Japanese Etiquette Dos and Don’ts

Understanding basic Japanese etiquette makes a trip to Japan smoother and more enjoyable for you and the people you meet. Nobody expects visitors to be perfect, and most locals are very forgiving, but a little effort with manners is noticed and appreciated.

This guide groups the most useful dos and don’ts by situation, from greetings and dining to trains, hot springs and temples. Rules can differ by region, venue and generation, so when in doubt, watch what people around you are doing and follow their lead.

Greetings and Bowing

Bowing (ojigi, お辞儀) is the standard greeting and a way to say thank you, sorry or goodbye.

• Do return a bow with a small nod or bow of your own. A light bow of about 15 degrees, called eshaku (会釈), is right for most everyday situations.
• Do use simple greetings like konnichiwa (こんにちは, hello) and arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます, thank you).
• Don’t go in for hugs or cheek kisses with people you have just met. Handshakes are fine in business, especially with foreigners, but let the other person lead.
• Do use family names with -san (さん) when addressing people, such as Tanaka-san. Never add -san to your own name.

Shoes and Indoor Spaces

Taking off your shoes is one of the most important customs in Japan.

• Do remove your shoes at the genkan (玄関), the entrance area of homes, traditional inns (ryokan), some restaurants, temples and even a few clinics and changing rooms. A step up in floor level is the usual signal.
• Do wear clean socks without holes, as you may be in your socks more often than you expect.
• Don’t step onto tatami (畳) mats in slippers. Slippers are for wooden floors and corridors; tatami is walked on in socks or bare feet.
• Do switch to the separate toilet slippers when entering a toilet room, and remember to take them off when you leave. Walking out in toilet slippers is a classic visitor mistake.
• Do point your shoes toward the door when you take them off, if you have time. It is considered tidy and considerate.

Dining and Chopsticks

Japanese table manners are relaxed in casual places but a few rules are important everywhere.

• Do say itadakimasu (いただきます) before eating and gochisousama deshita (ごちそうさまでした) when you finish. They express thanks for the food and the people who prepared it.
• Don’t stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice. This resembles an offering at funerals.
• Don’t pass food from your chopsticks to someone else’s chopsticks. This echoes a funeral rite involving the bones of the deceased. Place the food on their plate instead.
• Do rest chopsticks on the chopstick rest (hashioki, 箸置き) or across your bowl, not pointing at people.
• Do feel free to slurp noodles like ramen and soba. It is common and helps cool the noodles.
• Don’t pour soy sauce over your rice or drown sushi in it. Dip lightly, ideally fish side down.
• Do use the wet towel (oshibori, おしぼり) for your hands, not your face, especially in nicer restaurants.
• Do pour drinks for others in a group and let them pour for you. If you are drinking alcohol, pace yourself and drink responsibly; it is fine to switch to tea or water.

Paying and Tipping

• Don’t tip in restaurants, taxis or hotels. Tipping is not part of the culture and can cause confusion; staff may even run after you to return the money. Some high-end ryokan have their own customs, so follow their guidance.
• Do place cash or cards on the small tray (karuton, カルトン) by the register rather than handing them directly to the cashier.
• Do pay at the front counter in many casual restaurants rather than at the table. Look for a bill left at your table and take it to the register.
• Do carry some cash. Card and mobile payments are increasingly common, but small shops, shrines and rural businesses may still prefer cash.

Trains and Public Transport

Japanese public transport is famously calm and orderly, and passengers help keep it that way.

• Do queue at the marked lines on the platform and let passengers get off first.
• Don’t talk on your phone on trains or buses. Set your phone to silent, known in Japan as manaa moodo (マナーモード, “manner mode”).
• Do keep your voice down in general and keep backpacks in front of you or on the rack in crowded carriages.
• Do give up priority seats (yuusenseki, 優先席) to elderly passengers, pregnant women, people with disabilities and those with small children.
• Do follow the local escalator habit. In Tokyo people traditionally stand on the left; in Osaka, on the right. Some stations now ask everyone to stand still on both sides, so follow the signs.
• Don’t eat full meals on local commuter trains. Snacks and bento are normal on long-distance trains such as the shinkansen.

Onsen and Public Baths

Visiting an onsen (温泉, hot spring) or sentou (銭湯, public bath) is a highlight for many travellers.

• Do wash and rinse your body thoroughly at the shower stations before entering the bath.
• Don’t wear a swimsuit in a traditional bath. Bathing is done naked and baths are usually separated by gender.
• Don’t put your small towel in the water. Fold it on your head or leave it at the side.
• Do tie up long hair so it does not touch the water.
• Do check the tattoo policy in advance. Some baths refuse guests with tattoos, some allow small cover stickers, and others welcome everyone. Policies vary, so check with the venue.
• Do dry off a little before returning to the changing room to keep the floor dry.

Temples and Shrines

Buddhist temples (tera, 寺) and Shinto shrines (jinja, 神社) are places of worship, not just sightseeing spots.

• Do bow lightly before passing through a shrine’s torii (鳥居) gate, and try to walk at the side of the path; the centre is traditionally reserved for the deity.
• Do purify yourself at the water basin (temizuya, 手水舎): rinse your left hand, then your right, then pour a little water into your cupped hand to rinse your mouth, and never drink straight from the ladle.
• Do follow the common shrine prayer pattern of two bows, two claps and one bow (nirei nihakushu ichirei, 二礼二拍手一礼). At temples, simply put your hands together quietly; do not clap.
• Don’t take photos where signs say photography is not allowed, which is common inside halls.
• Do dress modestly and speak quietly in sacred areas.

Streets, Trash and Public Behaviour

• Do carry a small bag for your rubbish. Public bins are rare, so people take trash home or use bins at convenience stores for items bought there.
• Do sort trash where bins are labelled, typically burnable, plastic, cans and bottles.
• Don’t eat while walking in busy streets. It is often frowned upon, and some tourist areas post signs asking visitors to eat near the shop. Stand by the stall to finish your snack.
• Don’t smoke on the street except in designated smoking areas. Many cities restrict street smoking, so look for signs.
• Do respect residents in historic districts. Do not chase or photograph geiko and maiko without permission, and stay out of private alleys and gardens.
• Do keep your voice down in residential areas, especially at night.

Visiting Homes and Giving Gifts

• Do bring a small gift (omiyage, お土産 or temiyage, 手土産) if you are invited to someone’s home. Packaged sweets or a speciality from your home country work well.
• Do offer and receive gifts, business cards and documents with both hands.
• Don’t give gifts in sets of four, as the word shi (四) sounds like the word for death.
• Do say ojama shimasu (お邪魔します), roughly “sorry to intrude,” when entering someone’s home.

Quick Etiquette Tips

• When unsure, pause and watch what locals do.
• A sincere sumimasen (すみません, excuse me or sorry) smooths over most small mistakes.
• Carry a handkerchief or small towel; many public restrooms have no paper towels.
• Keep to the left on walkways in most areas unless signs say otherwise.
• Rules for specific places can change, so check signs and official venue information.

Final Thoughts

Japanese etiquette is built on consideration for others: keeping spaces clean, staying quiet in shared areas and showing gratitude. Follow these dos and don’ts, stay observant and polite, and you will find people in Japan warm and welcoming throughout your trip.