Living in Japan

Things to know before you settle in

The unwritten etiquette everyone in Japan follows.

Take Off Your Shoes Indoors
靴を脱ぐ・进屋脱鞋

In Japanese homes, traditional inns, and some restaurants or clinics, shoes come off at the entrance. The step (genkan) between door and floor marks the line where shoes stop.

  • Take off shoes in the genkan (the recessed area just inside the door)
  • Once you step up onto the wood floor or tatami, you're 'inside' — shoes never go here
  • Same rule at restaurants, clinics, fitting rooms if you see a shoe rack or slippers at the door
  • Toilets usually have dedicated slippers — don't forget to switch back when leaving
💡 Setting shoes neatly with toes pointing toward the door is standard etiquette. Visiting someone's home? Glance at how the host arranges their shoes and follow suit.
Train Etiquette
电车・公共交通礼仪

Quiet is the default. Calls, loud talking, and eating will get disapproving looks — it's social convention, not law.

  • Phones on silent, no voice calls
  • Near priority seats, turn signal off during rush hour
  • Rush hour: move backpack to front or overhead rack
  • Queue up — no shoving
💡 A Suica or PASMO IC card works nationwide for transit and convenience stores.
Elevator Etiquette
エレベーター・电梯礼仪

Whoever stands closest to the panel is the de-facto operator — they press floors, hold the door, and exit last.

  • On arrival, hold OPEN (▷|◁) and let everyone exit first; you exit last
  • Hold OPEN while others board when boarding too
💡 「開」opens, 「閉」closes — don't mix them up. Pressing 「閉」on someone entering or leaving is considered very rude.
Eating While Walking
食べ歩き・边走边吃

Walking while eating is widely seen as impolite. It stands out near stations, convenience stores, and residential streets.

  • Most konbini have a standing counter or bench outside — finish there
  • Avoid eating in stations, on platforms, or in trains (shinkansen/express excepted)
  • Even at festival or tourist street stalls, eat near the stand before moving on
  • Bottled drinks while walking are more tolerated, but still avoid on crowded streets
💡 "Tabearuki" can also mean "food crawl" in tourist areas — context matters, but eating while literally walking is universally seen as rude.