Etiquette & taboos

Understanding local customs is where a journey begins. Find the topics that matter to you and feel at ease wherever you go.

3 rules found

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Germany

Germany: Greet with a handshake and use Herr or Frau with the surname

Do

Greet new people with a firm handshake and eye contact
Say Guten Tag in formal settings; Hallo is fine among friends
Address people as Herr or Frau plus their surname
Switch to first names only when the other person suggests it
In Bavaria you can reply with Grüß Gott; in the north, Moin is common

Don’t

Don't hug or kiss on the cheek at a first meeting
Don't use first names before a relationship has been established

Getting it wrong is rarely a big deal, but being too casual at a first meeting can seem rude. Guten Tag is the safest choice in formal settings.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Fly Homes: How to greet in Germany

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · United Kingdom

UK: Greet with a handshake and follow how people introduce themselves

Do

Greet new people with a firm handshake and eye contact
If someone introduces themselves by first name, use it
With older people or in traditional settings, start with title and surname
Address peers below duke as "Lord" plus their title, and a duke as "Duke"
Use please and thank you freely

Don’t

Don't go in for a cheek kiss with someone you have just met
Don't offer a limp handshake; it can suggest you are holding back
Don't ask new acquaintances intrusive personal questions

Nothing happens if you get it wrong, but a surprise kiss may make people recoil, and being either too stiff or too familiar makes others uneasy.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Commisceo Global: British business etiquette

Local customsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · Japan

Staying at a ryokan: no slippers on tatami, keep to meal times, mind the curfew

Do

Take off even your indoor slippers before stepping onto tatami
Leave luggage at the entrance or the designated spot
Eat dinner and breakfast at the times the inn sets, and call ahead if you will be late
Note the curfew and ask before going out late
Put valuables in the room safe
Ask the inn whether you may go out in the inn's yukata

Don’t

Don't drag a suitcase across the tatami
Don't put personal belongings in the tokonoma alcove
Don't take the inn's yukata, towels or other items home
Don't strip or wash the bedding yourself

Ryokan dinners are served at set times, so arriving late may mean missing the meal; most ryokan have a curfew, and coming back after it may leave you locked out.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Japan Ryokan Association: Staying at a ryokan