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I thought I was a respectful traveler until I visited Japan. I felt like a rude child and wished I'd known better before I left.

Japan is widely considered to be a polite, rule-following country, but knowing its reputation didn't fully prepare me for my recent trip.


. I wish I'd known more proper etiquette and unspoken rules in Japan before I visited.

. On my trip, I got stern looks for drinking water on a train and speaking loudly at a restaurant.

. In Japan, it's usually rude to eat while walking in public and polite to eat quietly or in silence.



As a frequent traveler, I consider myself quite culturally aware when entering a new country. I know to cover my shoulders when entering Vatican City or to give up my bus seat for elders in Taiwan.

But when I recently traveled from the US to Tokyo with friends, I found I wasn't as prepared for Japan as I'd thought.

Although I tried to be mindful of cultural differences and local etiquette, I kept messing up. I received a few stern looks and some gentle reprimanding that made me feel like a kid who wasn't sure how to behave.

Through trial and error, I learned rules I wish I'd known before I left — and things travelers should keep in mind if they visit Japan.

Train etiquette is different than what I'm used to in Chicago, but some rules are the same
Upon entering my first Japanese subway, I learned several rules of commuting and just how widely followed they are. For starters, drinking and eating on a train is highly frowned upon.

As a frequent commuter back home in Chicago, I'm used to taking sips of water or eating quick snacks on the train. It's technically not allowed, but passengers do it so often and casually that it feels like it is.

But when I took a sip of my water bottle on a train in Tokyo, I got a few looks and immediately sensed I was doing something wrong.

It's considered rude to eat or drink in public while walking or standing around in Japan. Again, this is different from my home city, where it's common to see people having a coffee or snack on the go.

But these rules in Japan are, in part, meant to stop people from creating spills and messes or inconveniencing others with an unwanted smell.

My mealtimes looked different here than they did back home

Food was the main event during my trip, but I quickly found dining experiences were different from what I'm used to.

At one point, I was reprimanded by a stranger for talking — perhaps too loudly — while eating at a restaurant. I was surprised because in the US meals are primarily used as a social gathering and time for conversation.

I now know that diners in Japan generally focus on consuming their food during mealtimes, sometimes in silence or while occasionally speaking quietly.

Silence at the dinner table is seen as awkward in the US, but in Japan, it's considered perfectly polite.

Japanese movie-theater etiquette inspired me
I learned another unspoken rule while seeing a movie at a theater. After the film was over, everyone around me stayed seated until the
absolute end of the credits.

Turns out, this is somewhat common in Japan — it's a way to pay your respect to all of the people who worked on the movie.

I thought it was wonderful. In America, we're often in such a rush that we forget to appreciate those who have worked hard for us to experience the things we enjoy.

I also had to get used to removing my shoes

During my trip, I also got used to taking off my shoes upon entering certain shared spaces, like my hotel.

In many American homes, taking our shoes can be done to keep a house clean or to signify that we're comfortable in an environment. In Japanese culture, removing one's shoes isn't all about comfort — it's about cleanliness and respect.

Overall, my trip reminded me how important it is to be a respectful traveler
Although I experienced quite a learning curve at times, I felt more self-aware by the end of the trip, and I had a fabulous time.

Etiquette and what's considered polite varies around the world, so it's important to research how best to be respectful in whichever place you're visiting.

Next time I visit Japan, I'll be sure to finish my 7-Eleven onigiri before stepping onto the subway and stay until the end of the credits at the movies.

