7 Japanese Taboos You Should Know – Coto Japanese Club (2024)

FAQs

What's taboo in Japan? ›

Never point your chopsticks at another person, wave them in the air, or spear food with them. Don't stick your chopsticks into a bowl of rice, as this is reminiscent of a funeral rite. Don't pass food from chopsticks to chopsticks, as this too is reminiscent of a funeral rite.

Death (死) used to be a taboo in Japan. People tried their best to avoid using the word. Even today, they sometimes refuse to utter anything remotely “death-related,” for example, shi (the number four), just because the pronunciation is the same.

Common taboos involve restrictions or ritual regulation of killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; reproduction; the dead and their graves; as well as food and dining (primarily cannibalism and dietary laws such as vegetarianism, kashrut, and halal) or religious (treif and haram).

There are four major types of taboos namely religious taboos, social taboos, legal taboos, and sexual taboos.

Holding hands is okay. In smaller towns, you might get a dirty look if you're walking with an arm around your partner. Try to avoid snuggling up on a public bench, in queues or at restaurants. And don't stare lovingly into each other's eyes when others are around.

Kodokushi (孤独死) or lonely death is a Japanese phenomenon of people dying alone and remaining undiscovered for a long period of time. First described in the 1980s, kodokushi has become an increasing problem in Japan, attributed to economic troubles and Japan's increasingly elderly population.

The majority of funerals (葬儀, sōgi or 葬式, sōshiki) in Japan include a wake, the cremation of the deceased, a burial in a family grave, and a periodic memorial service. According to 2007 statistics, 99.81% of deceased Japanese are cremated.

What are some examples of taboo behaviour? Well, you wouldn't walk down a street naked, burp in a stranger's face, or steal a purse from an elderly person. Calling someone a rude name and catcalling a woman in the middle of the day are also considered increasingly unpleasant.

There are 3 Types of Taboos: cultural, religious, and food.

What are 3 main cultural values in Japan? ›

Harmony, order, and self-development are three of the most important values that underlie Japanese social interaction. Basic ideas about self and the nature of human society are drawn from several religious and philosophical traditions.

In Japan, some of the core values are thinking of others, doing your best, not giving up, respecting your elders, knowing your role, and working in a group. These concepts are taught explicitly and implicitly from nursery school into the working world.

According to Inazo Nitobe's book Bushido, the lives of the samurai warriors were ruled by 7 principles called Bushido. These 7 rules were Righteousness, Loyalty, Honor, Respect, Honesty, Courage and Consistency.

Historically, cannibalism is the ultimate taboo – the line that can't be crossed. What distinguishes it from other types of on-screen nastiness is that it disgusts us in two separate ways – in other words, the prospect of being eaten is nightmarish, but the prospect of doing the eating is almost as bad.

Taboos are defined as socially unacceptable language or behaviors. For example, in some countries avoiding eye contact is a sign of respect. In the United States, it is considered rude or an indication that the other person is lying. Socially acceptable behaviors can differ from culture to culture and change over time.

taboo, also spelled tabu, Tongan tabu, Maori tapu, the prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behaviour is either too sacred and consecrated or too dangerous and accursed for ordinary individuals to undertake.

According to recent research, however, while similarities do exist, there is no such thing as a universal taboo, and each cultural group has its own set of rules pertaining to acceptable and unacceptable behaviors.

The term “taboo” is derived from the Polynesian term “tabu,” which means “forbidden.” Taboos regulate the way people interact with the world around them by prohibiting the use of items considered sacred.

In Japan, you're not likely to see too much public smooching going on. As well as being reserved and modest by nature, most Japanese people also believe that drawing attention to oneself in public is bad manners.

Also in Japan, holding up a pinky while speaking of two people signifies that they are in a relationship. This pinky substitution is considered vulgar and old-fashioned, however, in some anime scenes is intentionally used to enhance its silliness.

What is disrespectful in Japanese culture? ›

Prolonged eye contact (staring) is considered rude. Don't show affection, such as hugging or shoulder slapping, in public. Never beckon with your forefinger. The Japanese extend their right arm out in front, bending the wrist down, waving fingers.

Recent epidemiologic studies of community residents revealed that the prevalence of major depression according to DSM-IV criteria was 1-2% for 12 month and 3-7% for lifetime in Japan.

Depression is widespread, largely undiagnosed and rarely treated in Japan. Aside from the effects on health and on people's well-being, depression in Japan exacts a heavy economic toll on individuals, families and on society as a whole.

