You can imagine that Japan is full of rules and etiquette that can be a challenge to foreigners. But the opposite also happens, some habits that we find rude in our country are normal things in Japan.
In this article we will see 10 rude habits that are common or even part of Japanese culture. Sometimes some issues may be obvious but should be mentioned.
Table of Contents
Rude habits that are normal - Food
Loudly calling the waiter - While in the west we raise our hand or discreetly look around to get attention, in Japan, it's common to say excuse me (excuse me) until someone comes running to you, otherwise they won't understand your secret signals.
Making noise when eating noodles or soup - In the West, it is rude to make noise while eating; in Japan, it is natural. Slurping noodles or soup noisily shows that you are enjoying the food.
Drink straight from the bowl - In the West, we don't use bowls, but it's considered very strange for someone to hold the plate at a table to eat up close (at least I've been scolded for that). In Japan, it's very common to hold the bowls to sip the broth or finish the dish. In fact, bowls are made for that.
Eating sushi with your hands - For Westerners, the most polite way to eat sushi is with the hashi (chopsticks)In Japan, it is perfectly normal and acceptable to eat all varieties of sushi with your hands.
Let others pour your drink - Sometimes it's common in Brazil to pour your own drink so as not to bother others, but in Japan it's the opposite; you need to let others serve your drink when you are with colleagues or friends. Maybe by pouring for everyone, you can serve yourself.
Rude Habits in the West and Common in Japan
sleep in activities - It is not a very acceptable habit, but it is common to see people sleep at work, at school and mainly on the train.
Hold or open doors - While in the West we need to open, hold, and close doors, especially for women. In Japan, it is not common for this to happen frequently, even when someone is visiting your home. In reality, opening and closing doors is not related to chivalry in Japan.
Cars on the crosswalk with pedestrians ing by - In some large intersections, even with the pedestrian signal green, cars often cross alongside pedestrians, since their signal is also green.
It's normal, but it may seem strange to a tourist, since in Brazil it's forbidden to drive a car while someone is in the crosswalk (although they don't respect it). Some simply stop in the middle of the intersection for pedestrians to .
jostling on trains - It is common for you to be pushed or to push people inside trains during rush hour. No one will feel bothered unless you are a pervert.
weird fashions - In various situations, the Japanese wear clothes that would be embarrassing or wrong in the West. It is common to wear fundoshi that looks like underwear, going out in pajamas in the middle of the street to shop at a konbini, not to mention the freedom that Japanese people have with fashion, like mixing and wearing the same clothes as others or wearing cosplay.
A lot of things that are weird in the West may be normal in Japan or at least acceptable. If you any that didn't appear in this article, be sure to let us know.
