What you need to know about smoking in Japan
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| Top Sign: No smoking in the elevator |
For the Japanese people their society and the community they have built around their culture is sacred. They take great pride in the fact that the people who live here abide by the rules written and unwritten. It is ingrained within each Japanese person that they are a single part of a whole who is responsible for how the society operates. And for the most part, they have chosen harmony.
When people see tourists, from their perspective, ignoring the rules many feel personally affronted. Even if it is a person or a few people sitting by themselves having a smoke and enjoying their evening. And while most people would pass by saying nothing, all of them would deep down wish those breaking the rules wouldn't
So let's talk about how smoking in Japan, and how to find the proper places to do it.
Before 2020, smoking was everywhere. You could go to most restaurants and they would ask you if you wanted to be seated in a smoking or non-smoking section. Other izakayas (restaurant bars) didn’t have the non-smoking option. People smoked, and it was not a big deal. There were some rules in regards to where a person smoked, but there wasn’t anything official.
Until the partial revision act of the Health Promotion act in 2018. Which added regulations to smoking in public citing health concerns around the inhalation of second-hand smoke. All public areas including restaurants were to adhere to the new regulations by April of 2020. So a big change was afoot.
The law effectively banned indoor smoking with some exceptions provided the regulations and guidelines are followed. Those establishments that wanted to keep indoor smoking had to separate those areas completely, going as far as not allowing those under the age of 20 from entering those smoking rooms even if they were employees.
A portable ashtray will especially be useful when visiting tourist attractions like temples and shrines because these places will not likely have designated smoking areas or outdoor ashtrays. Assuming you find a place to smoke littering at a temple or shrine is asking for trouble.
We talk about the rules of eating and walking here to get a more comprehensive look as to what the cultural concern is around this topic.
So where can you find these places? Here is a small list of where you can expect to find these smoking areas also known as 喫煙所 (kitsuenjo).
Convenience stores - Convenience stores are the backbone of Japanese society due to everything you can do. At most convenience stores there is an outdoor ashtray usually off to the side at the furthest point from the entrance. Depending on the size and location of the store there even might be outdoor trash cans. However, there are some convenience stores that will not allow you to smoke. For example, some stores are located inside hospital campuses, and indoor shopping malls. I think it goes without saying you can’t smoke in these places.
Game Centers, Bowling Alleys, Pachinko and Karaoke Parlors - For each and everyone of these places smoking indoors in the general areas are typically banned. You might find some pachinko parlors that allow smoking. However, due to the size of these places it would be impractical for a smoker to constantly go inside and then outside. These places usually have indoor smoking rooms that are ventilated and may be tinted for privacy.
Finally, as a tourist the moment you get through immigration at the airport, you are a guest of the Japanese government. A guest. Thus, you become part of the Japanese society even for a few short days. We all have a role to play. Let’s do ours.
If you have any questions please leave a comment!
Smoking in Japan
In a survey done in 2019 by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for the Japanese government to understand the health status, nutritional intake, and lifestyle habits of the Japanese population. It was found that an average of 16.7% of both men and women from a pool of 720,000 considered themselves regular smokers. That is 27.1% of the men and 7.6% of women. The average has been trending down, and there have been efforts by the government to continue supporting those in favor of quitting. You can view the survey here for reference. Here are the links to the survey: Japanese version, and the English versionBefore 2020, smoking was everywhere. You could go to most restaurants and they would ask you if you wanted to be seated in a smoking or non-smoking section. Other izakayas (restaurant bars) didn’t have the non-smoking option. People smoked, and it was not a big deal. There were some rules in regards to where a person smoked, but there wasn’t anything official.
Until the partial revision act of the Health Promotion act in 2018. Which added regulations to smoking in public citing health concerns around the inhalation of second-hand smoke. All public areas including restaurants were to adhere to the new regulations by April of 2020. So a big change was afoot.
The law effectively banned indoor smoking with some exceptions provided the regulations and guidelines are followed. Those establishments that wanted to keep indoor smoking had to separate those areas completely, going as far as not allowing those under the age of 20 from entering those smoking rooms even if they were employees.
Smoking terms in Japanese that are good to know:
Tobacco/Cigarette - 煙草 - たばこ- tabako
Smoking/ the act of smoking - 喫煙 -きつえん - kitsuen
No Smoking/Smoking Prohibited - 禁煙 -きんえん - kin'en
Smoking Area/Section - 喫煙所 -きつえんじょ - kitsuenjo
Smoke - 煙 - けむり - kemuri
Ash - 灰 - はい - hai
Ashtray - 灰皿 - はいざら - haizara
Lighter - ライター (raitaa)
Match - マッチ (matchi)
Secondhand Smoke - 受動喫煙 - じゅどうきつえん - judō kitsuen
Smoking Room - 喫煙室 - きつえんしつ - kitsuenshitsu
Portable Ashtray - 携帯灰皿 - けいたいはいざら - keitai haizara
Outdoor Ashtray/Smoking Stand - 灰皿スタンド - はいざらスタンド - haizara sutando
Outdoor Ashtray (2) - スタンド灰皿 - スタンドはいざら - sutando haizara
Smoking in Japan; Best Practices
Let’s go over some ground rules. When it comes to Japan and smoking there are some nuances with the culture that covers smoking. Remember Japan is a collective society which means that they act in a way that does not inconvenience a bystander or a third party. This idea covers everything from being loud, to the way you walk on the street.Rule #1 - Don’t litter.
