Nothing bad will happen if you mess up any of these points… but I wanted to give you a head start…and it will give you an insight into how the country smoothly keeps things running in such an orderly fashion.
It will also maybe help you not feel completely clueless on your first Japan travel adventure.
1. Choose your side of the escalator
In Japan, depending on which part of the country you’re in, one side of the escalator is for those standing still and simply riding the escalator for its entirety. While the other is for moving “passengers” – those who are in a hurry.
In Tokyo, you stand still on the left. In the Kansai region it is on the right. (Don’t worry – everyone conforms so you’ll be able to see right away which side is the moving side.)
It’s just people from outside of Japan who just casually hop on the escalator and want to stand next to their travel buddy that can really slow the process down .
2. Wait outside of & next to the train doors before boarding
I know this is basic manners in every country -but, in Japan, you’ll see that there are places to line up on the platform at the exact spot where the carriage doors open.
The basic protocol is … line up, train arrives, the queues then snake around to each side of the carriage doors, passengers on the train get off, then those waiting next to the doors board the train – in, basically, the same order as they joined the queue.
3. You don’t need to respond to ‘irrashaimase’
When you walk into a shop or hotel you’ll be surprised that the staff will say ‘irrashaimase’ (even feels like it is being screamed at you if you’re at a market or in a busy convenience store). They are simply welcoming you.
I talk about this in my Japanese language shopping tips here but they are saying ‘Welcome to our store’ and…. yes you can repeat it back to them if you want to ( or you want to make someone laugh) but it’s probably about as awkward as when a waiter says ‘Enjoy your meal’ and you say ‘You too!’…. I think a smile back, a simple konnichiwa or even ‘Hello’ will do just fine…..
4. Don’t touch the taxi door
The back left passenger door opens and closes automatically. Drivers get really upset if you try and operate the door yourself as it messes with the mechanics (or something technical … anyway).
When it is time to get out at your destination, the driver will open the door after you have paid the cab fare.
I wrote a lot more about taxis here.
5. Take off your backpack on the train
It sounds really picky and an annoying piece of advice but , in a country where the struggle for personal space ( and sometimes just for any kind of space…) spacial awareness is key to fitting in and not offending others. I’d never thought about it until someone pointed it out to me but a backpack on the train can take up the spot of one human being. Just slip it off and put it at your feet until you get back to the platform.
If you are looking for some tips on some little quiet spots in the busiest parts of Tokyo, I think you’ll like my post here.
