Japan is a country with a unique culture. This time, we will introduce 12 rules that foreigners notice as differences in culture.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners①】
Bowing In Japan, there is a manner of “bowing by lowering one’s head” to express respect, apology, or gratitude to someone, especially to a person one meets for the first time. Originally, this custom was adopted from Chinese etiquette during the Asuka and Nara periods, where lowering one’s head and showing the neck to the other person indicated the absence of hostility. While bowing is not as common in daily life as it is in Japan, the act of bowing exists in Asian countries such as China and Korea. On the other hand, such manners are not present in Western countries. Therefore, it is not uncommon to hear stories from foreigners like, “I was truly surprised to see a salaryman bowing repeatedly over the phone even though the other person wasn’t present!”
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners②】
No talking on public transportation It is considered a manner in Japan to keep quiet and not speak loudly on trains or buses. While there is a Japanese consciousness of not bothering others in public places, in some countries, it is normal to chat or make phone calls on public transportation. Many foreigners are surprised by the silence, not only on trains but also in public places like elevators.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners③】
Taking off shoes before entering a house In Japan, it is considered a manner to take off one’s shoes at the entrance before entering a house. In Western countries, it is common to wear shoes indoors, but in regions like Scandinavia and Asian countries like Thailand, there is a similar culture of taking off shoes at the entrance. The reason for not wearing shoes indoors in Japan is to prevent feet from getting sweaty inside shoes and also because people used to spend a lot of time sitting on the floor in the past.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners④】
Sorting garbage Compared to other countries, foreigners are surprised by the need to “separately sort garbage” in Japan. While the detailed rules vary by region, it is common to separate garbage into categories such as burnable garbage, non-burnable garbage, cans, bottles, PET bottles, and mixed paper. Many foreigners are amazed by the meticulous consideration of people who rinse the contents of milk cartons or separate bottle caps and labels from PET bottles before disposing of them, even though just sorting garbage can be challenging for them.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑤】
Punctuality Punctuality is a common practice in Japan, whether it’s for transportation schedules or business meetings, which is also considered a manner. In some countries, it may be common for trains to be delayed by 30 minutes or for dishes to take a long time to be served in restaurants. On the other hand, in Japan, there is a consciousness of acting with ample time, as seen in phrases like “gather five minutes early,” and a strong emphasis on never being late. Many foreigners are surprised by the trains in Japan that operate punctually down to the minute.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑥】
Greetings before and after meals The greetings of “Itadakimasu” before meals and “Gochisousama deshita” after meals are unique rules in Japan. “Itadakimasu” expresses gratitude to the plants and animals for giving us their lives and to the people who put effort into preparing the meal. “Gochisousama deshita” expresses gratitude for being able to feast on the lives of plants and animals and for the meal itself. As someone who writes this article, I work as a Japanese language teacher teaching Japanese to foreigners, and I have been asked by foreign learners, “Do you say ‘Itadakimasu/Gochisousama’ even when eating alone?” Among foreigners, there are many who have the image of “sitting at the dining table with family, clasping hands together, and greeting everyone,” possibly influenced by dramas and movies.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑦】
Lifting the bowl to eat In Japan, it is considered proper etiquette to lift the bowl with one hand when eating. For dishes like ramen or large plates that cannot be lifted with one hand, it is customary to hold the bowl with one hand and support it with the other. As there are countries and regions where the custom of lifting the plate while eating does not exist, it is good to remember the fine points of Japanese table manners.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑧】
Posture while eating In Japan, there is a strong impression that eating in a way that does not make others uncomfortable is highly emphasized. Among these, it is important to know the manners regarding posture while eating. First, it is important to sit up straight and eat with proper chopstick etiquette, and it is also considered not good to rest elbows on the table or eat with one arm hanging down.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑨】
Eating all the food In Japan, it is considered good manners to eat all the food when dining out or when someone has cooked for you. Finishing your meal shows gratitude to the person who prepared it and is also considered good because of the Japanese spirit of “mottainai” (not being wasteful). In China, there used to be a custom of expressing to the host that “I am already full” by leaving food, and eating everything would give the impression to the host that “the meal is not sufficient.” However, in recent years, this custom seems to be fading due to the idea of “wasting food is a shame.”
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑩】
Exchanging business cards In business settings, it is a manner in Japan to exchange business cards as a greeting with a new acquaintance. Since there are detailed rules for the order and method of exchanging business cards, attention is required. For example, when exchanging business cards with multiple people, it is polite to exchange cards starting from the most senior person in the company, and there is a manner of saying “I humbly receive it” when receiving a business card.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑪】
Seating arrangements In business settings, there are rules regarding where to sit. The “kamiza” is where the person of higher status sits, which is the seat farthest from the entrance. The “shimoza” is where the person of lower status sits, which is the seat closest to the entrance. Since there are countries where the culture of determining seats according to one’s position does not exist at all, it is necessary to be careful not to sit inappropriately without knowing Japanese etiquette.
【Japanese Etiquette That Surprises Foreigners⑫】
Implicit understanding Japanese people have a unique culture of reading between the lines and understanding the atmosphere to communicate without directly stating their true feelings. There are many situations in which people read each other’s true feelings and communicate without directly stating their thoughts, as seen in phrases like “implicit understanding” or “honne and tatemae.” People from cultures with a strong tendency to speak their minds directly may find it difficult to communicate with Japanese people. Japanese