Japan Etiquette (What Japanese People Actually Do): What Locals Actually Say

Ranked by real like counts across every roundup. Each one links to the article it came from.

• I hate my own face so much that I can no longer take off the mask that hides it.

  自分の顔が嫌いすぎて顔を隠してくれるマスクを外せなくなった

  — @aa_aaaaaab8,684 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• It's not that putting it on is the hassle any more — it's that taking it off has become the hassle.

  付けることが手間、じゃなくて外すことが手間になってる感覚

  — @あみくぽ7,075 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• "I look cuter with a mask on…", "With a mask I can go out with no makeup!" — there have to be a fair few people keeping them on for reasons that have nothing to do with COVID.

  「マスクをしてた方が可愛く見える…」「マスクしていればすっぴんで行ける！」など、コロナ以外での理由で外さない人も結構いるはず…。

  — @らあ-d5e2,910 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• · By now there's resistance to taking it off · Take it off and you get noticed · Taking it off is a pain · Wearing it just in case. That's about the whole list.

  ・もはや外すことに抵抗が生まれてしまった ・外すと注目される ・外すのがめんどくさい ・念の為つけてる だいたいここら辺

  — @WhyYouLife1,905 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• Japan already wore masks day to day far more than other countries did (flu season and so on), but "mask dependency" was already becoming a bit of an issue before COVID, so I think there are a lot of people in that category too.

  日本は元々日常的にマスクすることが海外と比べて多かった(インフルの時期など)のもあると思うけど、コロナ前からマスク依存症がちょっと問題になってたからそういう人も多いと思う

  — @ななし-v2y1,711 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• I had my mask off walking to high school, and at the year assembly we were told "we've had complaints about students taking their masks off outdoors." Then a teacher snapped at me — "why aren't you wearing a mask? Are you stupid?" So no, I can't take it off lol

  高校に登校中、マスク外してたら「外でマスクを外していると、苦情がありました」って学年集会で言われたし、先生に「なんでマスクしないの？アホちゃうん？」ってキレられたからマスク外せん笑

  — @kigatiru1,677 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• Sitting at uni with my mates looking around, every girl looks beautiful. I reckon that's the reason.

  大学で女子を友達と見てて思うけど全員美人に見えるんよな。だからやと思う

  — @かきふらいごん1,421 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• If you're fine with some random middle-aged guy next to you cackling into his phone, then sure, go ahead. I'm not, so keep the ban.

  近くで知らんおじさんがガハガハ笑いながら通話してても良いならいいんじゃない？ 私は嫌だから禁止で良い。

  — @ネギ坊主-f9n1,260 likes

  From: Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan? "It's Not the Call, It's the Volume": a 1,961-Comment Thread Explains the Rule

• If there's obviously nobody around I don't wear one, but the moment I'm out where people are, on it goes.

  明らかに人いなけりゃマスクしないけど人がいるところに出たらマスクはしちゃうね

  — @覚悟の準備をしておいて下さい500 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• We went from "you're not allowed out without a mask" → so you wear one, to "you may take your mask off!" (which isn't "you must") → it hides your face and it stops flu and colds, so let's keep wearing it. That's just how it normally reads, so honestly, do whichever you like…

  「マスクをつけてないとダメ」 　→マスクつける っていう状況から 「マスク外してもいいですよ！」 　（外さないとダメではない） 　→顔隠れるしインフルとか風邪とか予防になるしつけよう！ になってるのがふつうだからどっちでも好きにしたらいいと思うけどなぁ…

  — @あきと-b5s283 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• I like the people who pick up for a second, quietly say "I'm on the train right now..." and hang up quickly. You can see the good character in it: they can't ignore the caller, but they still want to keep to the manners.

  一旦出て小声で「今電車なので…」って言って早めに切る人好き 相手を無視もできないしマナーも守りたいっていい人柄が出てるから

  — @tamta-p2d253 likes

  From: Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan? "It's Not the Call, It's the Volume": a 1,961-Comment Thread Explains the Rule

• Anyone who wants to wear a mask should, anyone who doesn't shouldn't — isn't that all there is to it? It's free choice now ✨

  別にマスクしたい人はすればいいし、したくない人はしなきゃいいんじゃない？もう自由なんだから✨

  — @mitococo220 likes

  From: Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit

• Please keep it banned. Otherwise I lose my trick for instantly ending an unwanted surprise call: "Sorry, I'm on the train right now, can we do this later?"

  禁止にしててください。面倒くさい相手の突然の電話を即刻で切る技「すいません。今、電車の中なので後にしてください」が使えなくなる。

  — @のりまき-d9v71 likes

  From: Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan? "It's Not the Call, It's the Volume": a 1,961-Comment Thread Explains the Rule

• Even without calling on the train, you can handle it by text or LINE.

