In some wards/cities in Tokyo, smoking while walking and/or in any manner in the street is prohibited and a fine may be imposed on violators. Smoking is also not allowed at many train stations today except for a designated smoking area. If you wish to smoke in public, always remember to find and use a smoking area.

In Tokyo, some trains have a carriage that is designated only for female passengers. You may find such "ladies-only" train carriages mostly during the rush hours in the morning and/or evening on weekdays. The car is clearly marked for easy recognition. Also listen carefully to the announcements.

It is an unofficial but common rule to reserve space for those in a hurry when you ride the escalator. Although there is no known reason, people in Tokyo stand on the left side on the escalator and leave the right side open, as opposed to many other cities in the world. For your information, you will find that people in the Kansai region (western Japan including Osaka) stand on the right side and leave the left open.

When you wish to use or receive almost any type of service in Japan, it is a common rule that you wait for your turn in line. It is rather rare to see someone not following this rule. For bank ATMs, public restrooms, or many other facilities that are available with more than one unit at one location, people will still make a line and the person in the very front of the line gets to use the next available unit. It is considered rude to go before a person who has been waiting longer and use the unit even when you are the nearest person to it. Although there is neither legal regulation nor punishment, it is a social rule you should follow to avoid getting involved in unnecessary trouble.

Illegal parking is one of the major social issues in Tokyo, where land space is limited while the number of cars owned as well as the population is large. Recent changes in the Road Traffic Law have tightened up the regulations against illegal parking, which, however, doesn't seem to ever stop increasing. Not only the police but also licensed private officers can exercise parking control in some parts of Tokyo today. The new law also defines that the owner of the car is responsible for any fines unpaid by the driver of the car, even if the driver isn't the actual owner. For more information about these regulations, visit the website of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

Many facilities that accommodate public baths are available in Japan, including both onsen (hot spring baths) and sento (regular paid public baths). There are certain manners that users are expected to follow at the public baths, such as rinsing your body well before you enter the actual bath. If you have a chance to try a public bath, enjoy a unique experience while respecting such different aspects of a culture.

You may have noticed some of many marks/symbols printed on a variety of products. Knowing what these marks/symbols mean may help you shop better and better understand the products.

The following is just a few samples of commonly found marks/symbols. You may spot more marks/symbols not listed here as you become more used to daily life in Japan.

*Marks/symbols for environmental protection and recycling marks/symbols to promote the protection of the global environment

	Green mark Promoted by the Paper Recycling Promotion Center. Found on products made of recycled paper.
	Eco mark Promoted by the Japan Environment Association acting as the executive office. Designed to encourage consumers to buy environment-friendly products.

*Marks for environmental protection and recycling marks required to be shown on the following items by the Law for the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources

	Steel Shown on steel containers such as drink cans.
	Aluminum Shown on aluminum containers such as drink cans.
	PET products Shown on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles for soft drinks, soy sauce and alcoholic drinks.
	Plastic containers and packages Shown on plastic containers and packages.
	Paper containers and packages Shown on paper containers and packages.

*Marks for quality assurance and product safety

	JIS mark Shown on products that are approved to meet Japanese Industrial Standards. The redesigned mark was introduced on October 1, 2005 along with the implementation of the revised program.
	ST mark Shown on toy products that meet safety standards designated voluntarily by the Japan Toy Association. ST = Safety Toy
	SG mark Shown on products approved for their safety by the Consumer Product Safety Association, an organization under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The program targets products whose structure, materials and/or use could be a hazard to consumers' lives and/or physical safety. SG = Safety Goods
	JAS mark Shown on agricultural and forestry products that are approved to meet the Japanese Agricultural Standards.
ISO9001 The ISO9001 is a global standard designed for quality management and quality assurance. Certified organizations that conform to the International Standards (for process-oriented quality management systems) established by the International Organization for Standardization are entitled to publicize their certification.
ISO14001 The ISO14001 is a global standard designed for minimizing harmful effects on the environment. Certified organizations that conform to the International Standards for the environmental management system established by the International Organization for Standardization are entitled to publicize their certification.

*Others

G mark The G-mark is the logo to which recipients of the Good Design Award are entitled, and which is the only comprehensive program in Japan for selecting and publicizing awards for products with a good design. The G-mark is organized and promoted by the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.

Maternity mark Worn by participating pregnant and parturient women mainly when they use public transport. The program was initiated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare to help create a friendly environment and encourage the community's consideration for pregnant women.