Umbrella ettiquette

My Japanese friend told me that the umbrella stand you see around town are free to take if it is raining. Is that true? I do not want to be accused of stealing someone else umbrella.
What is the truth in this matter?

The only umbrella stands I remember seeing were in front of stores for people to place their wet umbrellas in so they didn't get water on the floor. You definitely couldn't take an umbrella out of those because you would be stealing someone's personal umbrella!

I don't remember seeing any "public use" umbrella stands.

This is an odd thing - but umbrella theft is probably the most common crime that I noticed in my time in Japan - albeit it was a small problem.

People can't just take umbrellas, but it's not that uncommon for the umbrella to be taken if it's one of the clear plastic ones which most houses have in abundance which can be purchased for around 400-700 yen.

On my whole 3 years in Japan, I had only 1 umbrella taken (strangely it was a nice big umbrella from Kyoto and it was taken from a Lawson's a 2 minutes walk from my place a week before I left the country).

It should be noted that quite a few tourist offices, hotels and even train stations in country areas may have a communal umbrella stand where you return it. It is however very clear when this happens with signs etc...

Around town?! No, they're not free!!! But just as it is in all countries I've been to, hotels and ryokans usually have umbrellas available for their guests to take out for free (as long as they give them back!).

In any case, thinking that something is free is one of the worst mistakes that foreign visitors can make in any country. For example, markets in Asia often are generous enough to give you a bite for free, but it's hardly the case in Japan unless it's obviously available with toothpicks on them.

Always ask before using/eating without paying. And try to ask "How much?" rather than to ask if it is "free" just so that you don't sound arrogant. Your trip will be much more enjoyable that way!

Some people (locals I mean) seem to think it's OK to take anyone's umbrella - particularly those transparent plastic ones - from a stand outside stores - I was shocked the other day that one of my classmates had that idea "Oh I consider erasers (in school) and umbrellas to be public property."

NO WAY. As others have mentioned, only those that are specifically offered to guests, be it hotels or some parks, for temporary use, specifically marked with the facility's name, are "common use" umbrellas to be returned, but you are never, never supposed to just take one from a stand. That is called theft.

There are no "free" umbrellas on stand. You will steal someon's umbrella and will be arrested.

Some train/subway stations have "umbrellas for rainy days" which mean you can take an umbrella if it's rainy day, then bring back to the station umbrella stand when it's fine day, so that you don't have to buy an umbrella or take a taxi to home.
Some stations also have "station library" which mean you can take a book from the book shelf, after you red it, bring back to the shelf.
This service is only valid at the station, not available at all stations in JP.
There a large nunmber of books and umbrellas left on train which they are uncollected lost properties. Each station staff collect them and lend to those who need it. So if you borrow it there, you must bring back later. No registration required.

In Japan you can still find the honesty honor system, farm vegetable stands, public onsen, ryokan/hotel umbrellas, etc. where they are not manned but you need to respect the rules to pay or return and not to steal.

My Japanese friend told me that the umbrella stand you see around town are free to take if it is raining. Is that true? I do not want to be accused of stealing someone else umbrella.
What is the truth in this matter?

I am a Japanese of old generation, and really surprised to hear that.
Umbrella stands in the town, by a door of shops for example, are nothing but a place where you put your wet umbrella before entering. It’s a social custom of longtime which was made possible by a Japanese social feeling of mutual trust. If your (young?) Japanese friend told you that you could take one from there, I think (s)he must really think so. What an astonishing revelation for me!
I understand now why my umbrellas were taken away form stands of shops, supermarkets etc.

Thank you for your answers. I knew it seems odd. Sometimes you must think for yourself and not follow what someone has told you----much more so if you are in a foreign place.

Thank you for the replies.

Imagine this, when you leave the shop you discover that your umbrella is missing. How would you feel about that? It was taken or stolen. Regardless whether it's a cheap 100yen umbrella or an expensive one, even though it's not the end of the world but it's still theft.

Well, I don't think you have to sound so harsh against the original question. To be fair, some libraries do have bookshelves of books you can take away without returning (details are written on the shelf!), so perhaps the OP's friend was thinking that it was something like that. And the OP posted the question, because (s)he thought that what the friend said was odd.

I cannot believe that someone raise a question on taking free umbrella?? Oh dear, which country are u from?

Some hotels provide umbrellas on loan (for free) on rainy days. I cannot imagine what will happen if the borrower place the hotel umbrellas on a umbrella stand and someone took it (thinking it is free for all)?

http://www.lifehacker.jp/2011/09/110907shibukasa.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyUO40zM7b0
http://otaru.gr.jp/umbrella_english/
easy to google the words, "無料 and かさ".

those are "free using", not "free price". you are expected to return it.
the OP's post is partly YES. but not accurate.
those are the exceptions. many answers, saying NO, are quite ordinary, I think.
this post reminds me the post that a foreigner stole a collection-tagged bicycle and was caught by police.

be careful, if you don't understand the system fully.

Last year when I was in Kanazawa, on a really rainy day, I left my umbrella in a basket in front of a shop. The shopkeeper told me to put my umbrella in a basket inside the shop because the baskets with umbrella's in the street were umbrella's that belonged to the shopping street and people could take them en than put them in another basket when they didn't need it anymore. All the umbrella's had a mark on them...

So the OP question isn't that strange...

But I have to admit that I only experienced this service in this one specific shopping area. (and of course at hotels, etc..)

Also in Kanazawa we rode the loop bus from the station and it was raining. The bus driver said the umbrellas inside the bus were free for passagers to use and the return to the bus. It worked really well too. Some of the places we stayed also allowed guests to borrow umbrellas and return them. It was really obvious that umbrellas at stores were not to be taken as they belonged to other shoppers.

Sometimes there are umbrella stands outside tourist spots, train stations or hotels with signs that explain that the umbrellas are 'Free for Tourists / Guests'. I assume your Japanese friend was referring to these umbrella stands when he/she told you that you can take one. If there's no sign like this then don't take it.

Some people in this thread are quick to jump to conclusions that people are thieves when the more likely scenario is that they took your umbrella by mistake. If their umbrella looks the same as yours they probably picked up the wrong one, it's easy to do in Japan where so many umbrellas look alike, especially the plastic type.

Thank you for your answers.
Admin. please close this thread.