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Living and working in Japan means adjusting not only to a new workplace and culture, but also to everyday rules that may be different from what you're used to in the Philippines.

Two things that can easily cause confusion are smoking and drinking alcohol.

Japan has a strong drinking culture, and smoking is still common in some places. But that doesn't mean “puwede kahit saan.” There are important rules about where you can smoke, how old you must be, and what you absolutely must not do after drinking.

1. The Legal Age for Smoking and Drinking Is 20

One of the most important things to remember is :

• Smoking: 20 years old and above

• Drinking alcohol: 20 years old and above

Japan lowered the general age of adulthood from 20 to 18 in 2022, but the minimum age for smoking and drinking remained 20.

So even if someone is legally considered an adult at 18 :

Hindi pa rin siya puwedeng uminom o manigarilyo until age 20.

Japan continues to enforce laws prohibiting smoking and drinking by people under 20.

Smoking in Japan

2. You Can't Just Smoke Anywhere

If you're a smoker, one of the first habits you need to learn in Japan is :

Look for the designated smoking area.

You may see signs such as :

喫煙所（Kitsuensho）

Smoking area

Smoking rules differ depending on the municipality and facility, but smoking while walking or smoking outside designated areas may be prohibited and can result in penalties in some locations.

So don't assume that because you're outdoors, smoking is automatically allowed.

3. Avoid Smoking While Walking

歩きたばこ（Aruki-tabako） means smoking while walking.

This is restricted in many areas, particularly around busy stations and commercial districts.

Why?

Imagine walking through a crowded station area while holding a lit cigarette at hand level. It can :

• Burn another person

• Injure a child

• Create secondhand smoke

• Cause litter

• Become a fire hazard

The safest rule is simple :

If you want to smoke, find a designated smoking area first.

4. Look for a Designated Smoking Area

Designated smoking areas can sometimes be found near :

• Train stations

• Office buildings

• Shopping centers

• Restaurants

• Commercial districts

Look for :

喫煙所（Kitsuensho）

or a cigarette symbol.

Don't assume a random corner beside a building is okay just because you see cigarette butts there.

Other people breaking the rule doesn't make it a smoking area.

5. Indoor Smoking Is Generally Restricted

Japan strengthened its rules against unwanted secondhand smoke, with the revised Health Promotion Act fully implemented in April 2020.

As a general rule, many facilities used by the public are non-smoking indoors, although certain legally compliant smoking rooms and exceptions exist.

You may see :

禁煙（Kin'en） – No smoking

or

喫煙室（Kitsuenshitsu） – Smoking room

Always check the signs.

6. Restaurants and Izakaya May Have Different Rules

Don't automatically assume you can smoke inside an izakaya just because people are drinking.

Under Japan's secondhand-smoke rules, indoor smoking is generally prohibited in many establishments, with specific exceptions and designated smoking-room arrangements.

Before lighting a cigarette, check the signs or ask :

ここでタバコを吸ってもいいですか？

Koko de tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka?

“Can I smoke here?”

When in doubt, ask first.

7. People Under 20 Cannot Enter Smoking Areas

This is important for OFW parents.

Under Japan's secondhand-smoke rules, people under 20 cannot enter designated smoking areas, even if they aren't going there to smoke.

This also applies to employees under 20 working at a facility.

So don't bring your child into a smoking room while you have a cigarette.

8. Don't Throw Cigarette Butts on the Ground

Never leave cigarette butts on :

• Sidewalks

• Streets

• Parks

• Station areas

• Building entrances

Use the appropriate ashtray or disposal point.

In natural areas, cigarette butts and ashes can also create a fire risk. Japan's National Parks guidance specifically tells visitors not to smoke outside designated areas and to take cigarette butts with them.

Drinking Alcohol in Japan

9. Drinking Is Common in Japanese Social Culture

Alcohol can be part of social life in Japan, especially during :

• 飲み会（Nomikai） – Drinking party

• 忘年会（Bōnenkai） – Year-end party

• 新年会（Shinnenkai） – New Year party

• 歓迎会（Kangeikai） – Welcome party

• 送別会（Sōbetsukai） – Farewell party

You may be invited to drink with coworkers after work.

But remember :

You don't have to drink just because everyone else is drinking.

It's perfectly reasonable to order a non-alcoholic drink.

10. How to Politely Say You Don't Drink

If your coworkers offer you alcohol and you don't want any, you can say :

お酒は飲みません。

Osake wa nomimasen.

“I don't drink alcohol.”

Or :

今日は飲みません。

Kyō wa nomimasen.

“I'm not drinking today.”

You can also simply order :

ノンアルコール

Non-arukōru

Non-alcoholic

You don't need to force yourself just to fit in.

11. Is Drinking in Public Illegal?

Unlike smoking, drinking alcohol outdoors is not generally prohibited nationwide in Japan. JNTO notes that outdoor drinking itself is generally legal and is commonly seen during activities such as cherry-blossom viewing.

However, that doesn't mean anything goes.

Individual parks, events, buildings, municipalities, or other locations can have their own restrictions.

Always check posted rules.

And regardless of legality, avoid :

• Being excessively loud

• Leaving bottles or cans behind

• Blocking sidewalks

• Disturbing residents

• Fighting

• Damaging property

Being allowed to drink somewhere doesn't give anyone permission to disturb everyone else.

12. Drinking and Driving Is a Serious Offense

This is the rule you should never gamble with :

If you drink, don't drive.

Japan has strict penalties for drunk driving.

