5 Customs You NEED to know before visiting Japan.

If you are planning to visit Japan in the near future (or you are just fascinated by the customs of other countries) here are 5 Japanese customs you should be familiar with.

The Art of the Bow

Respect is and always has been an integral part of Japanese culture and society. From the moment children enter school (where they learn about it everyday), to the time they start a family, to the time they die, showing respect is ingrained into their everyday lives. That being said, one of the most important ways you can show someone respect in Japan, is by your bow.

Now, you might be asking yourself "Well, a bow is just a bow...right?". Well, if you are a tourist, as long as you make a good attempt at it (nodding your head or bending at the waist), that will usually suffice. However, when the citizens of Japan bow, they have to take a few more things into consideration.

For example, a friend might get a lightning-fast 30-degree bow; while a teacher (or office superior) might get a slow, 70 degree bow. It all about position and circumstance.

Dining Etiquette

Here are a few customs to take note of when dining in Japan:

- Before starting a meal, the Japanese say "itadakimasu", which is an expression of gratefulness for the food served. After eating, they say "gochisosama deshita", meaning “Thank you for the meal.”

- If you’re with a dinner party and receive drinks, wait before raising the glass to your lips. Everyone will be served, and someone will take the lead, make a speech, raise his drink, and yell “kampai!” (cheers).

- When drinking alcoholic beverages, it is customary to serve each other, rather than pouring your own beverage. Periodically check your friends' cups and refill their drinks if their cups are getting empty. Likewise, if someone wants to serve you more alcohol, you should quickly empty your glass and hold it towards that person.

- When eating soup, drink out of the bowl as if it were a cup, and fish out the solid food pieces with your chopsticks. Also, slurping noodles or making loud noises while eating is OK! In fact, slurping hot food like ramen is polite, to show you are enjoying it.

-Some restaurants provide an o-shibori, or damp hand towel, to wipe your hands before eating. Although you will see some men wipe their faces with them, women should only wipe their hands. When you're finished simply fold the towel and put it back on its tray.

Taking off your shoes

When entering someone's home, place of business, or hotel, it is customary to take your shoes off at the entrance (called the Genkan). Usually a rack will be provided to store your shoes, and a pair of guest slippers will be sitting nearby.

Also, never (and I mean NEVER) wear the slippers when you need to step onto a tatami mat (used in most Japanese homes and hotels). Tatami mats are wonderful, attractive floor coverings, but they are easily damaged if mistreated.

The toilet also has a special pair of slippers. However, don't forget to switch back to the house slippers when you leave the toilet. It is extremely bad form, for example, to reenter the main room of a house wearing slippers that have been running across dirty linoleum.

Tipping

Tipping is a common practice in the United States, as well as many other countries. When someone does a service for you (and does it well), your first inclination is to give them a nice tip. However, in Japan, there is no such thing as tipping, no matter what the situation is (cabs, restaurants, personal care etc...) What may surprise you even more is that, in Japan, to tip someone is actually a little insulting. You see, the services you’ve asked for are covered by the price given, so why pay more?

(FYI: If you are in a large area like Tokyo (and you don't speak any Japanese), a waiter or waitress might take the extra money you happen to leave, rather than deal with the awkward situation of explaining the concept of "no tipping" in broken English.)

Just try to keep reminding yourself: a price is a price.

Bathing

If you are living with (or visiting) a Japanese family or you plan on using the public baths, it is important that you pay special attention to this custom. In Japan, washing yourself is only a prelude to taking a bath. Japanese begin by soaping and scrubbing themselves before entering the tub (which is similar to a shower). The bath, or ofuro, is used only for soaking (which is considered the most relaxing part, and the heart of the bathing ritual.). So every evening, after getting squeaky clean, you can sit back and relax neck-deep in a bath of very hot water.

Have you been to Japan before? Have you seen these customs in action? Tell us about it in the comments section!