  電車で通話しなくてもメールやLINEで済まそう。

  — @ミルクティー-v8s70 likes

  From: Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan? "It's Not the Call, It's the Volume": a 1,961-Comment Thread Explains the Rule

• Can you talk on the phone on trains in Japan?
• Why is talking on the phone on a train considered rude in Japan?
• What should I do if my phone rings on a Japanese train?
• Is quiet conversation okay on trains in Japan?
• Do you have to wear your backpack in front on Japanese trains?
• What do Japanese train companies tell you to do with a backpack now?
• Is front-carrying really considered rude in Japan?
• Should you stack your plates in a Japanese restaurant?
• Do Japanese people still wear masks?
• Do I need to wear a mask in Japan as a tourist?
• Why do Japanese people wear masks when they're not sick?
• Is it rude to take your mask off in Japan?
• Is it rude to wear sunglasses in Japan?
• Why don't Japanese people wear sunglasses?
• Do Japanese drivers wear sunglasses?
• What kind of sunglasses do Japanese people wear?
• Why are there no trash cans in Japan?
• Where do you throw away trash in Japan?
• What do Japanese people do with their rubbish while out?
• Are there trash cans in Japanese train stations?
• Which side do you stand on escalators in Japan?
• Is it rude to walk on escalators in Japan?
• Is walking on escalators illegal in Japan?
• What should I do on an escalator with a suitcase or kids?

• Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan?1,260 likes

  1,961 Japanese comments on why you can't talk on the phone on trains in Japan: it's volume, not law (979 likes), and what riders do when it rings.

  includes “where locals go instead”

• Should You Wear Your Backpack in Front on Japan's Trains?120 likes

  Japan put front-carried backpacks on its rail nuisance list. In the top 100 of 305 comments, commuters say the back is worse (60 likes) and skip the rack.

  includes “where locals go instead”

• Why Do Japanese People Wear Masks? Japan Answers8,684 likes

  Why do Japanese people wear masks? In the top 200 of 11,939 comments the top reason (8,684 likes) is a face they'd rather hide — and when it comes off.

  includes “where locals go instead”

• Why Don't Japanese People Wear Sunglasses? Japan Answers844 likes

  Why don't Japanese people wear sunglasses? In a 955-comment thread the top reply (844 likes) says safety beats the stares — plus the lenses worn instead.

  includes “where locals go instead”

• Why Are There No Trash Cans in Japan? Japanese Explain83 likes

  Japan pulled its public bins — in the top 123 of 155 comments Japanese viewers call terrorism the excuse, not the reason. Plus where they put rubbish now.

  includes “where locals go instead”

• Japan Escalator Etiquette: Left or Right? Riders Are Split459 likes

  Japan's railways now ask riders to stand on both sides and not walk — and 1,549 comments show why it hasn't stuck: hatred of single-file queues.

  includes “where locals go instead”

Is it rude to wear sunglasses in Japan?

Not rude, just uncommon, and Japanese commenters give ordinary reasons: sunglasses hide where you are looking, most people are not outdoors long enough to need them, and lightly tinted lenses are the compromise drivers actually use. Nobody in the threads treats a tourist in sunglasses as offensive.

Can I talk on the phone on a train in Japan?

Keep it to a few seconds. The consensus in the thread is that the no-calls norm survives because riders want it (the top comment, 1,260 likes, says exactly that), and the polite move everyone praises is answering quietly with "I am on the train, I will call you back" and hanging up.

Where do these come from?

From the comment sections of Japanese YouTube videos — food crawls, hidden-gem tours, honest reviews. We quote real comments only, show the actual like counts at the time of collection, and link back to the source video.

How accurate are the translations?

Each quote keeps the original Japanese alongside the English. We adapt slang so it reads naturally, but we never change the meaning or invent comments.

Every number on this page comes from the public comment sections of these videos. The creators deserve the views.

• YouTube · ガグル〈話題の事 語る奴〉Jul 24, 2024→ Is It Rude to Talk on the Phone on a Train in Japan? "It's Not the Call, It's the Volume": a 1,961-Comment Thread Explains the Rule
• YouTube · TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNNMar 26, 2025→ Should You Wear Your Backpack in Front on Japanese Trains? "Front, for Security" vs "The Doorway Ones Are Just in the Way" in a 305-Comment Thread
• YouTube · 岡野タケシ弁護士【アトム法律税務グループ】Oct 13, 2022→ Why Do Japanese People Still Wear Masks? "Putting It On Was Never the Effort — Taking It Off Is": 11,939 Comments on Japan's Mask Habit
• YouTube · TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNNApr 26, 2023→ Why Don't Japanese People Wear Sunglasses? "Whatever the Passengers Say, Put Safety First" — 955 Comments on Japan's Sunglasses Taboo
• YouTube · ずんだ鉄道Sep 15, 2025→ Why Are There No Trash Cans in Japan? Japanese Viewers Say the Terrorism Story Is the Cover — "Sarin Was Just the Excuse for a Cost Cut"
• YouTube · MBS NEWSJul 20, 2024→ Escalator Etiquette in Japan: Which Side to Stand On — and Why Japanese Riders Are Arguing About It