15 Things You Shouldn't Do In Japan
Everyone loves traveling, right? You get to experience new things, taste delicious food, and enjoy your time there with no worries. But on top of that, it is also very important to respect the place you are visiting and avoid doing things that are considered rude or unwise at the place. Japan is a popular place for travelers to go, but it seems that many people still don’t know what is considered proper etiquette over there. Here are some things for you to keep in mind not to do if you’re planning to visit Japan.
1. Leaving trash everywhere.
The Japanese are trained since young to be hygienic, not just for themselves, but towards their environment as well. Just because they don’t have many trashcans on the street, doesn’t mean you can just litter everywhere you go. If you have trash on hand, just keep them in a small plastic bag or just hold the rubbish, and then throw it out when you find a trashcan.
2. Standing in the middle of the escalator.
In everywhere in Japan, you will see people standing on one side when using the escalator. This is because their escalators are separated into two paths, one for people to stand, while the other side for people to walk. It is very important to know where to lean towards, whether you’re standing still or walking, especially at the escalators at the train station, when people are usually rushing to go to work.
3. Stopping in the middle of a walkway all of a sudden.
On busy streets such as in the cities in Tokyo, you will see a lot of people walking along the walkway, and they walk especially at a fast pace. As they are usually walking to where they work or are doing errands, be sure not to stop and stand where you are all of a sudden, as you will be disrupting their time on their way to wherever they are heading to.
4. Eat while walking on the streets.
It is considered improper for one to eat while walking on the streets of Japan. They will think of you as someone who does not have proper etiquette and even consider you as a rude person. As there are many convenient stores to be seen in Japan, if you really need to eat you can just head into those stores, finish your food, then only continue on with your way.
5. Talking loudly on your phone in the subway.
Japan’s underground trains are quite crowded most of the time, and you will normally stand or sit really close with others. It is important to respect the other passengers and try not to make any phone calls while being on the train. If you really need to use the phone, then try to speak as softly as you can.
6. Walking on the wrong side of the road.
On most of the busy streets in Japan, you will realize that people don’t just walk in different directions randomly. You will notice that there are subtle separators on the ground, one side for the people to move in a direction and the other side in the opposite direction. Some even have bicycle lane on the walkway. So it is better to just go along the flow to prevent knocking onto someone else.
7. Not replying when people greet.
You will often find people greeting you especially when you least expect it, such as the cleaner at the hotel, or the cashier at the convenience store, or even the people working in the subway station. It is respectful to at least give them a nod when they greet you, best yet reply to them with some Japanese phrases, such as telling the cleaner “ohayo gozaimasu” when they greet you in the morning.
8. Talking loudly in the subway.
People who commute with the subway in Japan usually travel alone or with a few people, which is why they often keep quiet. Even if they do come in two or more people, they usually do not talk or try to keep their voices as soft as possible. This should be enough to show you that you shouldn’t talk loudly to others while traveling on the train and respect the people there.
9. Sticking your chopsticks vertically upwards.
This is an eating etiquette you must know when traveling in Japan. Inserting your chopsticks vertically upwards on your rice is a superstition in the Japanese culture, as it has a negative meaning. If you need to put your chopsticks down, put them on the chopstick holder provided, or just horizontally on your bowl.
10. Dressing like a tourist.
This is not something rude to the Japanese but will make yourself a joke. Dressing like a tourist, such as wearing khaki pants, carrying a huge backpack, hanging your camera on your neck, wearing a fedora hat, and hanging your sunglasses on your shirt, will make others look at you weird. Just dress normally and don’t behave like a typical tourist.
11. Burping when others are around.
When you are in a restaurant and you just finished an extremely filling meal, try to avoid burping out loud. If you need, you can go to the washroom or go outside. As Japanese restaurants are usually really small and compact, you do not want to affect the appetite of the stranger beside you before they even start eating.
12. Pointing at people with your index finger.
It is extremely rude to point at people, even things, with your index finger, as it is like trying to refer to someone or someone who is of a lower rank, or that you are disrespecting them. It is just proper to point at people or things with your thumb.
13. Give tips in restaurants.
Japanese do not like tips given by customers. It is like a gesture saying that they are not earning enough and could even be an insult. No matter how little the amount of tips you are planning to leave, just don’t do it. If you really appreciate the service of the waiter or waitress, just thank them rather than giving tips and expecting them to be happy with it.
14. Taking up too much space in a restaurant.
Japanese are very space-efficient, thus explains why their houses, stores, and restaurants are small in size. There is only so little space in a typical Japanese restaurant, so it is respectful to just occupy your designated space only. Don’t leave your bags on the table or on the empty chair beside you. Japanese restaurants usually have a basket or a hook to place your bag under the table, so make use of that.
15. Being late.
Japanese are known for their punctuality, as you can see in their train time system. If you have made a reservation or planning to meet with a friend at a certain time, then either be early or be on time. Japanese are really time efficient and would not want to waste any unnecessary time waiting.
These are some things you need to be aware of if you are planning on traveling to Japan. Don’t feel like you are restricted to do anything in Japan because honestly, these are just some of the proper etiquette that you need in your daily life. Most importantly, have fun on your vacation!
Comentários