15 More Things You Shouldn't Do In Japan (Part 2)

Image by Sora Sagano (Unsplashed)

Japan is unarguably one of the best places to travel whenever vacation arrives. It is a safe country, the people there are polite, and their food is delicious, of course. But, if you are there as a traveler, it doesn’t mean you have the priority to do whatever you want. There are several things that are considered rude in Japan that you should avoid doing.

1. Staying in a restaurant for too long.

The restaurants in Japan are usually small in size, and they don’t have much space. Japanese, usually the employees, have their meal in a restaurant and leave after they are done immediately so that the next customer can have a seat.

2. Coughing in public without covering.

Japanese are very serious about keeping clean. If you cough in public, you might transmit bacteria onto them, which is what they fear. So if you have to, just be sure that you wearing a face mask and that when you cough it would not get onto other people.

3. Acting weird when visiting the hot springs.

Although Japan is a pretty reserved country as a whole, this is not so true when you are going to the hot springs. You are required to remove every piece of clothing when you are there, with only one small towel. As the Japanese had already gotten used to the lifestyle, just make sure that you act normal around there.

4. Not removing your shoes when required.

Just like most Asian households, you are required to remove your shoes before entering a house and apartment. Aside from that, you are required to remove your shoes in some other places, such as some restaurants, shrines and so on. Just be sure to follow the rules.

5. Handing cash payment to cashier straight away.

Whenever you are purchasing something, whether it be in a shop or a restaurant, you might notice a small tray on the counter. If you are wondering what is it, well, it is for you to place your cash, and then the cashier will take the money from the tray. Giving the money straight to the cashier is considered a rude gesture.

6. Asking for free gifts when purchasing things.

Bargaining in Japan is considered a rude thing to do, so whenever you are purchasing anything, just make sure you do not ask for more or ask for extras.

7. Pushing people when walking in a crowded area.

You’ll realize that on Japan’s streets in the cities, the sidewalk tends to be crowded with people, but the people walking on it are very patient and move at their own pace without bothering others. If for whatever reason you are short on time and need to move faster, just go along the faster lane or try to slip past others without actually pushing them.

8. Asking for extras when eating.

If you ask for more of the sides, it is kind of saying that chef is not “feeding” you enough, and it is actually an insult to the chef. So if you’re still hungry, then just order something else instead of asking for the free sides.

9. Dirtying the washroom.

Japanese keeps their washroom extremely clean, nonetheless public washrooms or the ones in the hotel or their houses. The last thing you want is to make it dirty. So try to be as hygienic as possible and follow their washroom etiquette.

10. Smoking in public.

Something you would not see on Japan’s streets is smokers. Japanese are very concerned about the environment and would try to avoid any pollution. So if you are a smoker and in need of smoking, then just find the closest public smoking rooms that they provide to do it.

11. Sitting on the priority seats on the train.

If there are no disabled people, elderly or pregnant ladies around you, then it is okay to take a seat on the train. But if you see someone who needs a seat and refuses to provide them the seat, it is considered an extremely rude gesture that you should really avoid doing at any cost.

12. Rubbing the wooden chopsticks together.

Japanese have wooden chopsticks almost everywhere. Some people break them apart and would start to rub them against each other to remove any wood pulp from the chopsticks, which is not the best thing to do as it is a superstition in Japan.

13. Making too many noises when visiting shrines that are quieter.

Japan is famous for its many shrines, but if you’re excited to visit them, it doesn’t mean you can make noises over there. As shrines are peaceful and holy, just be sure to keep your volume down whenever you visit them.

14. Using chopsticks to “slice your food.”

Not everyone "slices" food using just a chopstick, and if there is no spoon provided, some people would opt to separate the chopsticks and use them to slice their food apart. However, it is important to know that this is not a good thing to do, and what you could do is just to ask for a spoon.

15. Over slurping when eating noodles.

You have heard people saying that if you are eating noodles in Japan, you should slurp the noodles up as it is that locals do as well. Sure, there is no wrong in slurping your noodles in Japan, but something you need to make sure of is that you shouldn’t slurp so loud that the whole restaurant could hear you.

So here are the 15 things that you should really try to avoid doing the next time you visit Japan. But of course, don’t feel restricted, as these things are proper etiquette that you should know even where you live.