Japan has one of the most complicated systems of social conventions and rules of behavior. An inexperienced tourist who visits this country for the first time can easily get confused and mix things up. Local people can easily spot foreigners in the crowd by the seemingly insignificant mistakes they make. Fortunately, the Japanese are very tolerant of tourists who unknowingly violate their rules of good manners. Still, no one wants to mess things up in a foreign country, so that’s why it’s better to know those nuances.

We at Bright Side have carefully studied the rules of behavior in Japan, and the reviews of local people and tourists, and we found 14 mistakes that help Japanese people easily see a foreigner in the crowd.

1. Foreigners care about their posture less.

14. It’s not customary to express your attention toward the opposite sex in Japan.

© Depositphotos.com, © shutterstock.com

There is still a certain gender split in Japanese culture. Friendships between men and women are not a widespread thing, especially when one has a partner.

One of the biggest shocks I experienced is the general relationship between men and women. Past a certain age (8–9), boys and girls seem to be embarrassed by the presence of individuals of the opposite sex. An illustration is how, in any “circle” or “club activity” I’ve been to, even among adults, men and women end up being naturally “separated” with men on one side and women on the other. Any attempt to speak to the other side is met with giggles and jokes along the line of “Wow, such a womanizer.” Don’t people believe in friendship between men and women here? © Olivier Tarteaut / Quora

Do you think you would be able to stick to the norms of Japanese behavior and not get in embarrassing situations? Which customs of this country impressed you most of all?