Customs

Entrance

When you are invited to visit your Japanese friend, you are expected to remove your shoes at the entrance of the house or the apartment. After removing your shoes, turn them around and place them out of the way and so that your shoes point toward the door.

Japanese Style Bath

When you take a bath in a Japanese-style bathroom, you should wash yourself outside of the bathtub first. You only get into the bathtub to get relaxed after cleaning your body. Make sure your towels and soap do not get into the bathtub. Don't drain the water since other people will share the same water after you.

Gifts

Most typical of Japan's many customary gifts are the Ochugen and Oseibo gifts. The Ochugen (mid-year) gift often serves in lieu of the greeting in the hot summer months to inquire after the health and well-being of friends and work associates. The Oseibo (year-end) gift stems from the custom of giving someone a gift as a token of gratitude for everything he/she has done for you during the past year.
Ochugen: July 1-15 in the Kanto area, August 1 - 15 in the Kansai area.
Oseibo: December 1-20
Popular gifts selected for Ochugen & Oseibo: detergent, liquor, seasonings, confectionery, etc.

Gift-giving

A large variety of gifts are given on a number of happy occasions, such as personal milestones, birthdays, 7-5-3 (children's ages) festival, starting or graduating from school, becoming an adult (20 years old), weddings, housewarmings, getting a promotion at work, recovering from illness, and funerals, etc. Money is also selected as a gift for the above occasions. In such cases, the gift money should be coordinated with the appropriate special envelope for the occasion. The envelopes are available at any stationery or convenience store.

Otoshidama (New Year Money Gift) -traditionally means to welcome New Year's arrival by sharing a "spirit" from God. Otoshidama is money given to young children by their parents, relatives and family acquaintances on New Year's Day. The amount of money given to children will depend on their age.

Childbirth -In Japan, childbirth is celebrated in three stages:
1. Obi-Iwai - About two months prior to the day the baby is supposed to be delivered.
2. Shussan Iwai - Few days after the baby is born.
3. Omiyamairi or Hatsusekku - Roughly a month after the baby is born.

Useful Expressions in Japanese
"Tsumaranai mono desu ga...." (This is such a small thing but...or it may be boring but...)- This expression is often used on the occasion when you give a present to someone in Japan by reflecting your modesty as well as paying respect towards the person to whom you are giving the present.

Okaeshi (Gift-given in return)

When you receive a gift from someone, it is customary to give a thank-you gift called Okaeshi in return, expressing your gratitude. For example, Hikidemono is given at a wedding and banquet. Kodengaeshi is given at funerals. If you don't know what to return as a gift, you may want to wait and give your present at the same type of event, to the person who originally gave you a present.

Toilet

There are two kinds of toilets in Japan: 1. Traditional Japanese-style; 2. Western-style. Western-style toilets have become more popular these days, but some public bathrooms still remain in the Japanese-style. You also may see slippers in the bathrooms at home, but these slippers are exclusively used in the bathroom. Do not forget to take them off after using the bathroom.

Manners

Greetings

Here are some basic expressions for greetings in Japan:
"Itte Mairimasu" - used at the time you leave home.
"Ojama shimasu" - used for the time when you visit someone's house.
"Ojama shimashita" or "Shitsurei shimasu" - used for the time when you leave someone's house.
"Itadakimasu" - used at the time of starting your meal.
"Akemashite Omedeto (gozaimasu)" - used as a greeting for starting the New Year.
"Yoi Otoshi o(omukaekudasai)" - used as a greeting at the end of the year.

Weddings & Funerals

At weddings, men are expected to wear a dark suit or tuxedo. Women are expected to wear a kimono or a soft feminine dress, but avoid wearing white since white is the color for the bride. When somebody passes away, ceremonies for a wake and funeral will be held. For both occasions, men are generally expected to wear black formal cloth or a dark suit with black tie and black armband, while women are expected to wear a plain black dress or suit. Wearing accessories at a funeral is considered inappropriate, except pearls.

Table manners

When you eat rice or soup, you should hold your bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other hand. You may hold small plates and bowls by hand; however, it is not a good idea to hold large dinner plates or big bowls in your hand. Chopsticks are used to pick up, hold, flake and split food on the plate. Moving plates and bowls by chopsticks, sticking them into your food, or waving them around the dishes are considered bad table manners in Japan.

Proper way to eat Soba Noodles
Eating Soba, buckwheat noodles, may be quite challenging the first time. Here are some tips to eat Soba in the proper manner:
1. Pick up a portion of noodles.
2. Dip into the sauce, about 1/3 of the whole length of the noodles.
3. Slurp them straight up from the sauce bowl. Make sure you make slurping noises. Soba, supposedly, tastes better if you slurp them without chewing too much. Chewing Soba for a long time can be considered bad manners in Japan.

Visits for people in sickness

Flowers are considered to be the most popular gift to take along for your visit to the hospital. However, there are things to remember that some are not appropriate to give, such as: potted plants, flowers with vivid colors or with a strong fragrance and large bouquets. Such flowers like Chrysanthemums or the quantity of 4, 9 or 13 are considered bad luck. Potted plants are taken as inappropriate gifts for sick people since plants are considered as "taking-root" as the metaphor suggests, "going to sleep" or having to settle in one place.