Recommended Rules and Manners of Living in
Nagareyama City for Foreign Residents.

Created byNIFA

List of Useful Living Information
Nagareyama International Friendship Association

We would like to recommend that you be aware of the rules and manners oflife in Japan, which may be different from those in your country.
Knowing these rules and manners will help you not only to prevent
problems and crimes if any, but also lead a safe and enjoyable life in Japan.
1Rules for Renting a Residence
Created byNIFA• Only the renter and his/her family may reside in the unit. For detailedterms and conditions, refer to the contract with the landlord.
• The unit cannot be rent to others.
• When you move out , you must cancel the contract.
• No renovations or pets are allowed without permission.
• Do not put objects in hallways or onstairs.
This act is prohibited by the FireService Act.
• If you have any problems , ask theowner.
2Manners in Residence

Created byNIFA• Do not make loud noises, or speak too loudly.
• Do not play music at high volume.
• Do not chat in the hallway or the balcony.
These behaviors may cause troubles
or problems with other tenantsor nearby residents.
The police may come and warn you
depending on cases.
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Locking of the Residence

Created by
NIFA• Make sure to lock the doors and windows of your house when
you go out.
• Keep them locked when you are indoors
as well.
Make it a habit to lock your house evenwhen you are out of the house for a shorttime, such as to take out the trash.
4Smoking Manners

Created by
NIFA• Smoke in designated areas only such as in smoking areas.
• There are many non-smoking areas around stations inNagareyama City.
• Do not smoke while walking on thestreets.
• Do not dump cigarette buttson the ground, regardless of whether
it is in a smoking or non-smoking area.
We recommend carrying a portable ashtray.
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Payment of Insurance Premium andPension

Created byNIFA• Be sure to pay premiums for National Health Insurance andNational Pension.
• Payments must be made by the due date.

If you do not pay your premiums , you may haveto pay the full cost of your medicaltreatment.
If you do not know the process or how tomake payments, ask Nagareyama City Hallor its branch offices.
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How to Dispose of Garbage• There are rules about how to dispose of garbage in Nagareyama City.
• Separate garbage and put it in the garbage bags designated by the Nagareyama City (you canpurchase these bags at a convenience stores or supermarkets).
You cannot use any other bags.
• Put out the garbage at the designated location by 8:30 a.m. on the designatedweekly collection day.
• Do not leave trash on the street or in empty ground.
• You must apply in advance to have bulky waste collected(you cannot throw it out as it is).
For more information on garbage collection by Nagareyama City,
please refer to the following.
Website of Nagareyama International Friendship Association (NIFA) on:
How to dispose of household garbage②
How to dispose of recyclable garbage③
at:Information for Foreign Residents(sakura.ne.jp)

Created byNIFA

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Rules and Manners for Bicycles• Bicycles must be registered and insured against theft.
(You can register and insure at a bicycle shop.)Created byNIFA• Make sure to obey traffic signals.
• Ride on the left side of the road.
• Riding a bicycle after drinking is prohibited.
• Bicycles cannot enter expressways.
• Riding a bicycle while listening to a smart phone or music is prohibited.
• Do not take away unlocked bicycles, even if they are left on the street.
• Park your bicycle in the designated parking lots.
• Riding with another adult on your bicycle is prohibited.
Special child seats and helmets are required to carry your children ona bicycle.
If you need further information, ask your bicycle shop.

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Emergency Calls and Reports on Illness・Incidents・Accidents・Disasters, etc.

Created byNIFA• Refer to the following information on how to report in anemergency.
The NIFA website explains in detail in six languages.
Medical institutions available forforeign languages④
Information for Foreign Residents(sakura.ne.jp)
Emergency call and how to contact⑦
Information for Foreign Residents(sakura.ne.jp)
Disaster Preparedness Guide⑧
Information for ForeignResidents(sakura.ne.jp)
9Acts that are a Crime under Japanese
Laws

Created byNIFA• Lending and borrowing of commuter pass
and insurance card.
• Embezzlement of what you pick up.

• Shoplifting.
• Theft of fruits or vegetables, livestockfrom someone’s fields.

• Catching fish or shellfish in the rivers orsea without permission.
• Carrying knives and other dangerous items.
• Possession and use of illegal drugs.
• Non-possession of resident card.
10Toilet Manners

Created byNIFA• In Japan, toilets in convenience stores can be used free ofcharge.
• Let's use the toilet cleanly.
• Japanese toilets allow to flash toilet paper only.
(No bucket placed for used paper.)• Do not take away toilet paper.
• Most toilets in Japan are equipped with toilet
seat having warm-water washing function.
Make sure you know how to use it in advance.

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Manners on Trains and Buses

Created byNIFA• Do not use your cell phone or carry loud conversations onthe train or bus.
• Avoid loud volume that leaks soundeven if you are wearing earphones.
• In crowded situations, keep tour
backpack on yourchest side insteadof your back.

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Manners in Baths, Public Baths,
and Hot Springs• Wash your body and then get into the bathtub.
• Do not put towels in the bathtub.
• Do not use soap or shampoo in the bathtub.
• You cannot enter public bath or hot spring wearing a swimsuit.
You must be completely naked.
In such ways, in Japan, bathtub water has been used cleanly while family members use
the bath each day.
Thus, the water in the bathtub is not changed each time when an individual uses thetub.
The custom is for everyone to warm themselves in the same bathtub water.
Hot water in the bathtub is discarded after everyone has warmed up.
In Japan, people mostly take a bath at night to recover from the fatigue of the day.