Depending on the offense, consequences can include :

• Imprisonment

• Heavy fines

• Driver's-license suspension

• Driver's-license cancellation

The National Police Agency also warns that people who provide a vehicle, provide alcohol to someone they know will drive, or ride with a drunk driver may face punishment depending on the circumstances.

So :

“One beer lang naman.”

is not a safe reason to drive.

If you're driving, don't drink.

13. Don't Ride Your Bicycle After Drinking Either

This catches some foreigners by surprise.

A bicycle is treated as a vehicle under Japanese traffic law.

The National Police Agency clearly states :

Cycling after drinking alcohol is prohibited.

So after drinking at an izakaya :

❌ Don't drive your car.

❌ Don't ride your motorcycle.

❌ Don't ride your bicycle.

Walk, take public transportation, take a taxi, or arrange another safe way home.

14. Don't Pressure Someone Else to Drink

During a nomikai, respect other people's choices.

Someone may avoid alcohol because they :

• Need to drive

• Take medication

• Have work early

• Don't like alcohol

• Have personal reasons

• Simply don't want to drink

You don't need to know why.

A simple :

“Okay!”

is enough.

15. Be Careful About the Last Train

Here's a very Japanese drinking problem :

終電（Shūden） – Last train

If you're drinking after work, check when your last train leaves.

Missing it can mean :

• Paying for a taxi

• Waiting until morning

• Finding somewhere to stay

Before going to a nomikai, check your route home.

Future-you at 12:30 a.m. will appreciate the planning.

16. Don't Become a Problem for Other Passengers

After drinking, remember that trains are shared public spaces.

Avoid :

• Shouting

• Playing loud music

• Lying across seats

• Blocking doors

• Leaving garbage

• Making other passengers uncomfortable

Japanese commuter trains tend to be relatively quiet.

Enjoy your evening—but don't make the entire train part of your party.

17. Drinking Doesn't Excuse Bad Behavior

Being intoxicated doesn't make inappropriate behavior acceptable.

Avoid :

• Fighting

• Harassment

• Damaging property

• Entering restricted/private areas

• Disturbing neighbors

• Aggressive behavior

If you've had enough alcohol, stop drinking and go home safely.

18. Be Considerate at Home Too

If you live in an apartment, remember Japan's sensitivity to neighborhood noise.

Having drinks with friends at home is one thing.

Having a karaoke-level party at 1:00 a.m. in a thin-walled apartment is another.

Keep :

• Music low

• Conversations reasonable

• Balcony noise down

• Hallways quiet

Your neighbors may have work the next morning.

19. Smoking Rules Can Differ by City

Don't memorize one city's rule and assume it applies everywhere.

Municipalities can impose additional rules beyond the national secondhand-smoke framework. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare specifically notes that local governments may establish their own ordinances.

For example, some busy districts prohibit street smoking outside designated smoking areas.

When visiting somewhere new :

Check the signs.

Useful Japanese Words

たばこ（Tabako） – Cigarette / tobacco

喫煙（Kitsuen） – Smoking

喫煙所（Kitsuensho） – Smoking area

喫煙室（Kitsuenshitsu） – Smoking room

禁煙（Kin'en） – No smoking

歩きたばこ（Aruki-tabako） – Smoking while walking

お酒（Osake） – Alcohol

飲酒（Inshu） – Drinking alcohol

飲み会（Nomikai） – Drinking party

飲酒運転（Inshu unten） – Drunk driving

ノンアルコール（Non-arukōru） – Non-alcoholic

終電（Shūden） – Last train

Smoking & Drinking Checklist for OFWs

If You Smoke :

• You must be 20 or older.

• Look for designated smoking areas.

• Don't assume outdoor smoking is always allowed.

• Avoid smoking while walking.

• Follow restaurant and building signs.

• Don't bring anyone under 20 into a smoking area.

• Dispose of cigarette butts properly.

• Check local rules when visiting another city.

If You Drink :

• You must be 20 or older.

• Drink responsibly.

• Don't pressure other people to drink.

• Check your last train.

• Don't disturb other passengers or neighbors.

• Never drink and drive.

• Don't ride a bicycle after drinking.

• Follow local rules for parks, events, and public spaces.

Tips for Filipinos in Japan

For OFWs, the easiest way to avoid problems is to remember two simple rules :

Smoking :

Don't light up until you're sure you're in an allowed smoking area.

Drinking :

If you've had alcohol, don't operate a vehicle—including a bicycle.

You can enjoy a nomikai with coworkers, have a beer during hanami, or smoke if you're legally allowed to do so. The important thing is knowing where it's allowed, respecting the people around you, and understanding the consequences of breaking the rules.

Smoking and drinking are both present in everyday Japanese society, but Japan also has clear rules designed to protect public safety and reduce unwanted secondhand smoke.

For OFWs, don't rely only on what you see other people doing.

Check the signs, follow local rules, respect other people, and when alcohol is involved, never drive or cycle afterward.

Knowing these small but important rules can help you avoid fines, accidents, workplace problems, and unnecessary trouble while living in Japan.

Sa PhilMoney, nais naming suportahan ang mga OFW sa Japan hindi lamang sa remittance, kundi pati na rin sa pagbibigay ng practical guides tungkol sa Japanese rules, culture, etiquette, safety, at everyday life para mas maging informed, prepared, at confident habang naninirahan sa Japan.

Note : This article is intended for general information only. Regulations and procedures in Japan and the Philippines may change. Please verify the latest information with the appropriate government agency or official institution before taking action.