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11 Examples of Japanese 120 339

Etiquette That Would Drive

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Japan is famous for its incredibly complex etiquette rules. It may seem unnecessary to turn
simple actions into ceremonies, but in Japan, for sure, no one is offended by this.
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We at Bright Side have collected for you some rules of courtesy from Japan.

11. Addressing people

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© jsk/pixabay © jemastock/depositphotos
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To address people by name is not enough in Japan. And the respectful title “-san” is only
the tip of the iceberg. There are actually more honorific suffixes for addressing or referring
to people: 79 525

“-kun” — a less formal honorific than the neutral “-san.” General use of “-kun”
approximately means “friend.”

“-chan” — a diminutive suffix, primarily used for children, female family members,
lovers, and close friends. 23 Photos Showing That Sometimes the
Whole World Is Against You
“-sama” — the most respectful version (“lord,” “honorable”). It was used to refer
to lords and deities. Nowadays, it’s sometimes used to express sarcasm.
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“-senpai” — for addressing one’s elder colleagues or schoolmates.

“-kōhai” — the opposite of “senpai.”

“-sensei” — for addressing teachers, doctors, scientists, politicians, and other

authority figures. 28 Hilarious Accidents That Will
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“-shi” — for formal writing.

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10. Exchanging business cards

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© useful-tips-japan

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It’s a whole ritual. Here’s what you need to do: to Be Prepared For

Make sure your card’s front side is facing your counterpart.

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Offer it with both hands.

If your rank is lower than your partner’s, hold the card lower than they do.

If you were given a business card, put it on a cardholder, and take a few seconds
to look at it.
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Don’t forget to bow. Ready for Yet

If you haven’t got a cardholder, it’s a disaster.

It’s a far cry from what we have — just putting business cards in our pocket!

9. In an elevator

© gl0ck/depositphotos © jsks/pixabay

It turns out that even here there are informal but clear rules. If you are the first to enter
an empty elevator, you become the elevator captain, and you should stand close to the
control panel. You’ll need to hold the door open until everyone has entered the elevator.
Repeat so for each floor at which the elevator stops. You must also be the last to leave, and
you need to do everything very quickly.

If you are a tourist in Japan, we advise you not to be the first to enter an elevator!

8. Subways
 © moritzklassen/pixabay © blog.udn

On the subway, there are some restrictive rules that the Japanese are expected to follow:
talking is not allowed (on the phone as well), and it’s impolite to stare at others.

It’s not customary to give up your seat for old people, even if they can barely stand. There
are special seats marked with a sign for them as well as for disabled people and pregnant
women. These seats are not to be occupied if you don’t belong to these categories.

7. Touching

In Japan, it’s rude to look people in the eyes, let alone touch them. This country is not very
large, so every Japanese person respects the personal space of others. If you visit Japan,
don’t touch people.

Kissing in public is also frowned upon here. Before 1945, it was considered a violation
of public order.

6. Alcoholic drinks
 © AlexNazaruk/depositphotos © twicopy

When the Japanese drink, the social hierarchy totally breaks down. And they drink really
heavily. A local professor can drink with his students, and then they will drag him home.
An exemplary clerk who bows to his business partner during the day can get drunk
at a karaoke bar and vomit on his suit. And this is normal.

Interestingly enough, when they all sober up, they will behave just as if nothing happened.
In Japan, what happens in a boozy session stays in a boozy session.

5. Money

© melon-panda.livejournal

The Japanese have a strange attitude toward money: for some reason, they are
embarrassed to show it in public. Therefore, money envelopes decorated in a traditional
manner are very popular here. And if you haven’t got such an envelope, you’ll have to wrap
the money in a piece of paper before giving it to anyone.

Of course, you don’t need to do so at supermarkets, but you still have to consider this rule:
you can’t hand your money to the cashier, only put it in the cash tray. And it’s all for the
sake of the protection of personal space.

4. The art of sitting properly

© gwaar/flickr
To sit by folding one’s legs underneath one’s thighs is called “seiza,” and the Japanese sit
on the floor only in this way. They feel comfortable sitting seiza-style, as if in an armchair.
But since Europeans are not accustomed to it, their feet become numb within a couple
of minutes.

