If you have been to Japan before, you may have noticed that many people tend to sleep in public places. It's widely accepted in Japan to sleep and to have no one bother them or take their belongings. For people from some countries it may seem insane, but here it's something you can see multiple times a day!
Japan Is The Only Country That Promotes Sleeping In Public
As responsibilities increase, so does the right to sleep where and for how long you want, even at work, at school, at a conference, or on public transport. The important thing is to respect the rules and "govern your posture".
If they see you sleeping during the night, they will most likely wait until morning to tell you to leave. In Tokyo, if you sleep in the big homeless spots, you should pack up by 06:30. After this hour it is likely that the police will come to tell you to leave, but nothing worse will happen.
Pointing at people or things is considered rude in Japan. Instead of using a finger to point at something, the Japanese use a hand to gently wave at what they would like to indicate. When referring to themselves, people will use their forefinger to touch their nose instead of pointing at themselves.
Inemuri has been practiced in Japan for at least 1,000 years, and it is not restricted to the workplace. People may nap in department stores, cafes, restaurants or even a snug spot on a busy city sidewalk.
If whistling or playing a flute at night, snakes will come out. (This means not to bother the neighbors.) In this context, "snake" means a thief.
There are places in the world where kissing in public can land you in jail. That is not the case in Japan. Japanese people generally avoid public displays of affection, but if you are kissing in public, you are not in danger of anything more severe than looks of disapproval or unwanted attention.
The Japanese are unfailingly polite. Usually very helpful. (To be fair, the odds of them inviting an unknown fellow Japanese for a cuppa are also ... Smiling is fine even though it is not customary in Japan.
You can use the phone for texting or surfing the internet, as long as it doesn't make any noise. If you want to listen to music, you should wear headphones.
Avoid things like tank tops, shorts, and mini-skirts. Opting for more conservative clothing is always a safe bet even if you don't plan to visit temples or shrines. It's also generally frowned upon for women to show cleavage. Clothing with offensive messages or designs.
If one partner is under 13 and the other is over 12, then the older one could be charged with statutory rape. Why is the age of consent in Japan only 13-year-old? It is a crime under Japanese Penal Code Article 177 for anyone to engage in sexual intercourse with a female partner who is under the age of 13 years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Solo Travel in Japan
Japan is a phenomenally safe country to travel — one of the safest countries in the world, including for solo female travelers. Most travelers who watch their belongings and use common sense have zero safety issues in Japan.
Osaka has the highest crime rates in Japan. The Okinawan prefecture is home to 74% of all US bases in the country and around 26 thousand military personnel.
Sniffing is a polite substitute. Best not greet a Japanese person by kissing or hugging them (unless you know them extremely well). While Westerners often kiss on the cheek by way of greeting, the Japanese are far more comfortable bowing or shaking hands. In addition, public displays of affection are not good manners.
Narcotics such as opium, cocaine, heroin, MDMA, magic mushrooms, stimulant drugs (stimulant drugs contained in an inhaler or items containing stimulant drug ingredients), cannabis, opium smoking paraphernalia and psychotropic drugs are not allowed in Japan.
Is it safe to walk around Tokyo at night? The short answer is a solid Yes. Generally, Tokyo is safe to walk around, even very late into the night. Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world for a reason, more often or not you should be more concerned about missing the last train in Tokyo rather than getting mugged.
Always have trouble with your chopsticks? Guess what? Most Japanese people eat sushi with their hands. Especially with nigiri sushi (single pieces of sushi with meat or fish on top of rice), it's totally acceptable.
Wear slip-on shoes
While flip flops are a big no-no for most occasions (save for a trip to the beach or a midnight run to the conbini), comfy ballet flats, loafers, boat shoes, or even a nice pair of slip-on sneakers are practical options. You might also notice that open-toed shoes and sandals are uncommon.
In Japan, modesty is highly valued, and it is not appropriate to wear leggings that are too thin or show too much skin. Secondly, it is important to choose the right shoes to wear with your leggings. Sneakers and boots are great options, but sandals or flip-flops are not recommended.
In Japan, touching another person's body is considered rude, even with friends or family. Hugging and kissing are mostly for couples. Our editor Kanako said that she's never hugged any of her family members as a grown woman. She hugs her foreign friends but not the Japanese ones.
In Japan, it is a sign of respect NOT to make eye contact with another person. Likewise, making eye contact with another person during conversation is considered rude. As children, the Japanese are taught to focus on the neck of the other person when in conversation.
The answer to this is quite simple… not often. It is not usual in Japan to use swear words or bad language in public. Of course, you certainly shouldn't say any of the following swear words in Japanese or phrases to anyone higher up than you, as Japanese is a very respectful language and culture.
3 – In public
Even a kiss on the cheek is acceptable. Anything more tends to drift towards awkward territory.
As part of revamping its laws relating to sex crimes, Japan has raised the age of sexual consent from 13 to 16 years. The limit had remained unchanged for over a century and faced flak for being one of the lowest in the world.
Hookups and Casual Dating are Taboo
Yet even the people that don't share this opinion also. The same can be said for casual dating, even something as small as kissing your date is shunned upon. Only when you are officially in a relationship should you be able to kiss each other.