Expat Japan Guide

Japanese Manners on the Street and in Public: What Foreigners Get Wrong

Japan has a dense set of unwritten public behavior rules that nobody tells you about when you arrive. Breaking them won’t get you arrested, but it will earn you looks — and it matters if you want to actually fit in. Here’s what foreigners most often get wrong. On the Train The rules of Japanese train etiquette are semi-legendary, and for good reason — 40+ million people use Tokyo’s train system every day. The system only works because everyone follows the rules. ...

May 2, 2025 · 4 min · Expat Japan Team