Japan

Received wisdom has it that Japan is the sort of ascetic paradise where litter is unheard of, imperfection (or wabi-sabi) is honoured and social consciousness is elevated into an art form (don’t walk while eating; be quiet on public transport; don’t point with hands or chopsticks; don’t blow your nose in public – the list goes on).

It’s also a place where tipping isn’t just uncommon; it’s considered embarrassing and awkward. And, since the Japanese have a tip-free service culture, it really needs to be spelled out to the foreign visitor with a think-twice warning: do so and you’ll cause offence.

“Even if travellers are told Japan doesn’t tip, some people are still keen to show their appreciation with money – but it doesn’t work like that,” said James Mundy of UK-based tour operator InsideJapan Tours. “It’s common for people to leave money for waiting staff at restaurants, then be chased down a road and given their money back. Many cannot understand people do their job with pride, and an ‘oishikatta’ (it was delicious), or a ‘gochiso sama‘‘thank you for preparing the meal) will go down very well. Money doesn’t always talk.”

The Japanese revulsion to tipping is palpable. Shokunin kishitsu, which roughly translates to “the craftsmanship”, flows through many aspects of Japanese life and is a philosophy perfected by many in tourist-facing industries, from hotel bellhops to food cart vendors to sushi chefs. Service is about the bare necessities of doing a job with pride, and appreciation is most commonly shown through compliments (preferably in Japanese) or by bowing.

But one exception applies: in ryokans, Japan’s traditional tatami-matted guesthouses, travellers can leave money for the nakai san (the kimono-wearing server who prepares your food and futon), but only when done properly. Don’t hand over a tip in person; instead seal pristine notes in a specially decorated envelope.