Talking on trains While you may be accustomed to chatting with your traveling companions while using public transportation, this is not the norm in Japan. Loud chatter or other disturbance is considered rude. You may notice that most Japanese train passengers stand or sit in silence.

In 2026, the "unspoken rule" of Japanese train etiquette remains: silence is the gold standard. While it is not strictly prohibited to speak in a low whisper to a seatmate, talking on a mobile phone is considered extremely rude and socially unacceptable. Passengers are expected to set their phones to "Manner Mode" (silent) and refrain from making or receiving calls. If you must talk, the volume should be so low that the person in the seat next to you can barely hear you. On local commuter trains, the silence is often absolute, as many passengers are sleeping or commuting in quiet reflection. On the Shinkansen (bullet train), the rules are slightly more relaxed, and talking quietly is common, but loud laughter or shouting is still frowned upon. If you receive an urgent call on a Shinkansen, it is proper etiquette to move to the "vestibule" area between the train cars to conduct your conversation.