Japanese etiquette and tipping: what visitors actually need to know

Tipping: who, if anyone

From JNTO’s tipping and etiquette pages. Small envelopes are sold at convenience stores, stationery shops and 100-yen shops.

Restaurants and food

• Otoshi: the small dish you didn’t order at an izakaya is a table charge, not a mistake.
• Oshibori, the hot or cold towel, is for your hands, not your face.
• Chopsticks: it is fine to ask for a knife and fork. Eating sushi with your hands is fine, and slurping noodles is normal.
• At sushi counters, avoid strong perfume: it gets in the way of the food.
• Reservations: be on time, and cancel if you can’t come.
• In shops, don’t bring outside food, and don’t open or eat anything before you have paid and left. Most shops charge for plastic bags, so carry a tote.
• Payment: check what a place accepts, and carry some cash. See our cash, ATMs and cards guide.

Ticket machines, conveyor sushi, izakaya ordering, allergies and what to eat in each city: what to eat in Japan.

Trains and escalators

• Queue: people line up for everything, trains included.
• Keep quiet: phone on silent, no calls, and headphones for anything you play.
• Give up your seat to people who need it more, such as older people, pregnant women, parents with small children and people with disabilities.
• Escalators: JNTO asks visitors not to walk on them; stand still, and use both lines when it is busy.
• Big suitcases: on some Shinkansen lines you must reserve a seat with an oversized-luggage area. Our luggage guide explains the rule and how to send bags ahead.
• Feeling unwell? Wearing a mask is normal and considerate.

Temples, shrines, onsen and ryokan

• Shoes off when asked, at some attractions, restaurants and traditional hotels. Look for shoe racks and slippers, and watch what others do.
• Be quiet and calm at temples and shrines, and follow the rules posted at each.
• Bowing: as a visitor you are more likely to be bowed to than expected to bow, though a small bow with your “arigato” is a nice gesture.
• Onsen: wash before you get in, and no swimwear. Tattoo policies differ by place, so ask before booking, or choose a private bath. Step by step, with the tattoo options and phrases to show staff: onsen and sento etiquette.
• Ryokan: take your shoes off at the entrance. Whether the yukata and slippers can be worn outside differs by ryokan; follow the house rules in your room.

Streets, smoking and Gion

• Eating on the street: mind the people around you. Kamakura asks visitors to do this, not to feed animals and to stay on the path on hiking trails (see our Nikko and Kamakura guide).
• Litter: if there is no bin, take your rubbish with you.
• Smoking: in Tokyo, restaurants are generally smoke-free indoors and smoking is allowed only in designated areas, heated tobacco included. Elsewhere, follow the local signs.
• Gion, Kyoto: don’t stop, touch, follow or photograph geiko and maiko without permission; don’t enter nearby temples, shrines or private property without permission, or block people’s way; keep your voice down. Littering can be fined up to ¥30,000. To see them perform, Gion Corner has performances daily at 6 or 7 pm. More in our Kyoto and Nara guide.

If something goes wrong

For a dispute over a purchase, a bill or a booking, the government-run Consumer Hotline for Tourists takes calls in English on 03-5449-0906, Monday to Friday, 10:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00 (Japan time; closed at weekends, on national holidays and 29 December–3 January). If you think you were charged a tip or fee you did not agree to, ask for an itemised bill first.

Quick answers

Do you tip in Japan?

No. JNTO says tipping is not common in bars, cafés, restaurants, taxis or hotels, and leaving money can cause confusion. Say “arigato gozaimashita” (thank you very much) instead.

Is it rude to tip in Japan?

Not rude so much as confusing: staff may chase you to return the money. If you do want to thank a private guide or interpreter, who may accept a gratuity, put it in an envelope rather than handing over cash.

What is the charge for food I did not order at an izakaya?

That is otoshi, a small appetiser served as a table charge in many izakaya. It is normal, not a scam.

Can I eat while walking in Japan?

Be considerate. Kamakura, for example, asks visitors to mind the people around them when eating and drinking on the street, and JNTO asks you not to eat items in a shop before you have paid and left.

Which side of the escalator should I stand on?

Neither for walking: JNTO asks visitors not to walk on escalators, stand still, and use both lines when it is busy.

Can I go to an onsen with tattoos?

It depends on the place: each ryokan and bath has its own policy, so ask before you book. Private baths are an easy alternative. Our onsen and sento etiquette guide covers the options in detail.

Can I smoke on the street in Japan?

In Tokyo, restaurants are generally smoke-free indoors and you should smoke only in designated smoking areas; heated tobacco counts too. Local rules vary, so look for the signs.

Planning the rest of the trip? See Osaka in one or two days, whether the JR Pass is worth it, and IC cards, then put your dates in the trip planner.

Sources

Checked against these pages on 24 October 2026. Official pages take precedence over this summary.

1. Japan National Tourism Organization: Tipping in Japan
2. Japan National Tourism Organization: Japanese customs and etiquette (responsible travel guide)
3. Japan National Tourism Organization: Custom and manners
4. Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT): Questions for ryokan: communal baths and tattoos
5. Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Measures against second-hand smoke
6. Kyoto City Tourism Association (Kyoto Travel): Gion manner: message from Southern Gionmachi
7. Kamakura City Tourist Association (Visit Kamakura): Respect Kamakura guidelines
8. National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan: Consumer Hotline for Tourists

General information, not legal advice. Local rules differ; follow the signs and staff where you are. JapanBenri is not affiliated with any organisation cited.