Common mistakes American tourists make?

We are from a different culture. We do not mean to be rude.

what is the most common mistake Americans make while visiting Japan? I would guess the 1st would be assuming everyone speaks English.

Useful info on all of these pages:-
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html

Wearing shoes where you should not.
Taking photos when you should not.
Talking loudly when you should not.
Complaining about the size of hotel rooms.

Enjoy your trip!

Complaining about the size of hotel rooms.

*Laughs*. Also applies to holidaying in Europe.

Fully agree with above. Common mistakes that make you stand out as Gaijin-san (but probably given a slack as you wouldn't know):

1) Complaining about the size of hotel rooms (practically everywhere; Japan isn't a continent).
2) Wearing shoes where you should not (esp at people's homes).
3) Talking loudly when you should not(esp on trains when people are trying to get sleep or spend a quiet reading time).
4) Mistrust in paper bank notes.

Thank you Relax, I am aware that Japan is not a continent, but it would have been a bit lengthy to individually identify every country in Europe that I have read hotel reviews for :)

Here's a few more things to avoid:

1) pushing in, jumping, or otherwise complaining in a queue
2) not understanding what side of the escalators to use to walk/stand in subways
3) eating while walking in the street/riding urban transport
4) not being aware of the amount of personal space you and your bags take up, and how it impacts on others' personal space
5) dropping litter, or complaining about having to take your litter with you until you find a trash can
6) tipping in bars and restaurants

When it comes to standing in escalators, it all depends on where you're at.

In Tokyo, the slow/standing lane is on the left.

In Osaka, the slow/standing lane is on the right.

Trying to wear a bathing suit in an onsen.

1. Ask a random person "do you speak English?".
Most japanese people will run away if you say this. Just say "sumimasen" then you will be fine to ask something in English, preferably in written form.

2. Complain that "things are different from the USA."
Of course, this is Japan.

3. Blame my skills in English :).

Actually most Japanese people are broad-minded to foreign people coming to Japan. We do not think foreigners should act as Japanese, since you are from a different culture.

We are from a different culture. We do not mean to be rude.

I think these are enough. You will be fine. Enjoy your trip in Japan!

I strongly agree with frog1954.
If you respect for the different culture, Japanese can overlook your mistakes.

BTW, in this case, if you looks like Japanese, you're at a disadvantage.(^_^;

I'm sure you'd be alright, as you are already a considerate person by asking such a question.
Have a nice trip.

I'm not sure how common this is, but trying to change food etc in an order, eg I'll have the sandwich but not with but not with onion (or whatever). Whether it is a language thing or a cultural thing, trying to change how things come seems to be a real stresser for the workers.

Pious,

I think this is cultural thing. In the western countries (well, though Australia is geographically not in the west of Japan :), people are more self-dependent. Therefore in the restaurant, the waiter will ask you what do you like, such as do you like your steak to be rare, well-done etc. Japanese food culture is, in general, at the opposite end. In Japanese ryokan, you do not have freedom of choice: the dinner is served in the specific way of the ryokan. Of course, some Japanese people do not like this culture so that some ryokans changed their policy in recent years: they have now "bed and breakfast" plan or "simple stay" plan.

As for the fast food, most of Japanese do not request special things, such as "no onion". They (including me) accept the food as it is, and when they do not like it, they just move away and never go to that shop. Someone might write in their blog saying "this shop did not ask me whether I want onion or not. I would not go there again." Ahh, this is scary, isn't it? Some says that the Japanese are "silent claimers".

On the other hand, westerners generally tell their request at the time. This is quite different culture for Japanese shop person, so that he/she might be embarrassed. There should be some types of shops which accept your request (without onion etc.) but some shops do not regularly accept this kind of request. Most Japanese will see other guests whether they are doing these kind of request, and only after they know they are allowed, they will request some "special things".

But as I wrote elsewhere, things are changing in Japan, by the influence of foreign culture. If there are many foreign customers saying "no onion", the shop will eventually ask their customer "do you want onion?" :).

