Overwhelmed by Japan’s numerous rules? Just stay calm and follow the locals

I’m originally from a small town in Fukuoka Prefecture in southern Japan, so when I first visited Tokyo, I discovered some surprising “rules.”

For instance, when waiting for trains, you’re meant to line up where the train doors are expected to open (as indicated by the labels on the platform floor). I didn’t know this system at first so I just stood at a random spot and then, was very surprised when I realized a bunch of people had lined up behind me. Thankfully, the random spot I chose wasn’t far off from where the doors were going to open!

So, you might also experience some culture shocks when learning the unspoken rules here in Japan (which can vary depending on the region), but my best advice to you is to simply stay calm and follow the lead of the locals.