Weekly Travel ReportJapan Travel Tips for First Timers: 5 Rules to Know
Japan travel tips for first timers: five etiquette rules to know before your first trip. Don't tip, keep quiet on trains, carry your trash, take your shoes off where there's a shoe rack or slippers, and follow the shrine routine (rinse your hands, bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow once).
Which rule surprised you? Tell me in the comments.
Sources
- Japanese Customs and Etiquette
- Tipping in Japan
- Japanese Manners Do's and Don'ts
- Shrine and Temple Traditions
- 10 Smart Travel Tips for Japan (2026 PDF)
- Footage: Storyblocks (licensed). Photos: Wikimedia Commons: "Getabako example - local sento" by Nesnad (CC BY 4.0, "Genkan.jpg" by Sarang and "Genkan-M9778.jpg" by Fg2 (public domain). Music: "Vastness" by Andrew Ev (Mixkit Free License).