Eating on the street, showing off your tattoos, talking loudly on the subway… What seems reasonable to Westerners can surprise or even disturb the Japanese. Is attached teaa concept that includes kindness, gentleness, or prudence, Japanese people sometimes find it difficult to accept foreigners due to cultural differences.
“Most likely, they will not be upset or reprimanded, even if they feel offended. The best way not to make mistakes is to imitate the Japanese people around us. To understand them better, you just have to look at them.“, explains Thierry Meincent, president of Japan Experience travel agency (formerly Vivre le Japon). The country is preparing to relax entry conditions and welcome international tourists again.
On the street, every day
To say hello, thank you or goodbye, you only need to bow slightly to the interlocutor. Avoid any physical contact. forget the kiss or the handshake. It is forbidden to smoke on the street, except for places designated for this purpose. Starting July 1, 2019, smoking in public places in Tokyo is punishable by a fine of ¥300,000 or €2,100. However, some restaurants have smoking and non-smoking areas. At the pedestrian crossing, the Japanese carefully respect the red light, even if there is no car on the horizon.
Eating on the street is a face. Forget that sandwich or ice cream cone you devoured while running in the middle of the crowd. There are few trash cans on the streets of Japan. take a bag with you to put the garbage, which you will throw away when you return to your accommodation in the evening. In terms of clothing, the Japanese are extremely neat and elegant, even outside of a professional environment, but they are open to extravagance. Outfits that are too casual or sloppy may not go unnoticed.
In public transport
One of the things that most surprises travelers when they arrive in Japan is the silence. It should be respected. In the subway, if almost everyone uses their smartphone, few make loud calls. Vibrate mode is required. Before boarding, allow passengers to exit and line up in lines formed in front of the subway doors.
In public bathrooms
Thermal sources (onsen) and hot baths (sento) for the Japanese, it is a moment of relaxation, almost meditation. Therefore, it is necessary to be silent. You should also avoid going there if you have clearly visible tattoos. Tattoos refer to the mafia, i yakuza, and therefore enjoy a poor image. Some of these places (but also gyms, spas, etc.) are forbidden to tattooed people, even if we are going to be more flexible for tourists. Some facilities may recommend wearing a type of cast over the tattoo.
Home accommodation
Japanese people are not used to inviting people, including relatives, to their homes, particularly because of the small size of the accommodation. When they get together with friends or family, it’s usually at a restaurant. Suffice to say, foreigners are rare in apartment buildings. Things have changed in recent years with the rise of leasing between individuals. However, this fashion lasts less in Japan due to cultural differences. Restrictions in place since 2018 also make it more difficult to use platforms like Airbnb.
Today, mostly foreigners or Japanese returning from long-term expatriation rent to foreign visitors. This does not mean that they do not have a sense of hospitality, on the contrary. However, if a Japanese person invites you, it is mandatory to take off his shoes when entering his house. Aside from hygiene issues, it’s about the distinction the Japanese make between outside and inside.
In the restaurant
A restaurateur can deny you entry to their establishment, for example by crossing their arms. It is not necessary to insist. He may seem like he doesn’t speak enough English to get you on good terms and tries to avoid embarrassing situations. At the table, never plant your chopsticks in dishes, especially white rice, and do not eat directly into presentation dishes. Tipping is considered an insult, whether in restaurants, hotels or your taxi driver. Note that the bill often takes the form of a small ticket with very little information other than the amount. Asking for an itemized invoice can be perceived as a lack of trust.
The specialist tour operator Japan Experience (formerly Vivre le Japon) has created its own publishing house, Komon. On the occasion of the publication of his first illustrated book. Go to Japan (in collaboration with Les Arènes), the travel agency invites you to discover the universe of its author, graphic artist Vahram Muratyan. Until September 22nd, his store at 30 rue Sainte-Anne in Paris is transformed into a pop-up shop that resembles the Shinkansen, Japan’s high-speed train. The exhibition presents plates from the book, as well as symbolic places of Japan in the form of miniatures.
[Initialement publié en octobre 2019, cet article a fait l’objet d’une mise à jour.]
Source: Le Figaro
