Many first-time visitors to Japan may notice an etiquette that Japanese people observe when travelling on an escalator. As with many busy cities around the world, Japan’s subways and shopping centres are full of escalators, and everyone in Japan who rides one automatically heads to one side to stand, leaving the other side clear for people who want to walk. If you don’t follow the etiquette, be prepared for some stern looks from other escalator users.
One of the first questions you may be thinking of now is: what side of the escalator should I stand on? Well, that depends on where you are, because the rule is different when you’re visiting Tokyo compared to Osaka.
In the Kanto region, of which Tokyo is the largest city, people stand on the left. But travel to the western region of Kansai – home to Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara – and everyone stands on the right. The reason for the alternate versions of escalator etiquette has been debated for many years, and many locals seem to have no idea why you swap sides in a different part of the country. It’s just something that you do.
Some of the theories range from the idea that Kanto was once dominated by samurai who preferred to pass strangers on the left to draw their swords easily, while Kansai’s merchants preferred to pass on the right. Others say the practice only dates back to 1970, when Osaka swapped during their World Expo – and the habit stuck.
So if you find yourself in Japan, make sure you pick the correct side of the escalator to stand on. If you can’t remember what side that is, just follow the person in front of you – unless they’re from the other side of Japan and have forgotten the regional etiquette too!
