1) TipDon't leave a tip (they'll either look confused or give you your money back).
Actually, I like this too. For people used to tipping culture, it might be difficult to get used to the simple fact that "the amount written on the menu = the amount you pay"... Some people might think, "That's crazy."
If you believe that tipping encourages good service, come to Japan.
In Japan, you'll receive wonderful service with a smile (no tipping required!). There you'll realize that the tipping system is nothing more than a corporate convenience created by businesses to pay their employees low wages.
Advice for foreigners: Do not tip... no matter how good the service you receive.
2) Taxi through
Don't open or close the doors yourself (they're automatic).
I've slammed the doors shut on Japanese taxis several times before (a habit I developed from London's heavy-doored black cab taxis). The drivers probably thought I was trying to pick a fight.
What's particularly noteworthy is that Japanese taxi drivers are clean, efficient, and offer reasonable fares!
Advice for foreigners:Wait for the door to open. If you open it yourself, the driver might mistake you for a taxi robber.
3) Entering the house with your shoes on - Absolutely not allowed.
Taking off your shoes before entering a house
is an absolute rule. Even your own home is no exception.
Advice for foreigners:Learn the proper etiquette for the GENKAN (the small space between the outdoors and indoors where guests remove their shoes). Not only should you remove your shoes, but you should also neatly arrange them facing the door.
4) Drinking culture
You'll see a lot of drunk people late at night. Be prepared. Especially around Christmas and New Year's, the level of intoxication is off the charts. If you make Japanese friends, you'll probably end up drinking quite a bit yourself. This is something you might have to get used to as part of life in Japan.
Advice for foreigners:Forget the "Western" shame associated with drinking and getting drunk. It's not uncommon in Japan for women to casually say things like, "I drank too much last night and I have a hangover." Learn to make use of the wide variety of Japanese soft drinks available for hangovers (such as Pocari Sweat, Aquarius, and Heparize), and make them a regular part of your routine.
5) In relation to item 4... A drunk salaryman
Watch out for drunk, red-faced businessmen swinging their umbrellas around like golf clubs on the platform. Also, be aware that drunk businessmen sometimes roll around on the train floor. They're usually asleep, sometimes muttering nonsense, and sometimes covered in their own vomit... You'll need to get used to watching other passengers calmly step over the bodies of drunks rolling around on the train floor.
Advice for foreigners: Be wary of businessmen in suits who look fresh and innocent. They are almost certainly being forced to drink by their bosses and are nearly guaranteed to be on the verge of vomiting.
6) Chivalry (or lack thereof)
Don't expect to have doors opened for you in a shopping mall, or to see Western-style "ladies first" service, or elderly women or pregnant women being offered seats on trains.
Trains have "priority seats" or "silver seats" for vulnerable people, but when a frail elderly person or a pregnant woman gets on, everyone conveniently falls asleep.
Also, watch out for the "old hag"—a strong, elderly woman who charges through the car as if she's escaping a fire. Don't defy her; she has a Fendi sale she absolutely must attend.
Advice for foreigners:If you are a foreigner, especially a man, helping a woman carry her luggage up the stairs at a train station may earn you high praise. However, you could also be arrested for scaring locals.
7) Reckless Cyclists
If you're driving, watch out for cyclists; they're not sane. Cyclists, especially women on "mamachari" (utility bicycles), don't stop for anyone, whether it's pedestrians or vehicles.
Mamachari don't have gears, and they almost certainly have a child on the back or (if they're young) are looking at their smartphones while riding. You might need to develop a sixth sense to predict when and where a bicycle will suddenly appear—a Japanese adaptation.
There are many signs on the roads that say, "Bicycles should ride on the left side."
However, off major roads, many cyclists ignore this rule, and mothers on utility bikes in particular ride against the flow of traffic on both sides of the road. This is quite dangerous for both oncoming cyclists and drivers, but the offending cyclists don't seem to realize they're doing anything wrong. So, you just have to get used to this.
Advice for foreigners: If you're going to ride a bicycle in Japan, learn hand signals (even if nobody else uses them), track stands (stationary riding), emergency stops, and how to ride hands-free while dodging drunk people who might suddenly cut in your way... these are all useful skills.
8) Noise
It's so noisy!
