Apparently eating while walking as I’ve been told.
Pointing at someone.
Going outside to check the mailbox, barefoot.
It’s hard to answer this question. In my country sticking your fingers up someone’s a$$ is considered sexual assault, in Japan it’s “the culture”
how you address your superiors would be an easy one.
i think its pretty normal on average jobs to call your boss by just their first name. dont think that would go over very well in japan.
[deleted]
Taking loud phone calls on the train. In Australia I hear the most personal details by people having loud phone calls which most of the people on the carriage are doing as well but in Japan I noticed the calls are quick and quiet.
Being loud.
Throwing things at people instead of handing them over politely.
Aggressive physical contact.
These things can be relative, and situation is an important factor too. Are you in the street? In the train? At a party or somewhere with a lot of foreigners?
Got your nose!
In a group setting when you order drinks you should wait till everyone has their drink before drinking yours.
Eating while walking.
Blowing your nose in public.
Saying “No” directly
Taking paid time off.
Leaving the office before じょうし.
Isn’t stabbing chopsticks into your food/ leaving them sticking up in a dish a faux pas?
Blowing your nose.
You are expected to sniffles instead.
Not lining up before entering the train. Also not using both hands when being handed something.
Talking on the phone in subway! Should be adopted in US, which is impossible, freedomzzz
Sitting on a Desk in a school, or at least it was in the past.
Calling someone you don’t know very intimately by just their first name.
Contrary to American and western cultures:
Ask someone their age is ok. Asking if they have children is NOT.
Not sorting your trash
Shoes in the house, I know it isn’t everyone in the US but enough people and places you wear the shoes inside in America.
can’t believe it hasn’t been posted yet but the thumbs down gesture is basically the yakuza way of saying “somebody take this guy out” or telling someone to go to hell.
Talking on the phone on a train, eating in public, not being humble if someone compliments you
Sitting legs crossed showing the bottom of your shoe. Leaning forward into the isle on the train. If you don’t see Japanese people do it that’s a pretty good indicator it’s not appreciated.
– Talking on a train (this may vary in Osaka or other places, but most Tokyo trains are pin-drop silent unless it’s the last trains full of drunk people)
– Saying your opinion directly. In a professional setting, if you’re too direct and to-the-point, it goes against how most Japanese people express themselves. Of course if you’re in an English teaching environment or in a non-Japanese office, this will vary.
– Clapping/cheering/yelling during a live performance. Even if it’s meant to be a super wild or lighthearted show. I’ve been to a pop boyband concert and a drag show in Japan- in the UK/US/other Asian countries, the crowd would be super engaged, interactive, going wild with excitement. Japanese crowds are very restrained and boring.
– Reacting even slightly in a cinema (movie theatre) or leaving before the credits end. Japanese cinemas = eerie pin-drop silence, even for comedy movies, everyone stays until the last second
Yes what I described may sound very robotic, and may not be 100% true outside of Tokyo, BUT it is absolutely the experience I had.
Eye contact. Maintaining direct sustained eye contact is disrespectful and rude.
Stabbing food with chopsticks
Saying “huh?” when you didn’t catch what someone said. It sounds almost identical to the Japanese は？ which implies you’re either angry or picking a fight.
I could be wrong about this but aside from keigo stuff I don’t actually think most people actually care about alot of the indirect disrespectful/respectful cultural stuff, and in some cases aren’t even aware of it. I’m referring to stuff like eating while walking being disrespectful or slurping ramen loud being respectful. I’ve met Japanese people that have never heard of either of those.
That’s not to say that some people might not like stuff for more direct reasons. I imagine if you wear shoes into someones house they might get annoyed because it could get dirty but if you just forgot to take off your shoes I doubt they are going to believe you are “disrespectful”, on the other hand if they told you to take off your shoes and you say no and then walk into their house with shoes well then no one has to guess at what people are going to think in that case.
Personally, I’ve found the Japanese to really frown upon murder. Can’t fathom why…strange place
Asking for a substitution during a meal. They have to call the PM to make sure it’s okay. Major inconvenience for everyone and considered very rude.
“Got your nose!”
– Telling your employer that family comes before scheduling and you wont work the graveyard shift
– missing work for your dogs death and to support your wife. (Got fired 🫠🤷♂️)
Loudly having a phone call (most of the time, arguing) on public transport
37 comments
Apparently eating while walking as I’ve been told.
