Local Rules
Drone Laws in Japan: Registration, No-Fly Zones and the Rules Tourists Miss
Almost every city center in Japan is a legal no-fly zone, and any drone over 100 grams must be registered before it…
Line E · Etiquette
Local Rules
Line E — the written and unwritten codes. Onsen and tattoo policies, shoes at the door, garbage sorting, queueing, temple and shrine conduct. The rules locals learn as children and visitors are expected to already know.
6 guides
Local Rules
Can You Smoke in Japan? Indoor Bans, Street Fines and the Vaping Trap
Indoors has been banned almost everywhere since 2020, but plenty of streets ban it too — the reverse of what most visitors…
Local Rules
Shoes Off in Japan: Where, When and How
The genkan, the slipper hierarchy, the tatami rule, and how to spot the boundary before you cross it in your boots. Plus…
Local Rules
Japan Garbage Sorting Rules for Visitors (and Why There Are No Bins)
Japan is spotless and has almost no public bins. Where rubbish actually goes, how the categories work, and the routine that stops…
Local Rules
Onsen Tattoo Rules in Japan: Where You Can Bathe and What to Do Instead
Many hot springs still refuse tattooed guests. Why the rule exists, how strictly it is applied, cover stickers, private baths, and how…
Local Rules
How to Use a Japanese Toilet: Every Button Explained
The washlet control panel decoded, the squat toilet explained, the slipper rule, and what you must never put down a Japanese toilet.