MrBrownJay1:
Few yrs ago, I wrote about it on a thread here, here is a copy as paste

as for the small bits and pieces:
- you always have to take off your shoes when going inside a home
- bowing when greeting someone is advised
- if you are lost, just ask anyone around and they will gladly help.
- wherever you eat, you will be given a warm cloth before the meal (oshibori). you should always use it to clean your hands (even if you just clean them) but never let it touch your face.
- if you like to eat fruits and vegetables at home, be ready to spend an incredible amount for that privilege in japan.
- japanese cannot pronounce the letter R and some form of L when speaking english.
yes you are absolutely right, and being late is seen as a lack of respect(even in dates).

here are some more
- when taking the subway in the morning, you will see a majority of the people sleeping in their seat and like an alarm clock, they always wake up just before their stops.
- japanese work very hard so if you are a lazy person, you wont make it compare to the locals.
- in the office, even if your finish time is 5pm, workers dont normally go home until 1)the job is done 2) the manager is gone
- japanese take work very seriously and their job is their biggest asset before their wife/children etc
- losing their job is like the end of the world for some and thats why many commit suicide when they do.
- the reason japanese dont often go on holidays from their work is because they are afraid that the person replacing them is going to outshine them at their duties.
- if you like your women to be open minded about their feeling then you btter find a japanese girl that was born and lived most of her life abroad
- japanese women do not shave and some are VERY hairy down there (japanese men love hairy women).
- japanese cant handle alcohol. they either drink a lot or dont drink at all. there is no middle way
- going to a karaoke is very common in Japan
- going to a hostess/strip club to conclude a business deal is very common in Japan
- doing business in Japan, you always have to have a business card and thats the first thing you give when meeting a prospective business partner.
- in the bedroom dont expect women to be very open minded and sexually freaky. even if they are, they are very shy and it takes time for them to let go.
- you dont often see fat people in Japan
- it is completely normal in Japan to see a grown man in the subway reading a comic book
- taking the subway on sunday can be worst than during the peak hour of the weekdays because all japanese go out with their families during the weekends
- japanese men rarely see their children because most leave home very early in the morning and never return before very late at night
- going to a karaoke/hostess club with your colleagues after work is part of life in Japan and most workers go at least twice a week
- you might make a lot of japanese friends but dont expect them to invite you home anytime soon
- dont expect to have a 100sqm flat in japan, for 1000$ per month, you are lucky if you get a 50sqm flat(rent in Japan is one of the most expensive in the world after Moscow)
- there is a good subway and train connection in Japan so living 1hr outside Tokyo is considered the norm to some.
- japanese are some of the biggest perverts in the world, its "was" not unusual to see vending machine for used school girl underwear sealed in plastic bag to keep their "freshness" AND men stand in front of the machine choosing which one to buy with absolutely no shame!
- its a known fact that many shcool girl sell their used underwear to make extra money, they wear it for 3 days non stop and then sell them to the various shops who will ask the girl to take it off in front of them, then they will put it in a sealed bag, write the girls name on it and even some will have a photo of the girl to prove it,
- going to a love hotel with a girl is considered normal in Japan as most unmarried people still live with their parents
- most japanese dont leave home until they are married
- its not unusual to meet a japanese girl that look 17yrs old but in fact is well into her mid 30s
- in Japan, they recycle everything so if you dont separate your trash, they will bring it back to your front door(they did with me anyway).
- if you get arrested for any minor crime in Japan, as a foreigner they usually throw you in jail for 21 days (ask questions later).

https://www.nairaland.com/290824/anyone-living-japan-urgent

Zonefree:


Not just Japan...it's everywhere. No sane human eats while walking.

Tijani009:
Don't insult me please

Zonefree:
Not my intention, but if you normally eats while walking, try and get your head examined.

Tijani009:
Sure will, you should too because you might think you are normal, athe next thing boom

Zonefree:
We're all abnormal in the eyes of God.

Digest this post with no emotion.

viyon02:
Traveling is part of education, Japan and China have excellent formal and informal education system and culture. I pray I culture my children in any of these country.

Blazebond:
Japan is a very weird place and don't be fooled by their pretentious mannerisms,those weirdos are some of the worst racists on earth.

TouchNfollow:
https://africa.businessinsider.com/news/i-thought-i-was-a-respectful-traveler-until-i-visited-japan-i-felt-like-a-rude-child/hm57f9t

Zonefree:


Not just Japan...it's everywhere. No sane human eats while walking.

