A Few Tips About Japanese Customs

1. Stores: Almost alway open on Sundays in cities and closed usually one day during the week.
2. Changing rooms: When trying on clothes in a clothing store, remove your shoes before entering the changing room. Cover your face with a scarf to prevent lipstick smear on pullover clothes.
3. Restaurants: Almost always pay at the register, no tipping. Slurp thy noodles (or at least expect to hear them being slurped.)
4. Alcoholic beverages: Alcoholic beverages are drunk after a toast, "kanpai," (cheers!) Everyone pours for everyone else and a full glass means you think you've had enough. Don't drink before "kanpai."
5. karaoke bar: When asked to sing at karaoke bar, nobody really expects you to sound like "old blue eyes" himself. The 200 - 300 yen was probably paid by someone who simply loves the song. These bars charge you right down to the small dish of otsumami (snacks), so it's best to find out their "system" before consuming mass quantities. Expect a minumum charge of at least 3,000 yen.
6. Toilets: Often there are no paper towels so bring your own handkerchief. Some public toilets don't have toilet paper so always have a small package of tissues handy. When using a Japanese style toilet, squat with your back to the door. For times of distress, toilets in department stores and supermarkets are your best bet. Simply ask them, "toire wa dokodesuka." After using the bathroom slippers, leave them where you found them.
7. Use of the public bath: A small fee is charged for using a public bath. Soap, towels and shampoo may be purchased. Remember, don't wash or use the towel in the bathtub. Wash beforehand at the side of the bath, rinse and only after that may you enter of the soak. An additional fee is charged for shampooing.
8. Taking shoes off: When taking off your shoes in the genkan (entrance hall), don't step with bare or stocking feet on the floor before stepping up into someone's clean house. Slippers should never be worn on tatami mats.
9. Public transportation: Jostling to get on and off trains should be expected.
10. Conversation Fillers: Laughter and silly gigles may not mean that what you said was langhable. Chances are the listener is perplexed and unsure of what to say. Try again? The minimal use of eye-to-eye contact often confuses the newcomer, as does the nodded "hai" during conversation. This means "Yes, I'm trying to follow you," as often as it means that the person agrees with what you're saying.
11. The Japanese Seal: Instead of signing legal transactions i.e. bank, rental contracts, etc., japanese use a stamp (or seal) with the family or business name, although in modern Japan, many foreigners still sign.

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