Dancing Was Illegal After Midnight Until 2015
Japan's Fueiho (Entertainment Business Law), originally passed in 1948 and last significantly updated in 1985, prohibited dancing in entertainment venues after midnight without special licenses. The law was used to periodically close music clubs and dance venues. It applied specifically to dancing, not to music — an establishment could play music past midnight but not permit dancing to it. The law was amended in 2015, partly in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Club owners describe the pre-2015 period as requiring constant negotiation with local police.
Your Medication May Be Illegal
Japan has some of the strictest pharmaceutical import regulations of any country. Many medications that are over-the-counter in the United States or Europe are controlled substances in Japan. Pseudoephedrine (found in many cold medications including Sudafed) is a controlled substance. Several ADHD medications including Adderall are completely prohibited regardless of a valid prescription. Codeine-containing products have restrictions. Travelers have been detained at Japanese airports for medication found in luggage. The Japanese government provides a pre-travel medication assessment service that travelers are strongly advised to use.
You Are Required to Carry Your Passport at All Times
Japanese law technically requires all foreign nationals to carry their passport on their person at all times. In practice, this law is not frequently enforced against tourists in ordinary circumstances — but it does apply, and there are documented cases of foreign residents and tourists being asked to produce identification they did not have. Most travelers carry a passport copy and leave the original in hotel safes, which is technically non-compliant but practically common.
Tattoos Can Prevent Access to Public Spaces
Japan has no law prohibiting tattoos, and tattooing is legal. However, many Japanese onsen (hot springs), public baths, gyms, and swimming pools prohibit entry to people with visible tattoos — a policy reflecting the historical association of tattoos with organized crime (yakuza) in Japan. This is a private policy rather than a law, but it is widely and consistently enforced. Tattoo-friendly onsen exist but are a minority. Covering tattoos with waterproof tape or bandages is a commonly recommended workaround that is sometimes accepted.
Tipping Is Considered Rude
This is not a law, but its practical importance exceeds many actual laws: tipping is genuinely considered offensive in Japan. In restaurants, taxis, hotels, and most service contexts, leaving a tip is at best confusing and at worst insulting — it implies the person cannot survive on their salary and requires charity. Attempting to tip at a Japanese restaurant may result in staff running after you to return the money. Do not tip. Say thank you. This is the correct transaction.
Drug Laws Are Extremely Strict
Japan's drug enforcement is among the most serious in the developed world. Cannabis, cocaine, MDMA, methamphetamine, and many other substances carry prison sentences regardless of personal use or quantity. Foreign nationality does not provide exemption. Several foreign athletes, musicians, and tourists have been arrested and imprisoned for drug possession in Japan. Japanese customs inspection is thorough. The cultural and social context for drug use in Japan is fundamentally different from most Western countries — public tolerance for drug use is essentially zero.
Jaywalking Is Technically Illegal
Japanese law prohibits crossing roads at non-designated crossing points — jaywalking is illegal. In practice, enforcement varies considerably by location, and in many contexts Japanese pedestrians do cross mid-block without incident. In areas with active police presence or following any kind of incident, however, enforcement can be swift. The broader pattern is that Japan's legal expectations around public behavior are high and consistently enforced in ways that differ from many countries where such laws exist on paper but are effectively ignored.