General Rules to Follow in Japan

With Japan re-opening to the world, I felt it would be a good idea to go over some unwritten rules that guide Japan that are not laws, but should still be followed by everyone.

While these are not written down anywhere, they are still little things that everyone follows (from locals to savvy tourists), so try to do the same when you visit Japan (it makes life a lot easier and you won’t stick out so much).

Quiet on the trains – If you ride the subways or trains in Japan, make sure you keep quiet. Most people are either 0n their phones, reading, or even sleeping on their way (or from) work. They also do not eat while riding the rails, so when you board, keep it quiet and just enjoy the ride to your destination. If you must take a call, there are compartments between the cars you can use but normally people are fairly silent. It makes the commute a lot more tolerable and comfortable for everyone.

Don’t tip – You have probably read about it somewhere a million times, but it needs repeating, don’t tip! There is not reason for it, the Japanese don’t do it, so save your extra money and keep it moving. Tips are included in the cost of services and Japanese usually feel insulted or just awkward when offered any kind of tip, so keep your change!

Follow the signs – There are signs everywhere in Japan, most are even in English, so follow them. They will help you find your way and its how everyone gets around during the day. This includes the cross walks, so pay attention and read the signs to figure out where you are going (they are life savers in the train stations, so make sure to look up and read).

Don’t walk and eat – Japanese don’t eat and walk at the same time (same with drinks) when moving about the cities. They usually will eat at the restaurant or just wait till they get to a spot they are able to stop at before chowing down (or just eat outside the convenience store). It’s what they do, how they keep everything clean, so make sure to follow their lead and find a spot to sit down before attempting to eat anything.

Be mindful – This is a very broad one, but be very mindful of your surroundings. For example, don’t get into a big argument in public or make a big scene. It is consider rude and very unbecoming in Japan. Japanese tend to keep to themselves and are quite private, whether its walking to working or riding the trains along their daily commute, they simply keep to themselves. So if you are with a group and want to take a big, “fun” picture in the middle of Shibuya, just have a little respect. You don’t want to block a walk way and annoy people along the way, so be mindful of your decisions and know your surroundings.