What taboos are there in Japan?

Question

what issues in Japan are considered taboos and should be avoided?

Also, what topics are becoming less and less taboo in Japan?

Thank you!

Answer 1

There are a ton of differences between the western world and Japan. Here are some things to do or not do, PLEASE HEED THEM!:

1. Do not burp or f**t in public. Even if you say "Excuse me", its not acceptable.

2. Don't touch your nose or any body fluids.

3. If you have a sickness, wear a mask.

4. Never stick your chopsticks upright in food (means death) or let anyone else use your chopsticks, give scissors as a gift (means severing ties with someone), or give chrysanthemums (sp?) as a gift (its the flower they give during a funeral). Also don't give anything in 4's. One of the ways to say 4 in japanese is "s**+", which means death in a different context.

5. Do remove your shoes when you enter a house and put on slippers. Even when you go to the restroom, make sure you remove those slippers and put on a different pair. Cleanliness is extremely important to the japanese because the Shinto religion requires it, and because of that, its inbred into the culture.

6. Eat whatever is in front of you. Don't question the food unless you're learning Japanese and don't know what it is in the English language.

7. Don't talk about WWII or the Sudo-Japanese war. Just don't talk about war period.

8. Be extremely polite. Anything less than polite will make people disrespect you. Never be a loud tourist. Try to blend into the culture.

Also, there are different mindsets circling around Japan called "nihonjinron" theories. They're ridiculous, like as if the Japanese brain is different than other races, they are the only ones who can speak correct Japanese, etc. It's slowly dying down, but for the most part, it's still there.

I hope this helps!

Answer 2

The topic on WWII.

When I was in Australia, this topic often came up over dinner parties. Australians were so critical and offencive in my face. I was totally disgusted and my marriage with my Australian ex-husband broke down in the end.  

Answer 3

The "Hibakusha" or Atomic Bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have a taboo surrounding them, in my opinion ridiculously, and it is not tasteful to bring this up in conversation apparently, as well as discussing Japan's connections and actions in wartime. Its best to avoid the topic completely!  

Answer 4

Passing things from chop sticks to chop stick.  When someone is giving you some food from a dish or bowl with chop sticks, don't take it with your own chop sticks, you should hold up your dish so they can place the food on that.  This has to do with the Japanese funeral rites where the relitives of the deceased pick the remaining unburned bone fragments from the cermated ashes with chop sticks, hand it to another relative who takes it with his own chop sticks and place it in the urn.  This is the only time things are passed from chop stick to chop stick.  Also, standing your chop sticks up in you rice bowl which is also a ceremonial thing done for the dead.

Less and less taboo is holding hands and showing affection in  public.  Still frowned upon by elders but becoming more common with the younger people.  

Interesting?

Answer 5

Talking about WWII.

Blowing/touching your nose.  I have grown to find it disgusting myself.

PDA.