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More so now than ever, ill-mannered tourists are flocking to Japan’s capital. Here’s how to avoid being one of them.
These days, whenever anyone asks me for advice about traveling to Tokyo, I warn them to be prepared to wrangle with tourists everywhere they go. Because Japan is safe, affordable, and increasingly English-friendly–as well as full of magnificent attractions from festivals to food and nature–visitors have been coming in record-breaking numbers since the pandemic. A whopping 36.8 million tourists arrived in Japan in 2024, which is the highest number since records began in 1964.
As a result, Tokyo districts like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Asakusa have become year-round hotbeds for crowds. I tell travelers to be prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with passengers in the subways and face hour-long waits for popular ramen and sushi restaurants. Many tourists are first-timers to Japan or unaware of cultural nuances, which means you’re more likely than ever to encounter annoying behaviors like line-cutting and loud voices.
Tokyoites tend to be non-confrontational, so chances are that nobody will make a peep if a tourist is a boor, but if the grievance is severe enough, they’ll run up with their arms held in a cross shape, pleading “dah-meh” or “forbidden!” Visitors should never get a free pass for behaving badly: it’s basic respect to read up on cultural dos and don’ts and mind your manners. If you’re among the millions of people heading to Tokyo this year, here are ten ways to make your way around without accidentally committing taboos.
Related: 11 Things to Know Before Traveling to Japan
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Shh: No Speaking Loudly or on the Phone Inside Trains
During rush hour, Japanese subway trains can be packed as tightly as a can of sardines. In such crowded conditions, any additional noise only adds to the stress. This is why it’s considered a faux pas to chatter away with your friends or yammer on your cell phone inside train cars. Keep your phone on silent so that it doesn’t ring out, and stick to texting while onboard. If you’re on a bullet train, however, you can step out to the gangway corridor to quietly take a call. Side note: if you’re listening to music with earbuds, make sure that the volume is low so that sound doesn’t leak out.
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Avoid Being a Litterbug
Tourists may be surprised to discover that public trash cans are a rarity in Tokyo. Locals have adapted to taking their junk with them and discarding it later at home. However, frustrated tourists may wind up stashing their waste in a random corner or stuffing it into a bottle bin that is only supposed to hold designated receptacles. There’s nothing trashier than being a litterer, so don’t succumb to these lazy behaviors. Instead, look for a waste bin inside a convenience store, and bring a bag to easily carry your refuse on the go.
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Don’t Be Pushy and Interrogate Locals in English
Many visitors mistakenly assume that everyone in Tokyo speaks some English. I’ve seen tourists aggressively ask questions in English when the other party is unable or unwilling to speak the language and even push phones into their faces in an attempt to communicate. If you need to approach someone in the streets to help, be polite and read the room if the person is uncomfortable. Better yet, go to a hotel front desk or department store information counter and ask the English-speaking staff there. Also, you can now easily access free wi-fi in convenience stores, subways, and malls–so chances are that you can get online and figure things out yourself.
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It’s a ‘No Dawg’ to Take Unauthorized Photos and Video
The ubiquity of smartphones and social media has caused a rise in bad behaviors for the sake of getting content. Recently, vandals cut holes in the fence in front of a convenience store in order to get aesthetic photos of Mount Fuji. Others have climbed cherry blossom trees to get the shot, live-streamed loudly in temples, or pointed their cameras at maiko and geisha on streets where photography is forbidden. It’s a basic courtesy to ask for permission before taking photos or videos of someone; don’t assume that they are fine with being filmed because they are dressed fashionably. Memorize the phrase for “may I take your photo,” which is “shashin o totte mo ii desu ka?” Also, keep in mind that photography is not permitted in many Tokyo stores, malls, museums, shrines, and temples; if you’re unsure, look for signs and ask before snapping away.
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Situational Awareness Is a Must
My friends and I are constantly grouching over tourists who lack situational awareness. These foreigners will take a dozen selfies in front of an attraction and then remain there to look over the images rather than moving aside to let someone else take a clear shot. They’ll stand around in bulky backpacks that block the flow of traffic, which can prevent someone from making it onto a train. North Americans are also accustomed to walking on the right side of stairwells and standing to the right on escalators, but in Japan, the custom is to veer to the left (which mirrors the standard of driving on the left side). It’s easy to be distracted in glitzy Tokyo, but do your best to maintain situational awareness–lest you get trampled while trying to film a TikTok dance in a busy street crossing.
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It’s Hella Rude to Be Late
Japan may be an island nation, but it certainly doesn’t run on “island time.” Showing up late to an appointment, even by a few minutes, is considered extremely rude. In a culture that emphasizes trust and consideration, making somebody wait is considered disrespectful and a sign of untrustworthiness. Aim to arrive at least ten minutes early for an appointment, and allow plenty of transit time in case the trains are delayed or crowds slow down your walking pace. If you are running behind, give the person a heads-up by text and apologize profusely when you arrive, as being tardy is no small matter in Japan.
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Do Remove Your Shoes
One of the biggest blunders tourists can make is stomping into a home without taking off their shoes. It’s the norm to take off your footwear at the designated “genkan” entrance area and neatly store it to the side or in a box. There may also be a basket full of slippers for you to wear. Travelers may be aware of the shoes-off rule at home but not realize that this also applies to many ryokans (traditional inns), Japanese restaurants, offices, shrines, and temples. Before you barge inside, look for a storage shelf and signs indicating that you should shed your shoes.
INSIDER TIPTry to wear clean socks without holes.
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Don’t Be Touchy-Feely With People and Sacred Objects
In Rome, big hugs and kisses are expected on the cheek. However, when in Tokyo, the default is to keep your distance. When you’re meeting someone new, especially in formal circumstances, the standard greeting is a bow. Remember that locals may not be comfortable with a handshake, fist bump, or high five. At nightclubs and parties, don’t go in with drunken shoulder touches and hugs unless the other person acquiesces. Keep your hands to yourself at temples and shrines: the entire grounds are considered sacred, so you shouldn’t touch the plants, let alone the Buddha statues.
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Be Aware of Eating Etiquette
Get to know Japan’s dining dos and don’ts before you chow down. It’s impolite to eat anything on the subway, although you can sip on a drink. (Just be careful during peak hours, lest you spill liquid on the person next to you). It’s okay to snack on non-pungent food on the bullet train, however, and the staff even sells special bento boxes for the occasion. When dining out, don’t stick your chopsticks straight up in a bowl (this mimics funeral incense and connotes bad luck) or pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks. The courtesy is to pour drinks for other people and not for yourself. Finally, if you’re visiting a quick-serve conveyor belt sushi, ramen, or udon restaurant, don’t dawdle in your seat after eating, as these places are meant for fast turnover. (Noisily slurping your noodles, however, is not only acceptable but a sign of enjoyment!)
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Boo to Cutting the Line
Japanese people have a remarkable tolerance for standing in line for long periods of time. At busy restaurants that don’t take reservations in advance, you can expect to wait an hour or more in a queue. If you don’t see a line snaking out the door, don’t assume that you can simply waltz in and grab a table. Chances are that there is a sign-up sheet or ticketing system for people to keep their place. If you decide to line up, don’t let friends cut in later or wander off and then rejoin you. And please don’t engage in my personal pet peeve: shoving up against the person ahead of you in an irrational attempt to make the line move faster!