The first cultural etiquette to be aware of regards public places. Many Japanese consider eating while walking to be rude. When they eat they want to do only that. They want to sit, relax, and enjoy their beverage, snack, or meal. It is rare to find someone eating on the go. This also goes for trains and subways. Not many eat or drink on public transportation. This behavior is slowly disappearing with the younger generations, but it is one to be aware of.

Another one that the older generations find annoying is loitering. A lot of high school and college students often meet at a convenience store and just hang out. They often block the sidewalk with their school bags and belongings. They socialize and eat while being oblivious to others trying to get around them. It can be very irritating. This one I too was annoyed by.

Blowing your nose in public is also considered rude. Being a foreigner I found this one extremely annoying. No one will blow their nose when needed they just walk around with the sniffles 24/7. This I find irritating. What really doesn’t make sense is the fact that tissue packages are handed out everywhere for free, but who is using them? You will really notice this one during the cold season. Another behavior related to the cold season is the polite saying of “Bless you” when someone sneezes. Japanese don’t say anything.

These next polite etiquettes should be followed when teaching, they are not as important when in public. There are many body language signals that Japanese notice that they can be offended by. When you are teaching avoid putting your hands in your pockets, pointing at someone, or when sitting do not cross your legs. (Obviously if you are a woman you want to cross your legs, unless you are looking for more male students.) These gestures I found to be a little difficult to avoid, because they were all natural for me and a comfortable position. What I found to help avoiding these gestures was to simply hold your hands behind your back and always point with an open palm hand up.

The reason they can be offensive is because these simple gestures in the Japanese culture mean superiority. When you do these things it shows the student you regard yourself higher then them. It can mean you think you are better, or are putting yourself in a higher position. Not all will be offended by these body gestures, but it is best to avoid any awkward moments. These should be followed especially at the beginning of a teacher/student relationship.

Want to know some more interesting Japanese etiquette? Check out the article “Dating in Japan.”