Name: Train Etiquette in Japan
Uploaded: 2025-06-17T14:56:06.000Z
Duration: 5 min 57 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

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Did you know in recent years the number of visitors to Japan has seen an explosive increase, almost three times the number from 10 years ago?

The positive aspects of this are a nice boost to the country's economy and an increase in intercultural understanding.

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However, with a higher number of tourists, overtourism has also started to become a more prominent issue, with locals complaining about congestion due to the sheer number of travellers and bad manners by some individuals, often caused by cultural differences and a general high sensitivity to its proper manners within Japan.

One area where this is especially true is on board trains, the most convenient way for tourists to travel the country.

So, to help make your train trip a smooth and pleasant one for yourself and the people around you, we'll be introducing train manners in Japan, from the more obvious ones that probably also apply in your home country, to the less obvious ones that may be different from the customs at home.

I'll take you on a train ride to help illustrate the do's and don'ts of train manners.

Train stations, especially during rush hour, can be very crowded, making it a little bit overwhelming if you're not well prepared.

But no need to worry, one simple thing to keep in mind is be conscious of the flow of Arrows on the floor and staircases indicate walking directions, and while playing a crucial part in preventing the flow of people from collapsing, are best respected even outside rush hours.

Whenever you're stopping, whether to look for your train time, check the signage, or even watch the latest Japan Guide video on your phone, avoid blocking passageways with yourself, your backpack, or your suitcases.

Instead, move to a space where you do not block traffic.

A good tip we also follow on our trips is to think two steps ahead and prepare accordingly.

For example, getting your tickets ready in advance, rather than stopping in front of the gates and blocking the flow of pedestrians.

Remember the name of your train, and the departure time, to smoothly find your platform and train using the signs.

Once you get on the platform, you'll often see various lines on the ground.

The yellow line is the security limit with the train track, so make sure you stay behind it.

Other markings on the ground indicate where to stand to board the train.

When your train arrives, move to the side to let alighting passengers come out, then board swiftly and sit down quickly, so that people behind you can also board.

If there are no vacant seats, try to move further towards the back of the train.

If you're travelling with small children, make sure to hold their hands.

If the train is crowded and you have a backpack, take it off, or put it in front of you, or on the luggage rack.

If you sit down, avoid spreading your legs or taking up an extra seat with your luggage.

If you have kids, make sure that they do not stand on the seats with their shoes on.

Trains have priority seats that should be left available for people who need them.

Large suitcases are one of the top problems on trains these days, as there often is not enough space and the luggage can block the aisles and doors.

A good tip to save you some stress is to make good use of Japan's omnipresent delivery services.

Send large luggage from base to base, and use a smaller bag in between.

For example, you could send a big suitcase from Tokyo to your hotel in Kyoto, and use a small backpack for an overnight stay in Hakone in between.

These deliveries can easily be made between hotels, private homes, convenience stores, airports and major stations.

You can find more information about delivery services in the link in the description below.

However, if you do plan to keep your large-sized luggage on board the train, just make sure you're not blocking the aisles or doors with it.

Talking loudly is one of the top complaints from locals when it comes to bad manners on public transport.

In order not to cause inconvenience to others, keep your voice down when talking, and avoid talking on the phone.

Phones should be on silent mode at all times when riding on public transport in Japan.

Eating on trains is not strictly prohibited, but can be considered as bad manners depending on the situation and circumstances.

The smell lingers and may bother other passengers.

When alighting at your destination, don't stop and move swiftly to a spot where you do not block the flow of travellers.

If you have any garbage with you on the train, make sure to take it with you.

Note that the number of garbage cans in stations, and more generally in Japan, is very small, so you should expect to carry your trash with you until you get to your accommodation.

Something that stations in bigger cities do have, though, is a lot of exits.

Most map apps now display station exit names and numbers, so think two steps ahead and look up your exit before alighting.

This might seem like a lot of rules to follow, but don't let them scare you.

The three things you should always keep in mind are...

Keep noise levels to a minimum on the train.

If you need more information on how to use trains in Japan, we have another video on the topic here.