Tipping in Japan is actually a strange thing to do. This is because Japanese culture has high values of hard work, respect, and dignity. Therefore, for them, providing good service is considered a standard. Thus, tipping the waiter basically is not necessary.

Tipping to a worker in Japan is very different from that in many other countries. In Japan, tipping for services that are provided in bars, cafes, restaurants, taxis, and hotels is not common.

However, there is a custom in Japan to give gratuities, called "kokorozuke" (coming from the heart), in some situations, such as staff who work for tour companies definitely receive tips from some of their guests. Of course, they will be grateful when they receive it. This may be quite common in tour and travel companies throughout the world.

There are certain situations where tipping is appropriate. For example, if you use the services of a tour guide or translator who is familiar with foreign customs, they may accept a tip as a sign of gratitude. It should be noted that tipping is not expected and should be done discreetly, even in cases like this. If you decide to leave a tip, you should usually put it in an envelope. You can buy small money envelopes at convenience stores, stationery stores, or 100 yen shops.

The tipping culture apparently doesn't exist in Japan. There is a reason why giving restaurant employees extra money is not common. Many travel guidebooks say that Japanese people think tipping is rude. Moreover, a well-known Japanese sushi restaurant chain in New York City has implemented a 'no tipping' rule.

Unlike fast food outlets which can be open up to 24 hours, Japanese restaurants usually close temporarily after serving lunch to reopen in the afternoon. Usually, the restaurant employees has two shifts with different workers.

In other words, restaurant employees' working hours in Japan are generally not very long. This means that they actually get enough income from restaurant salaries, without relying on visitors' tips.

Even visitors' tips are usually used as pocket money for restaurant employees. However, this doesn't seem necessary in Japan because restaurant employees already receive at least one meal a day.

Without relying on visitors' tips, Japanese restaurants already have standards to provide the best service to visitors. This is related to the excellent Japanese work culture, no matter what type of work.

However, if you want to be kind to give a tip, don't forget to give it in an envelope or you can give a souvenir from your country as a special gift.

In the end, the policy of not giving tips does not mean that visitors do not appreciate the service of employees, it's just that a number of local cultural and social characteristics make tipping considered strange or even impolite.

Here are the places you should never give a tip in Japan!

Many others country has their own culture for giving a tip. Just like in United States and several European countries, leaving tips are mandatory. However, it is different from Japan. If you leave a tip after eating, you might be chased by the worker to give your money back. Tipping in Japan means you will be considered impolite.

This may seem very strange to you, but Japanese culture values respect and dignity more than tipping. As easy as it is for you to finish your meal at their restaurant, for Japanese people it is a satisfaction and respect in itself.

Taking a taxi in Japan is very expensive, so people prefer mass transportation such as buses and trains. However, sometimes we have to take a taxi if we are carrying a lot of luggage or missing the last train. Nevertheless, please keep in mind to never tip your taxi driver. If you do not fluently speak Japanese to communicate, you just need to politely give the address you want to go to and thank them when you get out of the taxi!

Hotel staff in Japan usually do not expect tips, especially if you choose to stay at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) with luxurious facilities. However, if you decide to give a tip there are two possibilities you will face: acceptance or rejection.

If you are being rejected, don’t be offended. There is another way you can give a tip to them, such as leaving an envelope in your room stating that it is a "tip". It is because not recommended to give it directly to hotel staff even if you have given it in an envelope. Likewise, if you are at the spa inside the hotel, you can just bow and greet them by saying thank you to them.

So those are some of the etiquettes for tipping in Japan. The most important thing is that you maintain respect and politeness when traveling.

Tipping is solely generally accepted by tour guides and interpreters in Japan. Because the majority of their clients are foreign visitors, many of them receive tipping regulars. That’s why, a lot of interpreters and tour guides accept tips when they are given.

If you want to genuinely express your gratitude, please prepare a few envelopes to give some tipping in Japan. Because it is not ethical to flash cash, especially in public. So, if you want to give a tip, put it in an envelope and use both hands when giving it to the person you are tipping.

Once again, while tipping is not required in these situations, it also won't be perceived as impolite either. So, there are no rules regarding the amount of the tip to the worker.

Paradoxically, there are two instances in Japanese culture where leaving a tip can be appropriate, such as to Geishas and at Ryokans in Japan. Geishas are Japanese female who gives an entertainment performance.

If you have a private dinner with a geisha, you may give a tip in an envelope as a token of your gratitude. At some moment, it is customary to give 3,000 yen. Attitude in Japan, when you give a tip, is using both hands and a slight bow of the head.

Moreover, at high-end ryokans, it is common to give a tip of 1,000 yen to each person by leaving the tip on your bed during check-in or check-out.

Sometimes, tipping in Japan can come as rude in Japanese culture. So, we don't recommend it. What we can suggest to you is to get start and plan your holiday to Japan with Traveloka. You can buy an airline ticket to a hotel or ryokan if you insist. Get the discount by applying the promo code in the Traveloka app!