Tips, rules, and etiquette

[Housetek]

i posted this stuff on another thread, but felt like this would be useful information for all.

These are jus some tips, rules, and etiquette for japan.

i will add more later im very tired now and cant think.

but this is all stuff from my personal experience of 8 trips to japan and living here 3 months at a time





1: you dont tip
cept some bars
gratuity is included in bill, hence why tokyo is so frigen expensive when you eat out.

2: do not put your chop sticks in your rice sticking up *example stabbing your food and leaving it there to rest*

3: dont slam taxi doors, they open AND shut for you
walk to your left

4: if your on a escalator you stand on the left and walk on the right

5: be polite let elderly, disable, and pregnant have seats on trains

6: if you see vending machines try not to eat and walk
its not a RULE or any thing but its polite to drink or eat while at the machine
thats why they have trash cans there and thats why the drinks are so tiny most of the time and the portions are small.
they dont have trashcans around japan unless its near a vending machine

7: DONOT throw trash into bike baskets

8: if your hailing a taxi and some one is in front of you waiting. dont be a d bag and walk in front of them and take a taxi

9: dont start a fight, they can put you in jail with no questions asked for a very long time.
if you fight with a japanese person, cops will always take their side over you

10: drugs are super no no... i prolly dont have to tell you but, the punishment is very harsh here.

11: if any one offers you a massag on the street, they are a prostitute/hooker, you'll see this alot in roppongi at night

12: try avoid using Shi and useing Yon instead for some things.
just bad luck to use shi, *its word for death*

13: if you go out to buy electronics and stuff at duty free places, bring your passport you will not have to pay taxes

14: alot of people read stuff about Gaijin Smash and gaijin powers, basically saying since you are a Gaijin you can do what you want and not get in trouble for it. dont do any thing like cut in line or just generally jerk moves b.c. you read on outpost nine about this "gaijin Smash" nonsense.
be polite and enjoy the customs

15: when you get use to the train system take a picture of the English Subway line maps, you will see how much it cost to get to certain areas so you dont have to do fair adjustments which is a pain.
also you'l have it on your camera and you can zoom in and know where the transfer spots are.

16: DO NOT just take random pictures of japanese people. i know my japanese friends hate this. They are girls and they hate when Gaijins come and take snapshots of them with out permission or ask them to pose with them.

its pretty pathetic.

cosplayers like the attention so thats okay, but dont go up to any person and just start snapping away, its very rude.

17. do not ask for bootlegged games/ movies in stores
IE system hacks, and things like m3 and r4 for the ds.
Game stores HATE when people ask for these types of things.
trust me i know from experience =P

18. when eating out or buying things, please wait for your change, even if its just 1 yen.

they WILL run after you to give it to you.

its also polite to place the money on the table or plate they present to you instead of their hand. *was told this by my friends mom*

19: if you dont know japanese, please attempt to speak a little.
its just polite, and at least your ATTEMPTING to speak japanese. instad of jus barking orders in another language.

20: pour your friends drinks when you are having Saki or beer or somthing, its just polite.

21.if you cant figure a word out in japanese jus say it like a japanese person would, example Ice Cream - ASUKUREMU
it works very well

[chibibecci]

very useful
the escalator one especially.. when I went there with friends- we didn't know that.. and i think it was annoying some people that we were stood in the middle of the escalator at Ryogoku eki's busy hours

[ButterflyDemise]

Thank you for posting this~ There was a few things I wasn't aware of (^^)

[annelie82]

Thank you for the info, Housetek. Some of it is common sense, and some were really useful tips as well (I didn't know about #3, #4 and #13). I got to experience #18 first-hand the other week when I went to our local Sushi-bar. I left with the food without waiting for my change, and the owner's daughter ended up running after me out in the street. I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, her or me...

[NewThursday]

Cool... a few interesting things I didnt know there

[Housetek]

yea i know a lot of it is common sense but people have this thing of forgetting about common sense when they are traveling to another country.

so any ways with that said, here are some more tips

this time around im gona generalize into sections

22. When given a business card or a personal contact card, hold it with both hands and look at both sides. Take 5 seconds to look at it before you shove it in your pocket or wallet.
It is extremely rude to just take a card and put it right in your pocket.
Exchanging cards is a big deal in Japan.

Grab the card with BOTH hands and do a slight bow.
theres more to it if you are in business but if you want that info jus pm me

*im not talking about random flyers and things of that nature*

23. more on chop sticks-
1. dont point with them
2. dont wave them around
3. also if you already used your chopsticks or put them in your mouth, please use the OTHER end of the chop stick to move or pass around food.

24. NAMES
i know a lot of people read mangas and watch anime.
do NOT go around calling people Chan, Sama, kun, or any thing like that unless u know how to use it.
* san: (for example Sato-san)
This is the most neutral and famous title, and can be used in most situations. Only in formal situations, san may not be polite enough.

* sama: (for example Sato-sama)
This is a more polite form of san, commonly used in formal situations and letters, but too polite in a casual context.

* kun: (for example Yusuke-kun)
This is an informal title used for boys and men that are younger than yourself.

* chan: (for example Megumi-chan)
This is an informal title used for young children and very close friends or family members.

* sensei: (for example Sato-sensei)
This is a title used for teachers, doctors and other people with a higher education and from whom you receive a service or instructions.

so big no no to go around calling people you just met Chan or Kun. Esp if they are older then you.

