Monday, July 13, 2009

Will Miss #9 - escalator etiquette


The unspoken rule on escalators is that you stand to the left so that anyone in a hurry can walk up or down on the right. You very rarely see someone clogging up the works by standing abreast. While this type of etiquette may be practiced in other countries, it is observed unwaveringly by the Japanese. Anyone who unintentionally violates the rule by not standing as far off to the left as possible when you pass by is also likely to apologize to you for the inconvenience.

I'll miss this scrupulous adherence to good escalator manners.

3 comments:

  1. In kansai you stand on th rigth side! xD That's why I always was confuesed where to stand in osaka.. Becaus ein kobe you stand right, in tokyo left, but in osaka you stay somehow on both sides xD

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  2. Boy did I felt embarrassed when I stood on the right side and I didn't knew about that unspoken rule when I went to Japan.

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    Replies
    1. It's okay because they will forgive you when they notice you're a foreigner! ;-)

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