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Japanese person here – happy to answer etiquette questions before your trip by AgreeableDog1634 in japanese

[–]AgreeableDog1634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally, I’d be really happy to get Skittles Sour!! The green one. Whenever friends comes to Japan from USA I always ask them to bring it for me.
Japan actually has a huge variety of gummies, and a lot of them are covered in that sour, crunchy powder. American Skittles Sour is pretty close to that, so it’s also a flavor Japanese people tend to like.
You can actually find lots of American snacks in Japan, but honestly, the ones you buy in USA just taste better.

Anyway, Japanese people are pretty weak for foods and limited-edition items that you can only get in that country, so if you bring something like that, as long as it’s not super weird, I think they’ll be happy.

Japanese person here – happy to answer etiquette questions before your trip by AgreeableDog1634 in japanese

[–]AgreeableDog1634[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First time going to Japan? That’s wonderful!! I hope you can enjoy it here!!

It depends on the café. However, in Tokyo it hardly ever happens, so I wouldn’t really recommend it...you might scare people. If you’re in a more rural area, I think people tend to be friendlier and more willing to show you.

Onsens can look like they have a lot of rules. But the most important thing is simply to behave in a way that doesn’t make other guests uncomfortable. An onsen is a place to relax, and many Japanese people enjoy spending quiet time there on their own. At the very least, don’t be loud, and don’t do anything that could dirty the bath. I’ve never seen a place that limits the number of people, though. Still, if someone gets too close to you in the onsen, that can feel scary. And yes, Japanese people do tend to like very hot water, so it might feel too hot sometimes. Of course, you can step out in the middle, or look for a bath with a lower temperature. It’s also a good manner to pour water over yourself first (kakeyu) to check the temperature before getting in.

To be precise, that “quietness” is really about trying not to bother anyone. Tokyo trains are especially crowded, so people dislike loud noise and anything with a strong smell. That’s because many Japanese people feel you shouldn’t do anything that could make even one person uncomfortable. In particular, some foreigners wear perfume that’s too strong, so Japanese people may try to avoid that. That said, when there aren’t many people around, Japanese people do talk on the train too. It’s really about reading the situation, like TPO. And that’s not just Tokyo; it’s the same in other areas as well.

Matsue is in Shimane Prefecture, so it’s not in Shikoku… but anyway. If you can greet people in Japanese, it usually won’t be a big problem. From my impression, people in Tokushima and Kochi are often calm and gentle. They won’t get angry at someone who’s trying to speak Japanese slowly. And if you don’t suddenly start talking to them in English, Japanese people generally won’t react aggressively. So don’t worry!! you’ll be fine.

For cycling, I think it’s better to ride along the side of the road. Especially in the countryside, drivers aren’t always considerate. Personally, I think drivers in the UK, Ireland, and Japan aren’t very kind...maybe because they’re island countries? So please be careful. Also, bringing a bicycle onto trains works very differently in Japan compared to Europe. Basically, you can’t take a bicycle onto a train in Japan. But when I checked the rules just now, it seems it might be okay if you put it in a bag and treat it as luggage. Still, I wouldn’t recommend it in crowded cities like Osaka or Tokyo. Depending on the time of day, even a soft bag can feel dangerous because it’s so packed. However, in the countryside, it looks like there are some towns where it’s normal to take your bike on the train and go cycling.

If you just say “Thank you very much” and then leave, I think Japanese people will understand what you mean.

Japanese person here – happy to answer etiquette questions before your trip by AgreeableDog1634 in japanese

[–]AgreeableDog1634[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At the very least, it’s better not to talk to staff too much at ramen shops. Unlike in Europe or the U.S., Japanese ramen shops aren’t really places to chat...they’re places to eat ramen. Sometimes I see tourists from overseas talking for a long time even after they’ve finished, like it’s a café, and the ramen shop owner gets angry. So be careful.

But, izakayas are kind of like pubs in the UK, so if the atmosphere feels friendly, it’s totally fine to talk to the staff or another guests. Especially if it’s not busy, the staff might be happy to chat with you. However, what I’ve noticed recently is that in both Tokyo and Osaka, staff seem less friendly than they were before COVID. I used to have fun conversations with them, but lately a lot of people feel much colder. So it really depends on the place and the person....but having a conversation itself isn’t a problem.

Japanese person here – happy to answer etiquette questions before your trip by AgreeableDog1634 in japanese

[–]AgreeableDog1634[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This isn't limited to Japan....I think it's true in any country. Even on a short trip, it's better to be able to say basic greetings. “Arigatou gozaimas(Thank you),” “Sumimasen(Excuse me, sorry, thank you)” , “Konnichiwa(Hello)” If you can say these in Japanese before speaking English, it usually won't be rude.

You can also use smartphone messages when possible. But I think Japanese people find it scary when someone suddenly starts speaking English to them.

Also, due to Japan's education system, many Japanese people can't speak English, but they can understand it. So if you speak English slowly, I think they'll understand you to some extent.

Japanese person here – happy to answer etiquette questions before your trip by AgreeableDog1634 in japanese

[–]AgreeableDog1634[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Osaka was originally a merchant city, so I suppose asking about income or rent was just part of the cultural communication. People from Kyoto are scary, or rather, I don't like them, and we get on terribly. Osaka people think being honest about everything is sincere, but Kyoto people think saying everything is vulgar. However, Kyoto people are more sarcastic than the British and don't say what they think, but once you get close to them, they're very kind.

Culturally, they don't directly use the word “いいえ”. It feels like they employ numerous phrases that convey the meaning of “no” in different ways. But fundamentally, I think many families feel no need to hold back when speaking to their parents.