Any phone etiquette I should know?

People in Japan are very discreet about their phone use in public.

  • You can talk on the phone on the train platform, but don’t converse by phone on the train!
  • On the train, bus, subway, or any other very public place, if someone calls you, text them to tell them you can’t talk now.
  • In a restaurant, go to the lobby or near the rest rooms, and be very discreet.
  • In a store, go outside if you need to talk on the phone.

If you are observant, you’ll see how others in Japan use discretion on their cell phones. Heightened awareness of those around you is refreshing, actually.