Do not flick your cigarette butts on the floor or throw them away inappropriately. If there is an ashtray, use it to discard the butts. However if there is not an ashtray available you can use a portable ashtray (携帯灰皿, keitai haizara). They are very common and can be found at 100 yen stores or convenience stores. They are heat resistant, and an easy way to hold onto the cigarette butts and the ash until you can find a trash can. We have a separate post found here that talks about how to handle trash in Japan.A portable ashtray will especially be useful when visiting tourist attractions like temples and shrines because these places will not likely have designated smoking areas or outdoor ashtrays. Assuming you find a place to smoke littering at a temple or shrine is asking for trouble.
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| Portable Ashtrays at a 110 yen store |
Rule #2 - Do not smoke and walk at the same time.
Smoking and walking exposes the people around you to second-hand smoke. It is a big no no in Japan. Do not take this rule for granted because you are outside in the open air. The rule still applies. Even in outdoor public areas people will still give you the look, and on some occasions you might be visited by a security guard or police asking you not to smoke. Caution should also be applied to smoking and walking even if there is no one around you. You, as a tourist, will stick out like a sore thumb. People who are driving or otherwise will take notice.We talk about the rules of eating and walking here to get a more comprehensive look as to what the cultural concern is around this topic.
Where to smoke; Places Smoking Areas Will Be
When you are out in public there are designated areas where people are allowed to smoke. These are typically marked with signs, and there are, a lot of the time, other people smoking in those areas. In addition to signs and people there are other indicators that it is okay to smoke in certain areas. For example you might see a public outdoor ashtray called “スタンド灰皿” (sutando haizara) in Japanese. |
| Outdoor Ashtray at a convenience store |
So where can you find these places? Here is a small list of where you can expect to find these smoking areas also known as 喫煙所 (kitsuenjo).
Convenience stores - Convenience stores are the backbone of Japanese society due to everything you can do. At most convenience stores there is an outdoor ashtray usually off to the side at the furthest point from the entrance. Depending on the size and location of the store there even might be outdoor trash cans. However, there are some convenience stores that will not allow you to smoke. For example, some stores are located inside hospital campuses, and indoor shopping malls. I think it goes without saying you can’t smoke in these places.
Game Centers, Bowling Alleys, Pachinko and Karaoke Parlors - For each and everyone of these places smoking indoors in the general areas are typically banned. You might find some pachinko parlors that allow smoking. However, due to the size of these places it would be impractical for a smoker to constantly go inside and then outside. These places usually have indoor smoking rooms that are ventilated and may be tinted for privacy.
A quick side note on pachinko parlors; smoking may be banned in some establishments. Many people play these slot style machines against the wishes of their significant others, and many often go to far away parlors as to not be seen by people from their neighborhoods. One of the easiest ways for a person to get caught is by the cigarette smell. Hence there might be a strict ban on smoking inside pachinko parlors.
Stadiums and Concert Venues - First it is reasonable to assume that indoor concert venues will have private smoking rooms. However for the open air concerts like ULTRA or Rock Fes, there will be designated smoking areas. These areas are clearly marked, and often sponsored by a tobacco company. They are easy to spot.
Train Stations and Airports - Smoking is not allowed on any of the platforms indoors or outdoors. Smoking is also not allowed on the trains themselves. However, around each train station you can find smoking areas indoor or outdoor depending on the size of the train station. It might seem counterintuitive, in some areas there will be a place to smoking outside the establishment, but inside a room.
Stadiums and Concert Venues - First it is reasonable to assume that indoor concert venues will have private smoking rooms. However for the open air concerts like ULTRA or Rock Fes, there will be designated smoking areas. These areas are clearly marked, and often sponsored by a tobacco company. They are easy to spot.
Train Stations and Airports - Smoking is not allowed on any of the platforms indoors or outdoors. Smoking is also not allowed on the trains themselves. However, around each train station you can find smoking areas indoor or outdoor depending on the size of the train station. It might seem counterintuitive, in some areas there will be a place to smoking outside the establishment, but inside a room.
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| An outdoor indoor smoking room |
In addition, some train stations in the more rural parts of Japan have banned smoking in or even around the stations. There will be no area to smoke. In areas like this it would be best to exercise caution and observe your surroundings. Essentially if you keep a respectful distance from the station, and you have a means to dispose of the cigarette butt like a portable ashtray then you can smoke. However, when in doubt ask!
Final Thoughts
So, you are in Japan and enjoying the sights. You have finally witnessed Japanese culture first hand and have found yourself impressed with how harmonious the country and the people are. However, every once in a while you might see someone break the rules. In our case you might see them smoking and walking at the same time, for example, or smoking where they are not supposed to. Just remember, seeing someone break the rules is not an invitation for you to do the same.Finally, as a tourist the moment you get through immigration at the airport, you are a guest of the Japanese government. A guest. Thus, you become part of the Japanese society even for a few short days. We all have a role to play. Let’s do ours.
If you have any questions please leave a comment!
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