Why Japan Doesn’t Believe in This Very American Practice

One thing that often surprises many Westerners is that tipping isn't a part of Japanese culture. It might even be a slight understatement to say that it "isn't part of" the culture because in some circumstances, attempting to give a tip can be seen as an affront to the establishment and server. However, there are a few notable situations where tipping is both acceptable and expected in Japanese culture. Let's look at the differences between American and Japanese tipping culture so you understand the situation for your next trip to Japan!

To understand the tipping culture in Japan and how it differs from that of America, we delved into publications from Japanese travel sources aimed at helping foreigners prepare for the intricacies of communication and social interaction in Japan. This helped us understand not only how tipping culture in Japan differs from America, but also why and under what scenarios it applies. We focused on sourcing opinions directly from Japanese people who are more familiar with the culture than a foreign travel guide or service. In this way, we ensured that the culture of Japan was represented in full through a direct line of research from its population’s opinions. That also helped us understand how Japanese people think about the situation in America and whether they would want a tipping culture in Japan.

The American government does not force employers to fully compensate “tipped” employees. Employees considered “tipped” have special standards that must be met. However, if those standards are met, the employer can pay the employee as little as $2.13 per hour depending on the state. Some states have higher minimum wages including for tipped employees, but many states simply use the federal minimum wage guidelines, which mandates just $2.13 per hour for tipped employees. The expectation is that the employee will make enough in tips to compensate for the lack of traditional wages. While, technically, the employee is entitled to making at least the full federal minimum wage, there is no functional guarantee that this will occur.

Federal law states that employees whose final paychecks, after tips, don’t come out to the federal minimum wage must be compensated fairly by their employer. However, there’s little recourse for employees whose tips don’t cover the minimum wage. Lawyers are expensive and an employee who doesn’t even make minimum wage is going to struggle to get legal counsel. Additionally, once an employee forces the employer to compensate them for lost wages, they will almost certainly experience a bogus termination. Even if the termination is quite obviously retaliation for enforcing the law, it can be quite difficult to prove this in court without a paper trail. It can also lead to employees being blackballed from their industries, which could prevent them from getting a new job.

These factors result in tipping being an expectation in American culture. Deregulation lobbyists have successfully gaslit an entire nation into allowing them to underpay employees and off-load the costs of paying fair wages onto the consumer.

Americans tip in a wide variety of situations. However, the primary goal of tipping is to show appreciation for good service. Thus, most tipping occurs within the confines of service industry transactions. In America, it's typical to tip a wide variety of service employees. From servers in restaurants to concierges and even home improvement employees like pest control and appliance installers. Tipping culture is so ubiquitous in American culture that it's not uncommon to even tip non-tipped employees. For instance, most appliance installers and housekeepers are not considered tipped and get paid at least minimum wage. However, Americans maintain an etiquette and standard for how much one should tip them regardless.

It's important, however, to remember that not all companies allow their employees to accept tips, even in America. Many big box stores that sell appliances forbid their appliance installers from accepting tips from customers. Thus, it might be inappropriate or awkward to offer a tip when the employee would be forced to reject it. For employees who aren't typically tipped, most etiquette experts in America recommend that people hoping to give a little extra boost to the employee check the company policy on tips before offering.

How much you tip in America is dependent on the service rendered. For restaurant servers, etiquette experts recommend you tip between 15% and 25% depending on how good the service was. For large groups or orders, a mandatory gratuity might be added to your bill to prevent you from skipping out on tipping on a large order. If a mandatory gratuity was added, you don't have to add anything extra unless you want to. Some service industries, such as home appliance installation, are already quite expensive and a percentage tip that high would be unreasonable. In these cases, a flat tip of $10–$30 per technician is typically acceptable.

There are a few cultural factors that play into lack of a tipping culture in Japan. One reason that tipping never took off in the country is that they believe that excellent service is an expected function for all service employees and shouldn't require an additional reward to receive. Thus, if a tip is given, they may feel put out by the implication that they don't provide excellent service to all patrons regardless of tipping culture.

In addition to believing that service should be rendered with excellence in all circumstances, there is a huge aspect of "saving face" in Japan. Appearances are very important in many Asian cultures, not just Japanese. Thus, servers don't want to feel like a charity case. Attempting to give a tip carries a subtle implication that the giver believes the recipient needs it. In Japan, this implication means that the giver thinks the server is poor or doesn't make enough money. It also implies that the giver believes that the employee's employer is poor since they don't think the server is making enough money. It's an implication that the business is unsuccessful and needs the patrons to make up the difference.

There are two notable exceptions to the "no tipping" rule in Japan. However, it's important to remember that in Japan, acceptability of tipping is the exception and not the rule. The two major industries where tipping is both normal and acceptable are tour guides and traditional ryokans. In a traditional ryokan, the establishment hires personal attendants known as nakay-san. These attendants perform personalized services that go above and beyond normal service standards in Japan. At a traditional ryokan, it's normal to tip your nakay-san up to 1,000 yen for their services.

It is also acceptable to tip certain tour guides, who often work freelance and rely on gratuities as a significant portion of their income. A tip worth 500 to 1,000 yen per person in the group can help make a big difference in a tour guide's day. This is the standard tip amount for a half-day tour in Japan, but how much to tip depends on how long the tour was and the quality of the service.

The key to tipping in Japan is to choose situations where tipping would be acceptable and to be respectful and discreet when giving the money to the employee. Don't make a show of tipping your tour guide or nakay-san. Although it is considered acceptable to tip these people, the Japanese still believe that tipping should be a private affair between the two parties. Present the tip in an envelope with a slight bow of respect to prevent the employee from feeling awkward.

It's also crucial to ensure that the tip isn't excessive. It should be proportional to the service rendered and always a sign of appreciation rather than obligation. Tipping might be necessary in American and some of Europe, but it isn't normal in Japan and certainly isn't an obligation. Employees don't want to feel like you're giving them charity. Instead, they want to feel like their effort is appreciated. There are also alternative options to tipping that can help show your appreciation without making anyone feel bad.

There are some options to show your appreciation to employees in Japan without putting them out or violating the social norms of the country. One is to thank the employee in a heartfelt manner. It might seem like a small thing to do, but in Japan it's often as meaningful as a monetary tip is in America. When delivering the thanks, one should bow politely to show respect and appreciation to the employee as is customary in Japan.

When receiving excellent service, it's also possible to show appreciation by leaving a positive online review. In the digital age, leaving an online review can not only bolster the reputation of a service provider that you encountered, but it can also help future travelers make good decisions about which businesses to patronize.

Finally, adhering to the social norms of Japan and being a considerate guest in a business goes a long way. Foreigners in Japan can sometimes get a bad reputation for expecting the Japanese culture to kowtow to the norms of their home country and not being polite by Japanese standards when visiting. Learn the rules of not only the Japanese culture, but also the specific establishments you plan to patronize and then follow them. It will make the staff more comfortable and thus, they'll feel appreciated.