Pointing at someone.
Going outside to check the mailbox, barefoot.
It’s hard to answer this question. In my country sticking your fingers up someone’s a$$ is considered sexual assault, in Japan it’s “the culture”
how you address your superiors would be an easy one.
i think its pretty normal on average jobs to call your boss by just their first name. dont think that would go over very well in japan.
[deleted]
Taking loud phone calls on the train. In Australia I hear the most personal details by people having loud phone calls which most of the people on the carriage are doing as well but in Japan I noticed the calls are quick and quiet.
Being loud.
Throwing things at people instead of handing them over politely.
Aggressive physical contact.
These things can be relative, and situation is an important factor too. Are you in the street? In the train? At a party or somewhere with a lot of foreigners?
Got your nose!
In a group setting when you order drinks you should wait till everyone has their drink before drinking yours.
Eating while walking.
Blowing your nose in public.
Saying “No” directly
Taking paid time off.
Leaving the office before じょうし.
Isn’t stabbing chopsticks into your food/ leaving them sticking up in a dish a faux pas?
Blowing your nose.
You are expected to sniffles instead.
Not lining up before entering the train. Also not using both hands when being handed something.
Talking on the phone in subway!
Should be adopted in US, which is impossible, freedomzzz
Sitting on a Desk in a school, or at least it was in the past.
Calling someone you don’t know very intimately by just their first name.
Contrary to American and western cultures:
Ask someone their age is ok. Asking if they have children is NOT.
Not sorting your trash
Shoes in the house, I know it isn’t everyone in the US but enough people and places you wear the shoes inside in America.
can’t believe it hasn’t been posted yet but the thumbs down gesture is basically the yakuza way of saying “somebody take this guy out” or telling someone to go to hell.
Talking on the phone on a train, eating in public, not being humble if someone compliments you
Sitting legs crossed showing the bottom of your shoe. Leaning forward into the isle on the train. If you don’t see Japanese people do it that’s a pretty good indicator it’s not appreciated.
– Talking on a train (this may vary in Osaka or other places, but most Tokyo trains are pin-drop silent unless it’s the last trains full of drunk people)
– Saying your opinion directly. In a professional setting, if you’re too direct and to-the-point, it goes against how most Japanese people express themselves. Of course if you’re in an English teaching environment or in a non-Japanese office, this will vary.
– Clapping/cheering/yelling during a live performance. Even if it’s meant to be a super wild or lighthearted show. I’ve been to a pop boyband concert and a drag show in Japan- in the UK/US/other Asian countries, the crowd would be super engaged, interactive, going wild with excitement. Japanese crowds are very restrained and boring.
– Reacting even slightly in a cinema (movie theatre) or leaving before the credits end. Japanese cinemas = eerie pin-drop silence, even for comedy movies, everyone stays until the last second
Yes what I described may sound very robotic, and may not be 100% true outside of Tokyo, BUT it is absolutely the experience I had.
Eye contact. Maintaining direct sustained eye contact is disrespectful and rude.
Stabbing food with chopsticks
Saying “huh?” when you didn’t catch what someone said. It sounds almost identical to the Japanese は？ which implies you’re either angry or picking a fight.
I could be wrong about this but aside from keigo stuff I don’t actually think most people actually care about alot of the indirect disrespectful/respectful cultural stuff, and in some cases aren’t even aware of it. I’m referring to stuff like eating while walking being disrespectful or slurping ramen loud being respectful. I’ve met Japanese people that have never heard of either of those.
That’s not to say that some people might not like stuff for more direct reasons. I imagine if you wear shoes into someones house they might get annoyed because it could get dirty but if you just forgot to take off your shoes I doubt they are going to believe you are “disrespectful”, on the other hand if they told you to take off your shoes and you say no and then walk into their house with shoes well then no one has to guess at what people are going to think in that case.
Personally, I’ve found the Japanese to really frown upon murder. Can’t fathom why…strange place
Asking for a substitution during a meal. They have to call the PM to make sure it’s okay. Major inconvenience for everyone and considered very rude.
“Got your nose!”
– Telling your employer that family comes before scheduling and you wont work the graveyard shift
– missing work for your dogs death and to support your wife. (Got fired 🫠🤷♂️)
Loudly having a phone call (most of the time, arguing) on public transport
I live in the uk if you cant tell