Japan Travel Guide

Japan is famous for its complex web of social conventions and rules of behaviour, which only someone who's grown up in the society could hope to master. Fortunately, allowances are made for befuddled foreigners, but it will be greatly appreciated - even draw gasps of astonishment - if you show a grasp of the basic principles. The two main danger areas are shoes and bathing, which, if you get them wrong, can cause great offence.

The Japanese treat most foreigners with incredible, even embarrassing, kindness. There are endless stories of people going out of their way to help, or paying for drinks or even meals after the briefest of encounters. That said, foreigners will always remain "outsiders" ( gaijin ), no matter how long they've lived in Japan or how proficient they are in the language and social niceties. On the positive side this can be wonderfully liberating; you're expected to make mistakes, so don't get too hung up about it. The important thing is to be seen to be trying. As a general rule, when in doubt simply follow what everyone else is doing.