Tipping is not Required in Japan• Tipping is not customary in Japan.
• Some high-class hotels and expensive restaurants add a service
charge to the bill, but it is not a custom in Japan to leave it onthe table.
• In restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages such as izakaya(Japanese style pubs), a small plate called
otohshi is served.
This is in lieu of a service charge.
• Drinking water and hand towels are freeof charge.

A Food Culture that does not Leave
Food Uneaten• In Japan, there is a culture of not leaving food that has been
served.
This is considered a courtesy to express
gratitude to the cook.
Ask for the amount you can eat.
• You may be able to take home leftover
food if you ask the waiter.

Manners of Chopstick Culture• In washoku (Japanese cuisine), it is good manners to eat with chopsticks inyour right hand and a bowl or rice bowl in your left hand.
• Miso soup and other soups may be eaten with themouth on the bowl to prevent spilling.
• Be careful not to lick the tip of the chopsticks or put
them in your mouth, as this may cause discomfort tothe people you are eating with.
• For the food served on a platter, use special
chopsticks to take it to your own plate.
Do not use your own chopsticks directly in sucha case.
• It is a taboo in Buddhism to stick chopsticks on top ofrice or to pass food between the other person's chopsticks
and your own.

Personal Seal (Hanko, Inkan) Culture• While signatures are common in other countries, personal seals(hanko, inkan) are often used in Japan.
• Personal seals are also sold at 100-yen stores. However, originally,
this culture took root when people decided the typeface, size, andshape of their personal seal (hanko,inkan) to be engraved in order
to identify it as individual and make it the only one of its kind in
the world.
• Even now, personal seal (hanko,inkan) is required for contracts,bank passbooks, and many official documents.
It is recommended that foreign
nationals also have their own seals(hanko,inkan) made.

Noodle Slurping Culture• In Japan, people eat in restaurants without making a sound, but
at soba and ramen restaurants, many people slurp their noodles
with a sound.
• It is said that this culture originated in the Edo period, when hot
soba noodles were eaten standing in food stalls, and people would
slurp them down to cool
the heat and eat them all at once.
• It is a Japanese culture that hascontinued for hundreds of years,
so don't worry about the sound,
let’s try it.

Bowing(Ojigi) Culture• In Japan, bowing is the most common greeting.
Handshakes, hugs, etc. are conversely unfamiliar.
• It can mean apology, thanks, or greeting, and the meaning can change with bending
approximately at 45 degrees, 30 degrees, or 15 degrees (the greater the angle ofbowing, the deeper the politeness.)• It is believed that by offering the weakest part of
the human head to the other person, it indicatesa lack of hostility.
• Foreigners may not be familiar with it, but it is a
traditional Japanese greeting that you should definitely learn.
As a polite foreigner, you will easily fit in with
the Japanese in this manner.

Many Japanese areNon-religious• As shown in the graph, many Japaneseare not so particular about religion.
• However, there is a culture of taking inand enjoying various religious events
around the world.
A typical example is seen where a whole town
is decorated with lights and gifts areexchanged in the Christmas season, but onlya small percentage of people are Christian.
• It is customary to eat cakes and chicken onChristmas.

Buddhism

No religious beliefs

Culture of Serving Someone Sake(oshaku)• One of the unique Japanese cultural aspects of drinking is “oshaku(pouring sake)”in order to show hospitality to others.
• Sake is mainly offered from a person of lower rank to a person of higher
rank as a sign of respect to the other party.
• In particular, it is considered very abnormal for the boss of a company tofill his or her own cup with sake,and it is a uniquely Japaneseculture to pay attention to whether
the boss's cup is empty or not.
• This is a custom that is unique to Japan,
where politeness is valued even in
the midst of a pleasant drinking occasion.

Culture of Greetings before and afterMeals• In Japan, people say "Itadakimasu" (Let's eat, or, I appreciate your offer.)
before meal and "Gochisousama-deshita " (I really enjoyed the meal.)
after meals.
Even when people are alone, they customarily do so.
• Prayers before meals are religiously varied,
but most give thanks to the deity of the religion.
It is a unique Japanese greeting that expresses
gratitude to the people who grew the foodstuff,
transported it fresh, and cooked it.
Therefore, even when eating alone, we utter thesephrases (by heart).
When you foreign people mutter these Japanese phrases before or after a meal,
the Japanese will be surprised and smile．

Contact Information in Case of Trouble• １１０（Police）• １１９（Fire Station）• 04-7158－1111 Ngareyama City Hall
（There are 3 branch offices in the city）• 04-7128－6007

Created byNIFANagareyama International Friendship Association(NIFA)

c/o Nagareyama International Understanding
Support CenterThe following information is also provided
by NIFA via its website:
Emergency Telephone Call (where and how),
Disaster Prevention Guide, etc.
Please check with QR codes at right.
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Get used to the unique Japanese culturesand manners as soon as possible, andenjoy your life in Nagareyama City!

Created byNIFA