food, sticking the food with a chopstick is considered disrespectful.
- While waiting for your food, do not play with your chopsticks like a drumstick.
- Do not stick your chopstick vertically in your food.
- If there is a serving chopstick available, use the chopsticks to grab the food, instead of using your own.
- Do not rub the disposable chopsticks, because that means the restaurant is giving you cheap chopsticks.
Put your money on the little tray
It is recommended to avoid handing your money directly to the cashier. Instead, you can put the money in the little cash tray provided for hygienic purposes. This helps to avoid the cashier awkwardly touching your hand.
During my visit to Japan after the pandemic, I noticed that some shops and convenience stores had installed money machines where customers could feed in their bills and drop their coins in the machine. I believe that these machines were installed during the pandemic to protect the staff from touching the money and reduce the chances of being exposed to COVID-19.
Onsen
Japan is renowned for its hot springs, also known as onsens. Although it may feel uncomfortable for newcomers to be undressed in front of strangers, it is a mandatory practice in Japan where everyone enters the bath together. Here are some dos and don’ts to keep in mind while visiting the onsen:
- Bringing towels inside the onsen is not allowed.
- Ladies with long hair should tie it up before entering the onsen.
- Most onsens have a policy prohibiting people with tattoos from entering.
- It is important to take a shower and wash your body before entering the onsen.
- Avoid eating or drinking too much before visiting the onsen.
- Swimming or splashing water is not allowed in the onsen.
Taxi doors
Did you know that in Japan, taxis have automatic doors that can be controlled by the driver? When you flag down a taxi, avoid touching the back door handle as the driver will open it for you. Also, it’s best to fill up the back seats first before sitting in the front.
Basic Japanese for travelers
Learning some basic Japanese could be handy during the trip. Also, download an offline version of Japanese from Google Translate, it is very useful when the internet is unstable.
- Good Morning – Ohayōgozaimasu
- Where is the toilet? – Toire wa doko desu ka?
- Can you speak English? – Eigo o hanase masu ka?
- Thank you very much! – Arigatōgozaimasu!
- Excuse me – Sumimasen
- Sorry – Gomen nasai
- Goodbye! – Sayōnara!