Customs and customs are so important to Japanese culture that many travel websites have sections dedicated to the topic.
Japan is currently closed to international travelers, but the country is exploring ways to reopen safely before the start of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, scheduled for late July. Tourists are not expected to understand all of Japan’s complex social rules, but they can avoid the most common missteps.
Here is a guide on what to do and what to avoid based on the advice of related tourism organizations in the government of Japan.
Don’t touch the geisha
What many travelers call “geisha” is called “maiko” or “geiko” in Kyoto, which is considered one of the best places in Japan to see decorated cheerleading women.
If there is one, the travel website of the Kyoto City Tourism Association (KCTA) recommends travelers not to stop or ask Maiko to pose for pictures.
“Don’t bother them or grab them by the kimono sleeves,” the website states.
A maiko, or learning geisha, walks through the snow in Gion district, Kyoto, Japan.
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This is one of Kyoto’s Akimahen Manners, a list of 18 tips, recommendations and warnings for those traveling to Japan’s cultural capital.
The “akimahen” list (meaning “no” in the local dialect) goes from tips on automatic taxi doors (“make sure you’re far enough away so the door can open without bumping into you”) up to rubbish, can result in a fine of 30,000 Japanese yen ($ 280).
Emoticon scores indicate the seriousness of each offense. The tip, which is frowned upon all over Japan, instead of saying thanks to the local dialect (“okini”) has a sad face. Riding a bike with intoxication wins three faces of anger – the worst – not to mention a possible prison sentence of up to five years.
Expect to push, but don’t talk on the trains
According to Go Tokyo, the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau travel guide website, travelers should expect to be pushed and pushed on crowded trains.
“But keep in mind that this is not aggressive behavior, just the product of the daily life of a metropolis,” the website states.
The Japanese rarely talk or eat on trains, especially when they are full of people.
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Videos of white-gloved train companions attacking people on Japanese trains have captivated travelers for years. They also make it easier to understand one of the main rules of Japanese public transportation: not talking on cell phones. In fact, travelers are advised not to let them ring.
“If you’re carrying a phone, keep it in silent mode,” the Go Tokyo website states.
“Labeling in public places is serious business in Japan,” states the travel website of the government-affiliated Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). “Public respect for these rules is probably the main reason why a megalopolis like Tokyo can function so well.”
Eat sushi with your hands
Travelers who are not proficient with chopsticks can ask for utensils, advises the JNTO travel website, although “they may not be available, especially in more traditional places.”
Instead of fighting with chopsticks, the tour organization recommends travelers follow another local custom.
It is common to eat sushi with your hands in Japan, especially nigiri, which translates to “two fingers.”
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“If you came to Japan to look for sushi, remember, you can eat it with your hands,” the website states.
Shrines and temples
A tourist attraction for one person is a sacred place of worship for another. According to the KCTA website, travelers should “be quiet and respectful in shrines and temples.”
The Kyoto Tourism Association also asks visitors to remove hats and sunglasses from places of worship.
Dai Miyamoto, founder of the Tokyo Localized tourism company, said he frequently sees tourists “sitting everywhere inside … shrines and temples,” even in places “where there is no bench or place to rest.” He also sees tourists taking pictures of Buddha statues and in places where photographs are forbidden.
Go Tokyo recommends travelers adopt the “full cultural experience” at Shinto shrines by walking along the sides of the path leading to the shrine because the center is “technically reserved for the consecrated deity.”
At the entrance to the venue, travelers can rinse their hands and mouth with “purifying water” before approaching the main hall. There they can “bow slightly, ring the bells, place a small monetary offering in the box, bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more to complete the ritual,” according to the website.
The rules of the ryokan
Staying at a traditional inn, or ryokan, is a popular way to experience Japanese hospitality, but doing so involves more social rules than a hotel stay.
Ryokans are usually neither cheap nor exceptionally stylish, which may surprise travelers who associate higher prices with extensive suites and luxury bedding. Ryokans are usually one-bedroom accommodations with Spartan furniture and lined with straw tatami mats.
Ryokan prices are usually quoted per person and not per night.
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KCTA has a list of guidelines for ryokan guests, including changes to slippers (provided) before entering. Luggage wheels cannot touch the interior floor. And bags should never be stored on the cornice of the wall or in the tokonoma, where flowers and scrolls are displayed.
Meals are often served in the rooms and visitors are transformed into casual kimonos, called yukata, for food. After dinner, the dishes are cleaned and futon-type mattresses are placed on the floor to sleep.
Onsen label
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “How to Enjoy Tokyo: Manners & Custom Handbook” advises travelers to remove all clothing to use onsens, which are bathing areas connected to Japan’s natural hot springs.
As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of teachings, many of which are part of a hotel or ryokan and are separated by sex.
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According to the government manual, bathers will rinse before entering and refrain from swimming, jumping or diving into the water. Hair and towels should not touch the water.
People with tattoos may be denied entry to more traditional onsens because the tattoos are associated with the Japanese “yakuza” or organized crime groups, Miyamoto said. This is declining, he said, due to the popularity of tattoos among younger generations and foreign travelers.
Tourism and shopping
Cutting lines are verbote in most countries, but in Japan, keeping a space for friends or family is also considered inappropriate, according to the Tokyo Ways Manual.
He also advises travelers to refrain from walking up or down the escalators; those in a hurry should use the ladders.
When buying, it is not uncommon to negotiate for better prices. And the sizes of clothes differ from those of Western nations. A very large men’s shirt in Japan is similar to the average male size in the US.
Miyamoto, who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 185 pounds, wears a Japanese size XL because “the big one is too small.” He said Americans who need larger sizes have no luck.
“Uniqlo, which is Japan’s most famous casual brand, sells more than XXL size … in online stores,” he said.