When you’ve spent ages planning and finally arrive at one of the places on your coveted to-do list, of course you’ll want to snap some pictures so you can have a lasting memory of it. But be careful! A lot of attractions will have an orderly line for photo-taking, but some will not. If you want to take a picture of it, chances are someone else does too. So don’t spend ages with a huge group of 20 in front of the most crowded crossing in Japan. Chances are you’ll get a bunch of strangers in the background anyway!

So what can you do instead? Take a picture of the interesting landmark by itself, or with just you or one friend in the picture. Be mindful of others and give them a chance too! Then later, find a lesser-known spot with a cooler background to take that group picture.

Japan is well-known for its incredibly crowded trains – so don’t make it worse. When you get on a train or bus, turn your backpack into a frontpack, and see if you can find a good space to stand somewhere inside the train. When your backpack is behind you, it’s hard to tell what’s going on, and you might be unintentionally smushing someone against a wall!

It’s also best to find a space inside the car away from the door, if possible. Locals will move into the aisle and stand neatly in line (for the most part), and it’s pretty much the easiest way to stand comfortably.

And don’t forget to give up your seat to the elderly or disabled!

The main religions in Japan are Shintoism and Buddhism. You may not be familiar with either religion, but in general being loud and making a scene at a place of worship anywhere in the world. Be respectful, and refrain from taking pictures especially right at the front of the temple where people make coin offerings and pay their respects to the gods. Taking a picture here is almost like taking a photo without the consent of the gods – i.e. it’s not OK!

If you were deep in prayer or paying your respects, would you want someone taking a selfie in front of you? Most likely not. So let people do their thing in peace.

This one can depend on the place, as in some cases you can write down your name for a restaurant and the number of people waiting, and one of you can wait in line. However, this is not always the case, and it certainly isn’t the case at theme parks or other attractions.

Think about it – if you were waiting in the queue for 30 minutes, and then thought you were finally about to get in, and suddenly six more people appear in front of you and you have to wait another 30 minutes... Would you be happy about it? Probably not! So it’s best to avoid pushing in front, and as these Sumo do in the video above, join your friend at the back instead of having your friend join you at the front.

Japan’s train etiquette is quite particular. If you’re on the train, especially during rush hour, you shouldn’t talk on the phone. You’ll probably notice everyone is pretty quiet on the train in general, so you’ll get a lot of annoyed glances if you break that silence!

If you want to check where a friend is, or you do need to speak to someone on the phone, send them a message first. If you still need to speak to them, it’s best to get off at the next stop and talk to them on the platform. Everyone will thank you for it!

Around the world each country has its own culture and mannerisms, and regardless of where you’re traveling to, it’s always a good idea to brush up before you go. After all, whenever you’re abroad, you’re a representation of your home country, so may as well make a good impression! We hope these tips will help make your trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible.


For more information, and to see other videos (including the one for our main image!), see the link below (Japanese only):
https://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/page08_000113.html

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