How to make sure you are not rude Politeness is of high value in Japan. These 7 etiquette tips are taught to every Japanese child. If you become friends with Japanese people, or are perhaps a student living with a Japanese host family make sure to take note of these so you can make a good impression. If you don’t do these things you might not even realize you’re being rude because Japanese people will not point out your mistakes. Don’t stress about it too much though! Just try your best and they will appreciate your efforts.  Our background Hannah …

If you can master trains in Tokyo, then you can master trains anywhere The most stressful thing about living in Tokyo is maneuvering the crowded trains during rush hour. All the things you’ve seen in pictures or videos related to Japanese trains are probably true. When people are in a rush they tend to get aggressive, even the more mild mannered Japanese start pushing and shoving while riding a crowded train.  Pusher and peelers at the platform in Tokyo There used to be a part time job called “pusher.” They were responsible for pushing people inside of crowded trains. In …

Aspects of Japanese culture that make maintaining cleanliness in public second nature Lots of people observe when they come to Japan that public areas are very clean! And yes, Japan is one of the cleanest countries in the world! But how do we do it? There are two things that make it possible for Japan to maintain this level of cleanliness. First, compulsory education taught us how to keep clean. Second, the lack of trash cans which encourages personal responsibility for disposing of waste.  Compulsory education According to the research, 58.1% of schools all over the world have janitors to …