Japanese Life Rules That Might Seem Foreign To Visitors

The Person Nearest The Elevator Door Pushes The Buttons

In the West, it can be hard to figure out who pushes the buttons for a floor in an elevator. But in Japanese society, it's always going to be the person closest to the door. You may just calmly tell them what floor you want to go to, and they'll hit the button for you. Tourists who don't know about the tradition might think this is strange or even rude at first, but it's very typical.

It also makes it easier to know whether or not you should touch the buttons while you're in an elevator. Also, the person who presses the buttons is the last one to get off when they reach their floor.