Welcome, and thanks for stopping by.
I’m enjoyjapan, a dad in my 40s living in the countryside of Tohoku, in northern Japan. This blog started after I took my son to a sento, a Japanese public bath, and caught myself explaining all these little manners to him. (More about me)
This page explains how the articles here work. It only takes two minutes, and it’ll make every guide easier to use.
What this blog is about
This blog is about the unwritten manners of Japan: the small things almost every Japanese person knows, but nobody ever writes down.
Each article takes one place, like a sento, a sauna, or a shrine, and walks you through it from the moment you arrive until you leave.
It’s written for visitors to Japan and for people living in Japan who want to feel a little more at ease.
How to read each article
How strict is each manner?
Not every manner is equally serious. The manner boxes in each article are color-coded like this:
[Rule] The place’s own rule. Breaking it can get you asked to leave.
[Expected] Not written anywhere, but almost everyone does it. People will notice if you don’t.
[Nice to do] Polite, but nobody will be upset if you forget.
[Varies] Different from place to place. Check the signs or ask.
Speech bubbles are my own stories
When you see a speech bubble like this, it’s me talking about something that really happened to me.
I add the moments where I got confused myself, because those are usually the moments you’ll get confused too.
Phrase cards you can show on your phone
Many articles end with a phrase card, written like this:
One adult, please.
大人1人、お願いします。
Otona hitori, onegaishimasu.
The first line is the meaning, the second is the Japanese, and the third is how to say it. If you’re not sure how to pronounce it, just show the screen to the staff.
Prices and rules can change
Prices, opening hours and local rules are correct as of the date written at the top of each article. They can change, so please check the signs at the place itself.
A note on how I write
I’m Japanese, and I write my drafts in Japanese. I use AI to help me turn them into natural English. Every experience in this blog is my own, and I check every article before it goes up. Photos are AI-generated.
Questions and corrections
If something here confuses you, or you know a place that does things differently, please tell me through the Contact page. Your question might become the next article.
I also write in Japanese on note: note.com/enjoyjapan
Where to start
If you’re not sure where to begin, start with the sento. It’s the article that started this whole blog.
How to Use a Japanese Sento: A Local Dad’s Step-by-Step Guide