--Monetary expansion and low interest rates. Thanks to this policy turnaround, the Japanese economy began to recover in 1932 and expanded relatively strongly until 1936 (the last year of non-wartime economy). Among major countries, Japan was the first to overcome the global depression of the 1930s.

In Japan, routine male circumcision has never been implemented for newborns and children, and adult males are mostly circumcised at aesthetic clinics. However, media reports indicate a trend of Japanese mothers willing to have their sons circumcised.

Trimming hair and nails

Generally, this emanates from the belief that nails and hair were given to the children by the deceased as a parent and as such they shouldn't be trimmed during the mourning period and after the burial. At least you should wait for 49 days.

Black is the color of mourning in Japan. While in the recent years dark blue and dark gray is becoming more acceptable, black is still preferred over all other colors.

Taboo subjects include everything from the use of swearing, discussions on religion, the acceptability of alcohol, to attitudes to things like death and prostitution.

Taboo language refers to words that are typically deemed immoral or inappropriate in everyday language and should be avoided in polite conversion. In general, this comprises curse or swear words, profanities, or offensive speech.

A taboo is a very strong negative norm; it is a prohibition of certain behavior that is so strict that violating it results in extreme disgust and even expulsion from the group or society. Often the violator of the taboo is considered unfit to live in that society.

Is this taboo meaning? ›

: something that is not acceptable to say, mention, or do : something that is taboo.

The four types of social norms are: folkways, mores, taboos, and laws.

In Japan, touching another person's body is considered rude, even with friends or family. Hugging and kissing are mostly for couples. Our editor Kanako said that she's never hugged any of her family members as a grown woman. She hugs her foreign friends but not the Japanese ones.

Tattoos As Punishment

Around the 7th century is when tattooing in Japan truly gained its negative connotations. Tattoos were associated with criminals and delinquents at that time. People caught committing crimes would sometimes be tattooed as punishment, so others would be aware of their wrong doings.

The Japanese like more space between themselves than others. Bowing too close to each other could be dangerous! Touching is also taboo in Japan. The American pat on the back or arm around the shoulder is to be avoided.

In Japan, you're not likely to see too much public smooching going on. As well as being reserved and modest by nature, most Japanese people also believe that drawing attention to oneself in public is bad manners.

We hold hands and kiss in public often in Japan. The only place we don't kiss is on a train, bus, or subway or at the hot springs. For all couples, same sex or not, it is culturally rude to kiss on the trains or subways or buses.

DON'T: IGNORE THE TABOO IF YOU'RE WESTERNERS

Your age, gender and country of origin don't matter, because if you are travelling in Japan, you have to respect the cultural aversion to PDA. Holding hands is okay. In smaller towns, you might get a dirty look if you're walking with an arm around your partner.

Ear piercings are against Japanese school dress code, along with any other forms of jewelry and even painted nails. In fact, piercings of any kind are very uncommon in Japan, even for older people. Usually the people who get ear piercings in Japan are rule-breakers, or people who are trying to look tough.

Suggestions for Tourists With Tattoos

While tattoos are not illegal, they can prevent people from getting the full Japanese experience. When using public transportation in Japan, such as trains, tourists with visible tattoos will want to keep in mind that their ink may be offensive to some of the locals.

Can I show my tattoos in Japan? ›

Rules are very important in Japan, and as there is a no tattoo rule in nearly all pools, onsens and gyms, a foreigner walking up to the desk with tattoos showing is bound to cause concern. Just cover up and keep those tattoos covered and that is acceptable. If you can't cover up, don't go to those environments.

This full-body gesture is also used as "OK" in Japan where the single-handed gesture connotes monetary transactions instead of meaning "OK". This two-armed OK gesture was added to Unicode in 2010 under the name "Face With OK Gesture" (U+1F646 "🙆") and became part of Emoji 1.0 in 2015.

Accepting something or agreeing

If you want to say “o*k” you can give a person a thumbs-up or put your hands up above your hand, bend them in the elbows a bit to form a big “O” (called maru in Japanese). Remember, however, that thumb-down is an offensive sign in Japan.

Popularity. The peace-sign now is used by everyone in Japan from kids to their grandparents, across generations. Just like in English, “Say cheese!” is a common line when taking photos, in Japan they say, “Peace!” while posing.

There are 3 Types of Taboos: cultural, religious, and food.