Everything, one scroll
The Full Rulebook
Every tip we’ve published, with the really-don’t-do-this stuff sorted up top. 7 rules live so far—more landing every week.
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Chopstick Rules — the 4 mistakes that make Japanese people wince
Four classic chopstick habits that look completely normal abroad but read as rude—or worse—in Japan. Skip these and you're 90% safe at any izakaya, ramen shop, or someone's kitchen table.
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Shoes Off — the genkan rule that governs half of indoor Japan
Homes, ryokan, temples, some restaurants, even some clinics—if you see a step up and a row of shoes, your outdoor footwear stops there. Miss this one and you are literally tracking "the outside" onto somebody's living room floor.
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The Train-Door Dance — queue, let them out, then board
Japanese trains run a tight choreographed door routine — line up at the marked spots, wait for every single person to exit, then file in. Miss the rhythm and you become the main character in everyone's silent disapproval.
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Wash First, Soak Second — the onsen rule nobody bends
The shared hot bath is not for washing. It's for soaking after you're already clean. Sit at the stool, soap up fully, rinse every bubble off, THEN lower yourself in. Miss this and you're the tourist everyone's politely pretending not to notice.
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Don't Tip in Japan — seriously, they will chase you down the street
Tipping isn't just "not expected" in Japan—it actively confuses people and can read as slightly insulting. The exact amount on the bill IS the transaction, and saying thank you is the tip. Leave extra cash and you'll probably watch a very polite person sprint after you to return it.
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Silent Trains — why your ringtone is the loudest thing in the car
Japanese trains and buses run on a shared understanding — keep voices low, phones on silent (called "manner mode"), no calls, no audio leak. Break it and you won't get yelled at. You'll just feel thirty strangers' polite not-looking. Worse than a telling-off.
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Temizuya — the shrine water ritual that resets you at the gate
Before walking up to the main shrine hall, you stop at a small water pavilion called a temizuya and run a short purification sequence — left hand, right hand, mouth (via cupped palm, NEVER directly from the ladle), then tilt the handle clean. Skip it and you're just showing up sweaty to someone's house.
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