25. Some table manners
1. Saying Itadakimasu and Gochisosama
Itadakimasu is what you say b4 you eat ( i gratefully receive)
Gochisosama *deshita* (thank you for the meal)

2. In some countries it is bad manners to empty your plate to the last grain of rice, and in others it is good manners.

In Japan it is considered GOOD manners to empty your plate to the last grain of rice. So be sure to only order enough food you know you can finish.

3. Once again in Other countries such as Vietnam its acceptable to burp after a good meal, this is not so in Japan, please keep that in mind.

4. Eating Rice
Basicly pick up bowl with your hand with chopsticks in the other and lift it towards your mouth while eating.

Okay this may sound stupid i know, but I see a lot of people trying to clamp and lift rice into their mouths.
I come from a asian family so this is just common sense, but its not to others.
I find it funny to see some one struggling with like 5 grains of rice by trying to pick them all up individually when you can just bring the bowl to your face.

5. DO NOT pour soy sauce on WHITE RICE.


SUSHI!!!!!!!
Okay i looooove sushi so heres the Sushi section

1. In Japan wasabi is already added onto the sushi
if you do not want it on there, then ask the chef not to put wasabi on it.

2. If you LIKE wasabi then its okay to add a *little* bit into your soysauce dish.
too much and you will offend the Sushi Chef.
Very important for people sitting at the bar or at rotating sushi bar where the chef is right in front of you.

3. Sushi is to be eaten in ONE BITE, any more and you'll destroy the beauty of it.

4. When dipping Sushi into Soysauce you dip the FISH section in first.
DO NOT dunk it in the soy sauce.... it ruins it.

so i repeat you dip the FISH part into the soy sauce.... not the rice
i see this all time, people dip the rice part in and it gets soggy and falls apart, next thing you know, your fishing rice bits out of your soy sauce and tryin to salvage the sushi.

5. It is OKAY to eat sushi with your hands!
i do it all the time, when my friends come to visit me in Japan they get all paranoid about being proper and they suck at using chop sticks. Believe me its okay to eat sushi with your hands.

Try keeping it to your thumbs and pointer finger... no need to Hulk grip the sushi... thats jus ridiculous.

6. Some sushi is not ment to be eaten with Soy sauce, such as Unagi *eel* and few nigiri sushi. basicly any kind of sushi that is already marinated.

7. Some sushi like Gunkan *rice wrapped in sea weed with Caviar on top* its better to pour a tiny bit of soy sauce on top rather then to dip it.

8. Sashimi, if you like wasabi its better to take a lil bit and put it under the fish rather then putting it on top.

9. Miso soup- you'll notice that miso is not served with Spoons in japan. You drink it right out of the cup and the pieces of food are eaten with the Chop sticks.

10. ginger- a lot of people don't like ginger and leave it alone. its meant to cleanse your mouth for the next piece of sushi. learn to enjoy it and the flavors of the raw fish.

11. Oshibori (wet towels)
.... they are for your hands... not your face... or your arm pits... or any thing else... HANDS


26. TEMPLES!
1. Okay so you wana visit some temples.
heres a no brainer... be respectful

2. dont smoke

3. dont be loud

4. you can make a prayer in front of the sacred object and throw a coin into the offering box

5. If you want to light incense, buy a bundle light it and let it burn for a few seconds, and put them out by waving your hands rather then blowing them out.

6. if you go to a temple which requires you to remove your shoes, make sure you have nice socks on, dont go in barefeet or with nasty crap all over your feet.

7. Photography outside is permitted
but it is NOT inside, check for signs

8. its a sign of impurity if you go to a Temple or Shrine when you are sick or have open wounds.

9. At the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance, take a provided ladle, fill it with fresh water and rinse both hands. Then transfer some water into your cupped hand, rinse your mouth and spit the water beside the fountain. You are not supposed to transfer the water directly from the ladle into your mouth nor to swallow the water. You will notice that quite a few visitors skip the mouth rinsing part or the purification ritual altogether.

At the offering hall, throw a coin into the offering box, bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, bow deeply once more and pray for a few seconds. If there is some type of gong, use it before praying in order to get the kami's attention.

Thats all for now.

[ButterflyDemise]

What you say in 25 always kills me, haha. I can never remember those words for some reason D:

Either way, thank you for some more tips. Once again you listed a few I wasn't aware of~

[Housetek]

Originally Posted by annelie82

Thank you for the info, Housetek. Some of it is common sense, and some were really useful tips as well (I didn't know about #3, #4 and #13). I got to experience #18 first-hand the other week when I went to our local Sushi-bar. I left with the food without waiting for my change, and the owner's daughter ended up running after me out in the street. I'm not sure who was more embarrassed, her or me...

haha i did the same thing when i went to a sushi place in Roppongi.
it was realy busy so i jus left the money on the table like i always do back in the states.

next thing i know our waitress is sprinting towards me to give me like 20 somthing yen.

i felt soo bad =(

[lpdirufangirl09]

Originally Posted by ButterflyDemise

What you say in 25 always kills me, haha. I can never remember those words for some reason D:

Either way, thank you for some more tips. Once again you listed a few I wasn't aware of~

haha concur =p

[Sanchome]

The part about Japanese employees chasing you down the street for a mile to give you one yen that you left behind is true!