Japan Etiquette for Americans and Australians: A Quick Reference Guide

On this page 10 sections

1. The ten-second cheat sheet
2. Where Americans and Australians differ from the local norm
3. Money and shopping
4. Getting around
5. Shoes, homes and hotels
6. Eating and drinking
7. Hot springs (onsen)
8. Medicines and health
9. Trash, noise and everyday courtesy
10. If you slip up

Japan is easy and forgiving for first-time visitors, and nobody expects you to know everything. But a few things work differently from home, and Americans and Australians trip over a different set of them. This is the short list we'd want to have before landing. It's written to be skimmed on a train or at a restaurant door, so keep it open on your phone.

We're setting up a base camp in Otaru, Hokkaido, so we're learning these in real time.

What surprised us in our first weeks in Otaru and Sapporo:

• Public transportation is very good, but you'll still walk a lot. If you aren't staying on a major thoroughfare, expect a good stretch on foot between stops.
• Napkins and paper products can be hard to find in restaurants and bathrooms. Plan ahead. We now carry a small trash bag, a pack of tissues and disinfecting wipes in our backpacks on day trips.
• There are very few dog-friendly places. If you're traveling with a dog, plan around it. We covered how dogs ride the train in our Otaru update.

The ten-second cheat sheet

1. Don't tip. Anywhere. Ever.
2. Shoes off wherever there's a raised floor, a shoe rack or slippers.
3. Keep it quiet on trains and buses: low voices, no phone calls.
4. Carry cash. Some places are cash only.
5. Carry your trash until you find a bin. Public bins are rare.
6. Line up where the markings tell you to. Don't cut.
7. Don't eat while walking. Finish at the stand or take it somewhere to sit.
8. Wash before you get in any hot spring or bath.
9. Check your medicines before you pack. Some common ones are banned.
10. Don't stress. A smile and "sumimasen" (excuse me, sorry) covers most slip-ups.

Where Americans and Australians differ from the local norm

Tipping

• Americans: The big one. Tipping isn't customary in Japan, and leaving cash on the table can lead to a staff member chasing you to return it. A smile and "arigato gozaimashita" is the thank-you.
• Australians: You'll feel at home: tipping isn't expected in Australia either, and it isn't here.

Prices

• Americans: Prices are posted tax-included (required since 2021), so what you see is what you pay at the register. No sales tax is added on top as in the US. Takeaway food is taxed at 8% and eating in at 10%, so a menu may show both (Time Out Tokyo).
• Australians: Same as home: GST is usually included in the price.

Driving

• Americans: Traffic keeps to the left, the opposite of home. If you rent a car you'll need an International Driving Permit from your home country before you leave.
• Australians: You already drive on the left. You still need an International Driving Permit.

Power

• Americans: Japan uses the same two-flat-pin plugs as the US, at 100V (a slightly lower voltage). Most phone and laptop chargers handle it. Check hair dryers and other heating appliances, which may not work properly.
• Australians: Australian plugs won't fit. Bring a Type A adapter (a universal travel adapter works). Phone and laptop chargers that say "100 to 240V" work fine.

Cash

• Americans: Cards are common in cities but not universal. Some small restaurants, rural buses and taxis take only cash.
• Australians: Same. Carry yen even if you rely on tap-to-pay at home.

Medicines

• Americans: Some US prescription and over-the-counter medicines are restricted or banned in Japan, including Adderall and products with pseudoephedrine (such as some Sudafed and Vicks inhalers). See the medicines section below.
• Australians: The same rules apply. Check Australian cold and flu products and anything with codeine or pseudoephedrine.

One more difference we noticed: smoking. In the places we've visited, a lot of bars and bar-restaurants allow smoking. Most places in the US that serve food don't, so it can be a surprise. If smoke bothers you, ask before you sit down, or look for a smoke-free spot.

Money and shopping

• Carry cash. Some shops, restaurants, rural buses and taxis take only cash, and not every train ticket machine accepts cards (JNTO).
• Bring a tote bag. Most shops charge for plastic bags, and some charge for paper ones.
• Don't bring food or drink into shops. Open or eat your purchases only after you leave.
• Tax-free shopping changed on November 1, 2026. Purchases made on or after that date work on a refund model. You pay the full tax-inclusive price in the store, and get the refund as you leave Japan. Spend at least 5,000 yen before tax at one store in one day, buy within 90 days of leaving, and keep the goods with you. At the airport you complete a customs check before baggage check-in, on a terminal or the Visit Japan Web site: a green result means you're done, and a red one sends you to a customs counter (Japan-guide). Procedures can change, so check the official tax agency or customs pages near your trip.
• A departure tax is included in your ticket. Since July 2026, the international tourist tax has been 3,000 yen per person (up from 1,000), added to your airfare, cruise or ferry ticket, so there's nothing to pay at the airport (report).

