[TravelNotes#2] Five Manners to Be Mindful of When Traveling in Japan
You planned your trip to Japan carefully and set off with great excitement — only to find yourself repeatedly caught off guard by "invisible rules" that no guidebook mentions. Where to stand on an escalator, how to pay at a restaurant, how to behave on the train, tattoo and towel rules at hot springs, and chopstick taboos you never knew existed. Keep these five things in mind, and your trip will be a far more comfortable one.
1. Escalator "Standing Side" and "No Walking"
Even Japanese people differ on this depending on the region, making it especially confusing for foreign visitors.
- The manner: In Tokyo and eastern Japan, the custom is to stand on the left and keep the right side clear. In Osaka and western Japan, it's the opposite — stand on the right, keep the left clear. And traditionally, walking on escalators has long been discouraged altogether. Recently, "stand still in two rows" campaigns have been promoted for safety reasons, but in practice, the "keep one side clear" custom is still the norm.
- Advice: The safest approach is simply to follow the person in front of you. Just being mindful not to block the way for people in a hurry will earn you noticeably warmer looks from the locals.
2. You Pay at the Register, Not at the Table
In many Western and Asian countries, settling the bill at your table is standard — but Japan works differently. (Though of course, it does vary by restaurant.)
- The manner: When you've finished eating, the basic rule is to take the bill (denpyo) left on your table and walk up to the register near the entrance to pay. Many foreign visitors call out "Check, please!" at their seat, only to be confused when the staff simply points them toward the register.
- Advice: Except at high-end restaurants and some bars, heading to the register yourself is the Japanese standard. If you're unsure, there's no harm in asking a staff member.
3. "Sound" and "Backpacks" on Public Transit
Japanese trains are remarkably quiet — which means any noise stands out.
- The manner: Phone calls inside the train are strictly off-limits. It's also considered poor manners to let sound leak from headphones or to have loud conversations with friends. On crowded trains, the smart move with a large backpack is to hold it in front of you or place it on the overhead rack. Wearing it on your back makes it easy to bump into other passengers and can cause friction.
- Advice: In Japan, being considerate of those around you — a sense of harmony — is essential in public spaces. Someone reading a book doesn't want to hear sound leaking from your headphones, and your large backpack might be repeatedly knocking into someone behind you without you even realizing it, quietly frustrating them. Also worth knowing: Japan is generally safe, but holding your backpack in front of you reduces the risk of pickpocketing and theft.
4. Tattoos and Towels at Hot Springs and Public Baths
Hot springs (onsen) and public baths (sento) are places where Japan's unique culture is concentrated.
- The manner: While attitudes have become more relaxed than before, many facilities still enforce a "no tattoos" policy. You'll need to search in advance for tattoo-friendly establishments, or cover tattoos with stickers or patches. The historical background: in Japan, tattoos have long been associated with organized crime (yakuza) as a symbol of membership. As laws targeting gang activity were introduced from the 1990s onward, private facilities posting "no tattoos" signs became the simplest and most legally straightforward way to keep gang members out and to avoid intimidating ordinary guests. There are also strict bathing rules: wash your body before entering the bath, keep your hair out of the water, and never put your towel in the bath (the correct move is to fold it and rest it on your head). Breaking these rules will draw surprised stares. The reason is hygiene — the bath is not a place to wash yourself, but a shared space for everyone to relax and soak. Keeping the water clean is the paramount public courtesy.
- Advice: Facilities that explain bathing etiquette in multiple languages are still relatively rare, meaning these rules remain effectively unspoken. But knowing them puts you ahead of the game — follow them, and you'll earn genuine respect from the locals.
5. Chopstick Taboos: "Passing" and "Stabbing"
There are certain things you must never do with chopsticks.
- Passing food chopstick-to-chopstick (the most important one): Passing food directly from one pair of chopsticks to another is a very strong taboo, as it evokes a ritual performed at Japanese funerals. Instead, pass the whole dish, or place the food on a plate first for the other person to pick up.
- Wandering chopsticks & stabbing: Hovering your chopsticks over dishes while deciding what to eat, or stabbing food with them because it's slippery, are both considered bad manners. The former gives the impression of greediness or indecisiveness — it looks undignified. The latter reveals an inability to use chopsticks properly, and is seen as showing disrespect toward the cook's effort and the ingredients themselves (as if you don't mind piercing and damaging the food).
- Advice: Be aware that there are taboos around chopstick use. It's also worth knowing that for Japanese people, chopsticks are not merely eating utensils — at a deeper level, they are seen as something that connects the divine and the human, and as sacred objects through which the life of food is received.
Thank you for reading.
I hope this proves useful for your travels.
See you in the next article.
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