Tipping

The concept of omotenashi – wholehearted hospitality offered without expecting anything in return – is often cited as the cultural background. Just as importantly, the wage structure never came to rely on tips, so staff do not need them and employers do not assume them.

A tip can also be awkward because it introduces an unasked-for transaction. Money pressed on someone may be read as condescending, or simply leave the recipient unsure what to do with it. Many restaurant staff will run after a guest to return money they think was forgotten on the table.

Some bills include additions that can look like tips but are not optional and are set by the business. They are shown on the menu or bill.

There is one traditional form of gratuity: kokorozuke, a small sum given as a token of gratitude. It is sometimes offered to the room attendant (nakai) at a high-end ryokan who looks after a guest throughout the stay, or to someone who has gone well beyond the expected. It is never handed over as loose cash but in a small envelope (pochibukuro) or wrapped in paper, and given discreetly, usually at the start of the stay. It is entirely optional, and many Japanese guests never give it.

Private tour guides who work regularly with international visitors sometimes accept tips, as do some businesses aimed at tourists. If in doubt, a gift or a heartfelt thank-you is always appropriate.

A clear arigatō gozaimasu, or gochisōsama deshita on leaving a restaurant, is the normal way to thank staff. Returning to a small restaurant, recommending it, or bringing a small gift from home for a host or guide who has helped over several days are also warmly received.

In places with a tip jar or an explicit sign inviting tips – increasingly seen in venues catering to tourists – leaving something is fine, but it is never expected elsewhere.