Getting around

• Keep your voice low and don't take phone calls on trains and buses. Use headphones for anything with sound (JNTO).
• Offer your seat to older people, pregnant women, parents with small children and people with disabilities. Priority seats are meant for them, even when empty (JR Pass).
• Take your backpack off in a crowded car, and stow large luggage out of the way. Some shinkansen need you to reserve luggage space.
• Stand still on escalators, and watch which side. In Tokyo and much of eastern Japan people traditionally stand on the left and walk on the right. In Osaka and parts of western Japan it's the opposite. Railways are now urging everyone to stand still and hold the handrail, so copy what the people around you do (LiveJapan).
• Queue where the floor markings tell you. Nobody cuts ahead.
• Be punctual. Trains are, and so are restaurant reservations. Call ahead if you'll be late.
• Renting a car? Japan recognizes only International Driving Permits based on the 1949 Geneva Convention, and you need yours from home before you travel (JAF/Japan-guide). In Hokkaido in winter, ask for studless snow tires and expect black ice.

Buses. Buses run almost as punctually as trains and are often more convenient. On local city buses you normally board by the rear door and get off at the front. Intercity buses often have only a front door, so be patient and let people off before you board.

Trains. People queue at the sides of the doors, and the middle is left for passengers getting off. Wait for everyone to get off before you board. It's much easier than some places in Europe, where it can feel like people push in while others are still leaving.

Shoes, homes and hotels

Take your shoes off at many homes, traditional inns, some restaurants and some attractions. Look for a shoe rack, a raised floor or slippers at the entrance (JNTO). Some toilets have their own slippers, so don't wear those back into the hall. If you're unsure, watch what others do or ask.

At a hotel, the usual rules apply: keep voices down in corridors and in the hall.

Eating and drinking

• Don't tip, and say "gochisosama deshita" (thanks for the meal) when you leave, if you want a nice touch.
• Use the damp towel (oshibori) for your hands, not your face. Fold it and set it aside afterward.
• Chopsticks: don't stand them upright in rice, and don't pass food from one pair to another. Both echo funeral customs (VOA). Rest them on the holder between bites. You can always ask for a fork.
• Slurping noodles is fine. Burping and smacking aren't.
• The little dish at an izakaya isn't free. Many izakaya charge for the appetizer that arrives automatically. Ask if you're unsure (JNTO).
• Pour for others, not yourself, and wait until everyone has a drink before starting (VOA).
• Skip strong perfume at sushi restaurants. Some places have perfume rules.
• Don't walk and eat. It's generally frowned on, so finish at the stall or find somewhere to sit.

For restaurant and convenience store phrases, see 30 Japanese phrases.

Menus and translation. Many places have English menus or ordering systems. When they don't, Google Translate has worked well for us, though it struggles with handwritten menu boards. An international data plan of some kind makes this much easier. We had a couple of connectivity problems, and we really noticed when we needed Translate.

Hot springs (onsen)

Japan's tourism ministry lists these rules (MLIT):

• Wash thoroughly at the washing stations before you get in. The bath is for soaking.
• No swimwear in the baths.
• Don't jump in, swim or splash, and keep your voice down.
• Keep your small towel out of the water. People rest it on their head or at the edge.
• Dry off before you go back to the changing room.
• No photos in the bathing area, and no alcohol in the bath.
• Tattoos: many onsen restrict them, and policies vary. A small one can sometimes be covered with a skin-colored waterproof sticker, and some places won't allow them at all. Check before you go.

We haven't been yet. My wife has tattoos, so we're limited in where we can go. If you have tattoos too, check each onsen's policy before you go. Some will let you in with a cover, and some won't.

Medicines and health

This is where a surprising number of Americans and Australians get caught out.

• Some common medicines are banned or restricted. Stimulants such as Adderall are strictly restricted, even with a prescription. Medicines containing more than 10% pseudoephedrine can't be brought in, and products like Sudafed and Vicks inhalers are among those named (Japanese embassy Q&A, via Miami; Accessible Japan).
• There are limits on how much you can bring. Reported limits are about one month of prescription medicine and two months of over-the-counter medicine. Some larger amounts or restricted medicines need an import certificate (yakkan shoumei), which you apply for in advance, well before you travel.
• Carry medicines in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription or a doctor's letter.
• Check the official page for your exact medicine before you pack: Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare runs the import certificate process. These rules change and the embassy copy we found dates from 2016, so don't rely on a blog, including this one.

Trash, noise and everyday courtesy

• Public bins are rare. Carry your trash with you until you find one, or take it back to your hotel. A small bag helps (JNTO).
• Most public spaces are quiet. Keep your voice down in restaurants, on streets at night and in shared spaces.
• Wear a mask if you're coughing or sneezing. It's considered courteous.
• Learn a few words. "Sumimasen," "arigato gozaimasu" and "onegaishimasu" go a very long way. Our free app Kana Hanko teaches hiragana and katakana so you can read signs and menus.

If you slip up

You will, and that's fine. Say "sumimasen," fix it if you can, and carry on. Visitors who try are warmly received.

The people we've met have been very welcoming and understanding. We're trying our best to learn and use basic phrases and etiquette. We make mistakes, and most people have been extremely patient and often help us with pronunciation. The more we try to speak Japanese, the more helpful people become.

Customs differ by region, business and situation. This is a general guide based on official tourism sources and our early experience. Rules, fees and procedures change, so check official sources before relying on any of it, and when in doubt, watch what people around you do or ask politely. This isn't legal, medical or tax advice.

More in Japan →