Manners & Rules– category –
-
Manners and Rules to Know When Living in Japan: At Home, on Trains and Buses, at Hot Springs, with Neighbors, Alcohol and Tobacco, and Holidays
A guide, by situation, to the manners and rules you should know when living in Japan. Based on the Immigration Services Agency's "Guidebook on Living and Working" and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Apartment Search Guidebook", it explains life at home (garbage, noise, shoes and toilets), walking outside (using a smartphone while walking, littering), trains and buses, hot springs and public baths, neighbors and neighborhood associations, crime prevention, alcohol and tobacco, and national holidays and the New Year period. -
Public Holidays and New Year Closures in Japan: List of Holidays for 2026 and 2027, and Days When Government Offices, Banks and Post Offices Are Closed
Based on information from the Cabinet Office, Japanese laws and Japan Post, this article explains Japan's national holidays (list for 2026 and 2027), how substitute holidays work, government office closures from December 29 to January 3, bank holidays, mail delivery on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and what to keep in mind during Obon and Golden Week. -
Rules for Alcohol and Tobacco in Japan: From Age 20, Penalties for Drunk Driving, and Where You Can Smoke
In Japan, alcohol and tobacco are allowed from age 20. Based on information from the law, the National Police Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Immigration Services Agency, this article explains the penalties for drunk driving (after the July 2026 amendment), the penalties for people who lend a car, serve alcohol or ride along, the rule that indoor areas are in principle non-smoking, and littering.
1