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Japanese etiquette

Kyoto receives more foreign tourists than ever before, but fewer visitors say they’ll return

Official city survey highlights the issues that left some visitors less than satisfied with their Kyoto experience.

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Famous koi ponds overwhelmed with tourists throwing thousands of coins in them

Koi and coins don’t mix.

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Act of Japanese kindness touches one man’s heart, provides hope for elevator etiquette

The fate of the first to board has long been a problem in Japan, but this could be the solution. 

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Foreign tourists go crazy for white tonkatsu in Japan

Restaurant serves up an unusual Japanese dish that’s even surprising locals. 

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The most delicious way to eat tonkatsu blows people’s minds in Japan

Diners are shocked to learn they’ve been eating tonkatsu the wrong way all their lives.

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Bowl or chopsticks: Which one should you pick up first?

An introduction to the finer details of Japanese dining etiquette.

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How should you add wasabi to sushi at a conveyor belt restaurant?

There are four common methods you should know about when dining out in Japan.  

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Should you place miso soup on the right or the left?

Difference between Tokyo and Osaka kicks off a nationwide debate on Japanese miso placement etiquette.

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Cats bowing in apology is Japan’s latest weird gacha capsule toy collection

Felines walk us through the finer details of saying sorry in Japan.

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Do you really need to wear toilet slippers when using the bathroom at home? Japan’s netizens vote

And a housecleaning expert weighs in!

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Japan is so polite even its hanko stamps bow to show respect

Unique aspect of traditional business etiquette surprises even Japanese people.

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Yamagata kids on way to school accidentally say “good morning” to wild bear

Bear was reportedly very rude.

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Should you turn your bowl upside down after eating at a Japanese restaurant?

Japan’s etiquette police weigh in on an unusual trend spotted amongst diners.

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Should you add wasabi to your soy sauce at a sushi restaurant?

Japanese sushi chefs weighs in on customers who practice “wasabi joyu”.

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Valentino sparks outrage with insincere apology for disrespecting Japanese culture in photo shoot

Model daughter of former SMAP member gets caught up in controversy involving shoes and kimono. 

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The polite way to eat onigiri rice balls sparks debate online

Even the humble onigiri isn’t safe from the complexities of Japanese etiquette.

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Seductive poses criticised for being disrespectful to Japanese culture. 

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Miss Manners: A pro gives us pointers on Japanese dining decorum

Uh oh, have you been behaving like an oafish gaijin?

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Just how confusing is Japanese onsen culture for a first time visitor?

Onsen etiquette can be confusing for a foreigner visiting for the first time, and there are many small rules and customs that even many Japanese people aren’t quite clear on. There aren’t usually any written instructions around the baths as it is expected that everyone will already know the basic customs surrounding communal bathing. This means that things people who have grown up in Japan take for granted, such as putting your shoes in a locker when you arrive or knowing which towels to use for what, can be hard to figure out for first-timers, and your supposedly relaxing spa break can become a little bit stressful.

Check out the video below to see how our Japan Wish competition winner Ashley navigated her first ever trip to an onsen and see if she found it relaxing…or stressful!

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Who has better manners? Blogger lists three things foreigners do that impress even the Japanese

One of the first things you notice when you visit Japan is how nice and polite everyone seems to be. Shop staff bow to you, people greet you in the hotel lobby, even the guy at the combini sprints across the store to open up the second register when there’s more than one person waiting to be served.

But spend any prolonged amount of time here and you’ll realise that there are plenty of rude people here too (just like in the rest of the world…). And there are even a few niceties we in the west generally perform as a matter of habit that just aren’t part of the Japanese way of doing things.

So just how are Westerners unintentionally schooling the Japanese in manners?

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