If you are a tourist or a senior and spread out your legs, you’ll certainly get away with it, and
no one will say anything. But it would be unimaginably inappropriate for a Japanese person
to sit so.

3. Gifts

© AlexNazaruk/depositphotos

In Japan, the culture of giving gifts is very strong, and there are 2 special gift-giving
seasons each year: o-chugen (in summer) and o-seibo (in winter).

In many countries, it is customary to open a gift at once. In Japan, it’s a sign of greed and
impatience. Besides, what if the gift giver is embarrassed about their modest gift and
notices a shade of discontent coming over your face, like a wind in the reeds?

2. Bowing

© AlinaOsadchenko/depositphotos © rijal//depositphotos

The art of bowing is so important in this country that children learn it at an early age. There
are many different ways to bow in Japan: standing, sitting, and female and male variants.
Here are some of them:

The greeting bow (“eshaku”) of 15° is for people of equal business or social rank.

The respectful bow (“keirei”) of 30° is a bow for a teacher or a boss.

The deeply reverent bow (“saikeirei”) of 45° should be used if you apologize or see
the emperor.
 The “begging for your life” bow is probably only used nowadays if you have done
something really terrible.

Of course, foreigners are not expected to bow, but the Japanese will be pleased if you
return a bow.

1. Taking leave

© Clara Cortes/reuters

In Japan, a customer or business partner is almost a god and is treated with incredible
respect. When they leave, the whole company follows them to the door or elevator and
keeps bowing until the doors are closed.

It’s very inconvenient if this happens in a business center with several such delegations
crowding at elevators at the same time. Besides, foreign customers can be embarrassed.
The Japanese of the new generation believe that this is a little bit too much and often ignore
this ritual. We wonder what fate awaits the traditional Japanese etiquette in the coming
centuries.

Preview photo credit gl0ck/depositphotos, jsks/pixabay

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We’d love to hear your views on this…

203 Comments Sort by Oldest

Add a comment...

Shayna Koller · Hostess at Elevation 486

Lexi Moe
Like · Reply · 3 · Nov 8, 2017 1:21pm

Paul Eiken · Works at M&S

Rao Kashif Go away
Like · Reply · 5 · Nov 9, 2017 2:41am

Learnhowtoearnonline

Like · Reply · Dec 5, 2017 2:26am

Katy Tung · Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Nathan Gloster
Like · Reply · 1 · Nov 8, 2017 11:42pm

Learnhowtoearnonline

Like · Reply · Dec 5, 2017 2:26am

Lim Tian Guan · Bus Captain at SMRT Corporation

Shows they have highest respect for people in general & good discipline.
Like · Reply · 133 · Nov 8, 2017 11:44pm

Ravish Virani · Hyderabad

So true mate.
One of the reasons why i love Japan
Like · Reply · Nov 13, 2017 3:40am

Learnhowtoearnonline
me 2..Love Japan so much...
Like · Reply · Dec 5, 2017 2:27am

Benedict Diamat · Public Servant at Department of Public Works and Highways

I really like Japanese customs and traditions
Like · Reply · 97 · Nov 8, 2017 11:45pm

Dino Marino · Chief Operations Officer at Well Deserved

I don't
Like · Reply · Nov 12, 2017 4:38am

Learnhowtoearnonline
their tradition is the key to their youngster understand respect..not like other
world people young people think they are invulnerable
Like · Reply · 3 · Dec 5, 2017 2:28am

Becca Van Lee · Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia

Fiona Gao. Siew Siew

Like · Reply · Nov 8, 2017 11:48pm

John Nicholls · Erith college of technogly

My Japanese girlfriend who was a true old traditional in UK was greedy the more I
gave the more she took. Everything was accounted around money
Like · Reply · 1 · Nov 11, 2017 4:09am

Keith Freitas
John Nicholls just got the wrong one. Maybe you have luck with the next one.
Like · Reply · 3 · Nov 11, 2017 9:51am

Rob Tiedeman
John Nicholls Thats not greed, that is Asian culture.
Like · Reply · 1 · Nov 22, 2017 1:52pm

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