Travel guide
Japanese etiquette for first-timers: the rules that actually matter
Nobody expects a visitor to know every Japanese custom, and people are forgiving of honest mistakes. But a handful of habits make a real difference: how you behave on trains, when to take your shoes off, how to visit a shrine, and why you will not find a bin on the street. Most of it comes down to one idea, not inconveniencing others. This guide explains the rules that matter, the reasons behind them and the few mistakes worth avoiding.
In short
- Keep your voice down on trains and buses, and never take phone calls on board.
- Take your shoes off when you see a step up, a shoe rack or slippers.
- Don't tip. A sincere “arigato gozaimashita” is the thank you.
- Carry your trash until you find the right bin; public bins are rare.
- Ask before photographing people, and respect private property.
In this guide
One idea behind almost every rule
Much of Japanese etiquette centres on not inconveniencing others (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). JNTO describes this as “omoiyari”: being considerate and courteous, as simply as lowering your voice on a train or leaving luggage in a locker so it does not block the pavement (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Once you see the rules this way, most of them stop feeling arbitrary. When in doubt, watch what the people around you do.
Learning a few words helps more than any rule. A greeting, “please” (onegaishimasu) and “thank you” (arigato gozaimasu) are a great first step (JNTO (opens in a new tab)), and English is spoken in many hotels, shops and restaurants in the big cities (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
On trains and buses
- Quiet, please. Passengers keep their voices low, avoid phone calls and use headphones (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Put your phone on silent ("manner mode").
- Queue at the markings. People line up for everything, trains included, and nobody cuts in (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Let passengers off before you board.
- Priority seats are for older people, pregnant women, parents with small children and people with disabilities. Offer your seat even if they decline (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Eating: fine on the shinkansen, but considered bad manners on commuter trains (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Escalators: stand still and hold on rather than walking; at busy times stand in two lines if the escalator is wide enough (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Big suitcases belong out of other people's way; some shinkansen need a reservation for oversized luggage (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
When to take your shoes off
Some attractions, restaurants and traditional inns will ask you to take your shoes off before you go in. There is usually a rack for your shoes, and you may be given slippers instead (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Temple buildings often ask the same, and some give you a plastic bag to carry your shoes (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). The clue is usually a raised floor at the entrance: shoes stay on the lower level.
- Wear socks without holes: you will be in them more than you think.
- Never step onto tatami in slippers; take them off at the edge of the mat.
- Toilets often have their own slippers. Swap in, swap back out.
- In a fitting room you may be asked to take your shoes off too (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
Visiting shrines and temples
Shrines belong to Shinto, Japan's native faith; temples are Buddhist, and the two often stand side by side (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). You can tell them apart by the gate: a torii for shrines, a sanmon gate for temples (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Find some to visit in our shrines and temples collection.
At a shrine
- Bow once before the torii gate and walk a little to the left or right of the centre (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- At the water basin (temizuya), take the ladle in your right hand and rinse your left hand, then rinse your right hand, then pour a little water into your left hand to rinse your mouth and spit it out beside the basin. One scoop covers all three steps, and the ladle never touches your lips (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- At the hall, drop a coin quietly into the offering box (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Bow twice, clap twice, pray, and finish with one more bow (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
At a temple
Temples are less strict. Rinse your hands at the basin if there is one, but do not clap. If you light incense, put the flame out by waving your hand, never by blowing on it, and look out for signs that ban photography inside (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
Bowing once in front of the torii gate is the correct, if not always practiced, way to enter.
Eating out
- The hot towel (oshibori) is for your hands only. Wiping your face with it is bad manners (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Table charge. At an izakaya, the small dish that arrives unasked is not free; it is the cover charge (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Chopsticks. Use the rest, and use communal chopsticks for shared dishes. Cutlery is available in most restaurants if you ask (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Slurping noodles is normal, and nobody will mind.
- No strong perfume at sushi counters, where the aroma of the food matters (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Reservations: turn up on time or cancel well ahead; small restaurants buy ingredients for your booking (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- No tipping. It is not customary and often causes confusion (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Prices already include tax; see money in Japan.
Out on the street
- Trash: take it with you if there is no bin, and sort it when you find one; separation is mandatory and rules vary by town (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Convenience stores often have bins for what you buy there.
- Smoking is generally banned indoors and outside designated areas, including while walking (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Photos: respect private property and always ask before photographing people (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Masks: if you have a cough or a cold, wearing a mask is considered polite (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Shopping bags cost extra almost everywhere; carry a foldable tote (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
- Cash: carry some, as small shops, rural buses and some ticket machines take cash only (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
Where you stay
In a ryokan or any room with tatami, do not drag your suitcase across the mats (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). In onsen, wash thoroughly and rinse off all soap before getting in, and do not wear swimwear in the bath (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). If you book a holiday rental, check that it has a licence for private lodging (JNTO (opens in a new tab)). Return rental towels at hot springs to staff or to the collection point (JNTO (opens in a new tab)).
Heading off on your first trip? Our 7-day first trip and arrival day guide put all of this into a real itinerary, and our IC card guide makes the train part easy.
Questions travellers ask
Should I tip in Japan?
No. Tipping is not customary and often causes confusion. Saying "arigato gozaimashita" with a smile is the way to show thanks.
Can I eat on trains in Japan?
On the shinkansen, yes. On local and commuter trains, eating is considered bad manners.
How do I pray at a Japanese shrine?
Rinse your hands and mouth at the water basin, drop a coin in the offering box, then bow twice, clap twice, pray and bow once more. At temples, do not clap.
Why are there so few trash cans in Japan?
Public bins are rare, so people carry their trash home or to a bin at a station or convenience store. Waste must be sorted, and rules vary by town.
Do I have to take off my shoes in Japan?
In homes, ryokan, many temples, some restaurants and some attractions, yes. Look for a raised floor at the entrance, a shoe rack or slippers.
Is it rude to talk on the phone on the train?
Yes. Passengers keep their voices low, avoid calls and use headphones.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)日本政府観光局Japanese customs and etiquette (opens in a new tab)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)日本政府観光局Travelling mindfully in Japan (opens in a new tab)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)日本政府観光局Connecting with Japanese culture (opens in a new tab)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)日本政府観光局Shrine and temple traditions (opens in a new tab)
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)日本政府観光局Two bows and two claps at shrines (opens in a new tab)
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