MrBrownJay1:
Japan, yes... but China?! these are two different world entirely. Chinese culture has very little respect for humanity. some of the most uncultured/disrespectful people i have ever met were Chinese in China.



Japanese can be weird, yes... different, yes.... racist?! you must be mistaking them with the Chinese who hate darkskin people like the plague.

viyon02:
Really? If they really do hate blacks why do we have many of them at trade fare married to Igbo guys? And their women are highly economical and with high level of business orientation.

viyon02:
Really? If they really do hate blacks why do we have many of them at trade fare married to Igbo guys? And their women are highly economical and with high level of business orientation.

MrBrownJay1:
dont judge Chinese because of the few that are living abroad... YES, Chinese women love black men, but in China, most would rather not be seen out with us because their local men hate to see Chinese women with foreigners (especially blacks). many do get married to blacks but the majority rather come to you at the dead of night than be seen with you.

anybody in China with browner skin is seen as poor/uneducated etc. Chinese people themselves look down on darkskin Chinese (let alone foreigners) because it is a sign of low class citizen, aka people who work in the fields/farms. standard of beauty in China is "the whiter you are, the more beautiful you are"...thus why most Chinese will use an umbrella when it is sunny or will go to the beach covering their whole body (especially their faces) like the below:

MrBrownJay1:
as i once said about Japan:

MrBrownJay1:
dont judge Chinese because of the few that are living abroad... YES, Chinese women love black men, but in China, most would rather not be seen out with us because their local men hate to see Chinese women with foreigners (especially blacks). many do get married to blacks but the majority rather come to you at the dead of night than be seen with you.

anybody in China with browner skin is seen as poor/uneducated etc. Chinese people themselves look down on darkskin Chinese (let alone foreigners) because it is a sign of low class citizen, aka people who work in the fields/farms. standard of beauty in China is "the whiter you are, the more beautiful you are"...thus why most Chinese will use an umbrella when it is sunny or will go to the beach covering their whole body (especially their faces) like the below:

Blazebond:
Japan is a very weird place and don't be fooled by their pretentious mannerisms,those weirdos are some of the worst racists on earth.

viyon02:
Traveling is part of education, Japan and China have excellent formal and informal education system and culture. I pray I culture my children in any of these country.

Zonefree:


Not just Japan...it's everywhere. No sane human eats while walking.

Gerrard59:
Sorry, but your child will never fit in. Biracials haven't fit in, na fully black pikin? Nah. Obviously, there is a lot to be learnt from them just as they learnt from white people. But you don't have to erase every aspect of your culture. Trash out the bad aspect and keep the good ones while ensuring your ethnic group is wealthy - that is the koko. Humans admire wealthy groups' cultural practices even if those practices are harmful or terrible.

Gerrard59:
I would probably believe they love black men for the preek, not for marriage. The only place where many Chinese women marry black men is in China, which is logical as that is the home of Chinese women. However, outside China, many Chinese women don't marry black men, including the US. And to be honest, we as black men don't get the elite Chinese ladies, white men do. East Asian women LOVE white men!

I will say it is an East Asian cultural act because I see many Japanese women wearing long black clothing to cover their arms while walking, running or riding a bicycle.

Gerrard59:
Sorry, but your child will never fit in. Biracials haven't fit in, na fully black pikin? Nah. Obviously, there is a lot to be learnt from them just as they learnt from white people. But you don't have to erase every aspect of your culture. Trash out the bad aspect and keep the good ones while ensuring your ethnic group is wealthy - that is the koko. Humans admire wealthy groups' cultural practices even if those practices are harmful or terrible.

Gerrard59:
American tourists, while seemingly friendly, tend to be very loud. The worst are Mainland Chinese - the language when spoken seems as if the speakers are fighting. I don't hear that "noisy/loud" tone from Taiwanese and Chinese Singaporeans.