Meeting Neighbors

Exchanging mutual greetings is considered basic manners. Loud conversations, children’s footsteps, pet’s calls, or late night or early morning cleaning/washing are things that may cause trouble with your neighbors.

Apartments

Shared spaces, such as hallways and staircases, as well as emergency exits on verandahs are evacuation routes in times of emergency, so please do not place anything there.

If there is trouble between you and someone in the same building, please discuss it with your management association of your building.

Trash/Garbage

Please follow trash disposal rules in order to preserve natural resources and assist with town beautification. Sorting methods, collection days, and collection locations vary by region, so please confirm them with your municipality.

Neighborhood Councils & Associations

Each municipality usually has neighborhood bodies such as Neighborhood Councils or Associations. They do things like pass around notifications, anti-crime or disaster prevention activities or organizing festivals. They are run using money from residents. You are free to participate or not.

When Visiting Others

Remove your shoes in the entrance way when visiting other people’s homes. If they have ‘in-door slippers’, you may wear these, however, remember to take them off when entering a room with tatami mats.