Your practical guide to the language, manners, and unwritten rules of Japan.

Japan Field Guide

Rules & Manners

: Rules & Manners

Nomikai: The Unwritten Rules of Japan's Work Drinking Parties

2026/10/21

A nomikai looks like a casual night out. It's also quietly running on office hierarchy the entire ti ...

: Rules & Manners

Queueing & Public Space Etiquette in Japan

2026/10/21

Nobody enforces these rules. People just... do them, consistently, everywhere. Queueing in Japan isn ...

: Rules & Manners

Japanese Honorifics: San, Sama, Kun, Chan — and When Each One Is Actually Appropriate

2026/10/10

Your grammar can be flawless and you can still sound rude — just by picking the wrong word to put af ...

: Rules & Manners

Omiyage & Gift-Giving in Japan: What, When, and How to Give (Without Overthinking It)

2026/10/6

It's not a nice extra — it's close to an expected ritual. Here's how it actually works. Walk through ...

: Rules & Manners

Onsen Etiquette in Japan: What First-Timers Get Wrong (Including the Tattoo Rule)

2026/10/10

The one etiquette guide worth reading before you pack a swimsuit you won't be allowed to use. An ons ...

: Rules & Manners

Shrine & Temple Etiquette in Japan: A Respectful Visitor's Guide

2026/10/10

These places are still in active, everyday use — not museums. The etiquette matters. A shrine or tem ...

: Rules & Manners

Rules & Manners for Living in Japan: Trash, Apartments, and What Your Landlord Won't Explain

2026/10/23

The rules nobody hands you a manual for — because everyone around you already knows them. If you're ...