JAPAN'S UNSPOKEN RULES 🙊 | 16 You Need to Know Before Traveling!

JAPAN HAS SO MANY UNSPOKEN RULES I COULD BE HERE ALL DAY TALKING ABOUT IT 😣 I hope to save you some embarrassment with this video!!

Today I'm sharing 16 unspoken rules in Japan that you need to know before your next trip to Japan 🥰 They are varying levels of...originalness...throughout the video. It's impossible to make one of these with totally fresh information, so if you think the first few are obvious or something, I encourage you to keep watching or skip ahead to the next ones to see!! Because there's a lot!! But really they can all be boiled down to the last one lmao 😆

Let me know if you can think of any others people should be aware of down below in the comments!!

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JAPAN'S UNSPOKEN RULES 🙊 | 16 You Need to Know Before Traveling!

[AllisoninTokyo]

What rule surprised you the most!? And you do know any others I didn't mention in this video? Let me know down below!!! ☺

[Reia_Shi]

I’m American, but it will always baffle me how some Americans will get absolutely furious that they can’t tip in Japan and many other countries. Like why are you mad that the waiters get paid an actual good wage and you don’t have to pay their salary basically? The tipping culture in the USA is absolutely ridiculous and it needs to go away.

[susanma]

I thought of a few: on the train, do NOT talk on your phone. I am convinced that texting was invented in Japan because train passengers do need to contact others, but they're not allowed (well, you know) to actually talk on their phones while on a train. Also don't put on makeup, brush your hair, spray perfume, etc on a train. You can do that in the restroom I guess, but not at your seat.
Also, if you speak Japanese at all, people will not say "no" or contradict you. For example, if you ask, "Does this train go to Kyoto?" they won't say, "No, that's the wrong train." However, if you said, "I'm trying to get to Kyoto and I'm not sure which train..." Then they'd say, "Oh, it's that one over there."

[valmarsiglia]

I've never been to Japan, but I taught English to lots of Japanese students at a Berlitz school when I was young, and it was a chore to get them to say negative statements beginning with "no." In one exercise, I'd hold up a red pen and ask "Is the pen black?" with the expected answer of "No, the pen is not black, the pen is red" but instead they'd try to talk around it, usually with something like "Um... maybe the pen is red." They were clearly very uncomfortable with the idea of contradicting me directly.

[susanma]

Here's something I've often seen in the US that drives me bonkers. We put up with it here, but if you try to pull this in Japan, get ready for some stink eye. It's parents who give their small kids a phone or tablet and let them watch videos, listen to music, or play games in restaurants. The point is, that sh*t is LOUD and incredibly annoying. If you or your kids have a device that is making noise, USE EARBUDS. On a train, on a bus, in a restaurant, in any public place--it's rude if others can hear it. In America, restaurants are pretty loud anyway, so we can usually tune it out, but in Japan it'll come across as beyond rude.

[billwindsor]

An addition: have the word “sumimasen” (“excuse me”) at the front of your lips all the time. Or: “Oh, sumimasen.” I traveled to Japan on business about six times over a two-year period, and I knew I was going to mess up in my behavior occasionally to the Japanese standards; and I found that my saying “sumimasen” was a quick way to recover grace from the people around you. Or then consider adding “gomen nasai” if you need to add an apology.

[punkin]

My biggest shock when I moved to Tokyo in 1999 was the sheer rigidness of refusing to not put a pickle on the burger at McDonald's. I'm half Japanese so not my first time there, but first time living there and I actually said to the person 'what if I am allergic and you putting the pickle on my burger contaminates it and I die??'. She literally pulled out the BINDER and showed me where it said that the pickle had to be put on. GOT IT. hahahhhaah

[tranquilbakergentletraveller]

Japanese society seems quite respectful (lining up in an orderly fashion, keeping quiet on public transport). Most of the rest of the world can learn a thing or two from the Japanese.

[justalittleotaku]

just spent a month in Japan and everyone is so respectful. It was culture shock coming back to US

[emiliiajayne]

7:23 "if you litter I will personally find you and yell at you", this made me thumbs up the video right away!! 😂

[DJAYPAZ]

There are so many videos about things not to do in Japan. More videos about rules, social norms, how to eat, how not to eat, even rules about social etiquette when catching a train, using an elevator or handling cash. All these videos could discourage people from visiting Japan. It is a case of information overload and inconsistent content quality. Having visited Japan a number of times, I find that some videos create the false impression that tourists are unwelcome in Japan. Allison makes a genuine effort to explain some things you would probably encounter daily. None of the rules surprised me. Of course there are many other social norms that could be the topic of more videos. A few I would mention are elevator etiquette and the lift captain ( yes it's a thing ), leaving a clear table after eating at a cafe and being aware of women only spaces like certain train carriages etc. I hope Allison does a part 2 of this video.😀😀😀

[kendutchess]

Fantastic advice. I have lived here since 1989, and really appreciate your video. I hope everyone who visits here watches this before arriving.

[michaelw]

When in Japan three years ago, I learned that pedestrians always obey walk lights even in very small towns. I was in a town so small that it had only one stop light and witnessed a pedestrian waiting for the light to change even though there was no traffic in either direction for at least a 1/2 mile. Conform and blend in.

[Off_the_clock_astrophysicist]

When I was in Tokyo I would sometimes forget about the reversed pedestrian traffic flow and gravitate to the right side of the side walk. The onslought of people trying to go opposite of me quickly reminded me to move back to the left side.

[cozyfriendscompany]

You will usually have to take your shoes off in change rooms as well. And a lot of stores will give you a cover to put on your head so that you don’t get makeup on the clothing item you are trying on (like sweaters etc).

[Aiera]

I'm living in Japan long term, but my brother is getting ready to visit for the first time -- this video was a great reminder of things that might surprise him that I forgot about/got used to, so thank you! The socks one is a big one that I don't think people talk about enough!

[pknumba]

I am moving to Japan in November! I accepted an English teaching job and I am super stoked!

[StarryClyde]

1.) People reserved seats on restaurants
2.) train manners- be quiet on trains, yield seats for elderly and pregnant people
3.) Don’t draw too much attention on you by talking too loud
4.) Don’t be rude to people
5. If you cough or sneeze just cover your mouth
6.) Remove shoes on Japanese house or temples and some restaurants or historical places
7.) Bring socks with you in public cuz u never know
8.) Don’t tip in Japan
9.) Don’t eat or drink while walking in public
10.) Put your money on the tray don’t hand it to them directly unless they don’t have a tray
11.) Bring cash Japan uses cash a lot
12.) Don’t touch taxi doors
13.) Carry garbage with you because there’s no garbage cans in Japan
12.) Be careful about taking photos
13.) Menu are difficult to read and don’t ask for complicated dish
14.) Japan loves lines
15.) Stand on the left line of the escalator
16.) be aware

[Scooterx]

Thanks for another great video! I didn’t know the taxis have automatic doors. How cool!

The 17th rule (sort of)— you will be greeted when you enter any store, business, hotel, restaurant… and you’re not expected to say anything in return. That’s a tough one for me. I keep wanting to respond, or say hello, or thank you.

[bpattila]

People can eat on the shinkansen since food is also served and it is a long distance train. However, people do not eat on any other train, especiall NOT on a city train.