Enjoy your trip in this old-fashioned country! I think we are also gradually changing to the self-dependent side :).

Re the last 2 posts, when I was growing up in Western Europe no one would have dreamed of asking that this or that item be omitted by the cook in a restaurant.
We ate what the cook made or left whatever we didn't like on a corner of the plate but this seldom happened.
In fact most people learned, from a young age, to eat all sorts of things.

I am talking of course of real restaurants.
There was no US fast food places in my native country until the early 1970s.

Sandwiches were very basic: bread, butter and ONE food item only (tomatoes or cheese or ham or...ONLY).
It is only after I moved to North America that I saw sandwiches with many ingredients. I thought it was too much food,that people were self-indulgent gluttons.

Let me chime in.
Japan society in general and business in particular, thrive on orderliness hence predictability and consistency.
Anything that's not in the system tends to be disconcerting or even upsetting.
Imagine you are in a Q, and when it comes to your turn, you order Menu A without items x and y. The counter staff may not know how to handle that 'out-of-the-box' order. She is flustered and the people behind you may think you are holding up the line and a smart Aleck* - no offence to any guy with that name.
* this is a family-oriented website so I use this
word.

Yes, that was the impression that we formed. We made the mistake first trip but have never deviated from what was offered since.

If it's a chain restaurant be it a family style one or fast food, there's really no issue with customizing your order, especially when it comes to sauces or dressings. Yes, it's best to keep any changes simple and limit them. But you will not fluster or freak out the staff if you ask for no mustard or the salad dressing on the side.


As for being a tourist in Japan, one thing that will help is just observing what people around you are doing and try to copy them be it the way they ride the escalator, how they dispose of trash at a restaurant or in public or any other situation you find yourself in. You can learn a lot by a little bit of people watching if you're unsure of what to do at the time.

All of these are spot on, but I think one in particular is some sort of urban myth:

" eating while walking in the street/riding urban transport"

This one is nonsense, if you ask me. When I first arrived in Japan, I too, thought this was the case. But after living here for quite a while I realize it's pretty much a lie. I can't tell you how many people I see eating or drinking on the train or while walking down the street. I've seen Japanese walking down the street eating instant ramen!

Whether or not someone considers it "rude" is another thing, and entirely subjective. But to think it's not possible or people don't do it is nonsense. I eat and drink where and when I want and people don't even bat an eye.

File this one away along with "Japanese people don't wear shorts."

The Japanese in fast food places aren't the only ones that get flustered by unusual--to them-orders.
Years ago I was in a Mc Donald in Toronto, Canada, right behind a US tourist that wanted a cheese burger WITHOUT the cheese.

Apparently that type of burger was much better than other burgers but she didn't like their cheese.
The staff was beyond flustered..They just couldn't do it.
So, after 10 L-O-N-G minutes, I said to the tourist, who was getting really annoyed, along with me and the long lineup behind us,
"please order a cheese burger as per the menu, no changes, I will also order one then, at a table, you will give me the cheese you don't want" ..

That's what we did and she was quite happy. I told her that next time all she had to do was order the cheese burger then throw the offending cheese in the nearest garbage bin..

I sympathize enormously with people that can't it this or that due to an allergy or a medical condition..and hope restaurant staff would help them...

But I sincerely believe that people going to a restaurant and ask the staff to remove this or that ingredient or add another one just because they decided as children they didn't like this or that are still spoiled children at heart.
They should learn to eat all sorts of foods--as most normal people do from a young age--or eat only at home.

The first couple of times my brother and I had to eat snails, raw oysters, calamari, eels, boar meat, horse meat, tripe, calf brains, calf liver etc. etc. etc. we weren't happy children..but it didn't kill us nor did it made us sick.

Mind you our reward for eating what was for us unusual food was great desserts..and a small gift.

Years ago I was in a Mc Donald in Toronto, Canada, right behind a US tourist that wanted a cheese burger WITHOUT the cheese.

ROFL, why didn't the tourist just order a freaking hamburger, is beyond me :)