I once read somewhere that Japan is one of the noisiest countries in the world. There are all sorts of noise sources: machines constantly playing melodies, cars driving around blaring loudspeakers calling out "Why not recycle your old washing machine?", and local governments broadcasting local information via wired speaker systems. You'll need to adapt to this world of sound, but first, you might need to buy some earplugs.
and I've also worked in some noisy states in India and in Southeast Asian countries... so I'm in a position to make comparisons. Some people might say their home country is noisier, but for most people, Japan is a country of noise.
I know that trains in Japan can be incredibly quiet at times, but what I'm talking about are the sound-making machines and loudspeakers that are installed everywhere: on beaches, at election campaigns, at US Air Force bases, on public wired broadcasting systems, and as alarms. Funnily enough, you can sometimes find three or four different songs playing at the same time in a supermarket, and nobody seems to mind!
9) Cute girls
I often see Western couples walking around Tokyo, and I can guess what the men are thinking as they look around at the cute girls crammed into their surroundings. Japanese women are very stylish, with slender arms and flat bottoms. Aside from their crooked teeth and the occasional pigeon-toed gait, they're almost perfect...
And to the men in long-distance relationships who have left their girlfriends in their hometowns to come to Japan... I wish you good luck, but that relationship (due to your circumstances) will likely not last long.
10) It is not the "center of the world"
To be honest, I adapted quite well to the nine points above while I was here, but the tenth one really surprised me. (See diagram below) Wow, this is how Japanese children see the world. For the first time, I had to get used to the idea that my country wasn't at the center of the world, but somewhere on the edge... It was difficult to get used to, but it was also a liberating experience. (Translator's note: Western world maps are centered on Europe, so Japan is in the Far East.)
11) Bonus: Eating and drinking in public places
Wow! Thank you for all the interest and wonderful comments on this post. Encouraged by the response, I've decided to add "Eating in Public Places in Japan" as the 11th topic.
Visitors to Japan might be surprised by the disapproving stares they receive if they try to eat a kebab or Big Mac and fries on a train. It's good to know that Japanese people rarely do this. However, that doesn't mean they never do it. There are a few exceptions to the rule that Japanese people use when eating in public.
- While trains are public spaces, you can eat if you do so discreetly and slowly . Keep your food in a bag and avoid making eye contact with other passengers while you eat. Be careful not to disturb other passengers with the sound of your food wrappers. Lower your head and eat slowly while reading a book or using your smartphone. If possible, stand in a corner near the door.
- You can eat in small, temporary standing areas often called "embarrassing spots" that smokers frequently use . They're usually located next to convenience stores. (Translator's note: This seems to refer to the smoking areas that used to be commonly seen next to convenience stores.) Alternatively, you can park your car at a convenience store and eat in your car without feeling embarrassed.
- You can eat ice cream in public places.
Therefore, I would like to add an interesting observation...
Last night, when I was on the train home from Shinagawa, I was looking at my smartphone when I smelled something like food. I glanced up and saw other people frowning and looking around. Soon, I noticed a middle-aged woman sitting a few seats behind me eating a meat bun (a very smelly pork bun). The smell filled the train car. Other passengers were staring at her, but she didn't seem to care, and her insolent attitude frightened the other passengers, so no one dared to complain.
She finished her snack, put on her mask, and fell asleep.
So, that's the answer to the question, "What happens if you eat in a public place?"
Tips for foreigners:Of course, if it's a festival or food is being served, it's perfectly fine to eat in public (obviously!). People do eat in public in Japan, but not as often as in other countries.
12) Bonus: Authentic Sushi
Why on earth do overseas sushi "chefs" pile on so much sauce and toppings on their sushi that it becomes a nuisance (the worst being New Zealand)fryingIsn't that right?
Fried sushi!! What the heck is that???
In short, sushi here in Japan is much simpler than the controversial foreign variations.
Exhibit A: Japanese Sushi
Simple, delicate, and beautiful...
Exhibit B: Sushi from outside Japan
This looks just like cat vomit...
Your Japanese friends might see this and say "MAJIKAYO" (Seriously?). In English, that would be...WTF? (What the fuck? Unbelievable! - slang)
So please, come to Japan and try real sushi. You'll never want to go back to Frankenstein sushi (i.e., imitation sushi)...
Advice for foreigners:Stop telling Japanese people, "Our country's sushi is delicious too." It's a lie, to begin with. They'll nod kindly, but they're actually feeling sorry for you.
