Trip prep
Everything worth knowing before you go to Japan. Rules and perks can change, so double-check official sources before you leave.
Etiquette
A little know-how makes things much smoother and more pleasant for everyone.
Using an onsen
- Wash thoroughly at the washing area before getting into the bath.
- No swimsuits. Men's and women's baths are marked by curtains (noren) reading 男 (men) and 女 (women).
- Keep your towel out of the water: put it on your head or leave it outside the bath.
- Some places turn away people with tattoos. Check ahead or use cover-up stickers.
- Don't swim or talk loudly in the bath, and never take photos.
- Pat yourself dry before going back to the changing room.
Visiting shrines and temples
- Bow lightly at the torii gate, and walk to the side: the center of the path is for the gods.
- Purify yourself at the water basin: rinse your left hand, then your right, rinse your mouth from your left palm, then rinse the ladle handle and put it back.
- At a shrine, drop in an offering, ring the bell, then bow twice, clap twice and bow once.
- At a temple, don't clap: put your hands together and pray quietly.
- Don't take photos inside main halls or wherever photography is prohibited.
Trash and recycling
- There are very few public trash cans. Carry a small bag and throw things away at your accommodation.
- Convenience-store bins are meant for things you bought at that store.
- Follow the sorting labels: burnable (燃えるゴミ), non-burnable (燃えないゴミ), PET bottles (ペットボトル), and cans and bottles (缶・びん).
- Many places ask you to remove PET bottle caps and labels and throw them away separately.
On trains and buses
- No phone calls on trains, and keep your phone on silent.
- Queue up and let everyone off before you board.
- On escalators, people tend to stand on the left in Tokyo and the right in Osaka. More and more signs now ask you to stand rather than walk.
- Keep big bags out of the aisle, and wear your backpack on your front when it's crowded.
- Eating is fine on shinkansen and limited express trains, but avoid it on subways and commuter trains.
- Some lines have women-only cars during rush hour. Check the signs on the platform.
In restaurants
- Staff will ask how many are in your group. Showing the number with your fingers is fine.
- No tipping. You usually pay at the register by the entrance, not at your table.
- At ramen shops, buy a ticket from the machine by the door and hand it to the staff.
- Izakaya serve a small appetizer (otoshi) as a seating charge, and it's added to the bill.
- Don't stick chopsticks upright in rice or pass food chopstick to chopstick; both recall funeral rites.
- Slurping noodles is fine. The wet towel (oshibori) is for your hands only.
- Many shops on tourist streets ask you not to eat while walking. Eat in front of the shop where you bought it.
As of October 2026