Etiquette is very important to the Japanese. Further, education is widespread and it is also a country that places great importance on a sense of morality. In Japan, people of all ages generally take care to keep public places clean and make efforts to obey the rules of etiquette.
When you are travelling in Japan, please enjoy your trip while following the rules and etiquette of Japanese society and respecting customs and manners.
Etiquette when using telephones
Japan is one of the countries where mobile phones are extremely prevalent and there are many places where the use of mobile phones is regulated. In particular, Japanese people generally do not use mobile phones in public places (in elevators, etc.) or on trains or buses. In Japanese trains, there are special seats set aside for those that use pacemakers and it is not permitted to use mobile phones near these seats. If you receive a call while on a train, please speak as quietly as possible so as not to disturb the people around you, finish the conversation as quickly as possible and call the person back once you have left the train. Please note that the use of mobile phones is generally not permitted in public facilities in Japan such as luxury restaurants, hospitals, cinemas or theatres.
Etiquette when using escalators or stairs with handrails
There are escalators everywhere in Japan. Japanese people generally stand on the left when they use escalators and leave the right-hand side free for people who are in a hurry. (In the Kanto region and other regions, people generally stand on the left but it is the opposite in the Kansai region so if you are not sure which side to stand on, choose the side where most people are standing.)
If you are taking an escalator with other people, make sure to stand in single file and take care not to obstruct the other users. Further, when getting on to an escalator behind someone else, leave a certain distance such as one step between you and the other person to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding. (Particular caution should be exercised when a man gets on an elevator after a woman.)
Etiquette when using toilets
When using toilets in Japan you must wait in line until it is your turn. Do not wait right in front of the cubicle doors, instead form a line a short way away and use the toilets in order as they become vacant. Please flush used toilet paper away. There are many cases in which the cleaners for men’s toilets are older women but it is not necessary to bother about them going in and out of the toilets. It is sometimes necessary to change into slippers specially provided for toilets in restaurants, etc. depending on the place so please take care not to wear these slippers outside of the toilet area.
Tips
It is the custom in places such as Europe to tip hotel doormen, guides or restaurant staff but this is not necessary in Japan. Please remember that tips are absolutely not necessary when using hotels throughout Japan as well as restaurants, sightseeing spots and sightseeing buses. Hotels generally charge a 10% service fee and if the bill at a restaurant exceeds a certain amount, it is law that the customer must pay a service tax of a fixed percentage therefore it is the custom that tips are not accepted. If someone does ask you for a tip in Japan, this is not the custom but is motivated by the individual so it is up to the judgement of the tourist themselves whether they want to pay or not.
Separating rubbish
There are many rubbish bins in public places in Japan and these are processed for separated rubbish. Most bins are clearly marked with “burnable rubbish” or “non-burnable rubbish”. Station and convenience store bins are further divided into “magazines / newspapers”, “drink bottles / cans”, “burnable rubbish” and “non-burnable rubbish”, etc. It goes without saying that Japanese people do not to litter and foreign visitors must also obey this etiquette.