Is it okay to Blow Your Nose on a Train in Japan?

Do you blow your nose when you have a cold? Is it considered acceptable to blow your nose in public in your country?

I had a cold last week and had to keep blowing my nose. Whenever I was in a café or at a train station, I tried to do it as quietly as possible.

That reminded me of a conversation I once had with one of my students.

She had noticed that when she blew her nose on a train in Japan, several people around her looked at her. She wondered whether blowing your nose on a train was considered inappropriate in Japan.

I explained that there isn’t necessarily a rule against it, but many Japanese people try to avoid blowing their nose on the train or in other enclosed public spaces. They may go to the bathroom or somewhere more private instead.

She was surprised. In her country, she explained, it was completely normal to blow your nose when necessary. She  also said it was considered healthier to blow your nose than to keep sniffing.

I could understand her point. Personally, I’d rather blow my nose than keep sniffing, too.

However, in Japan, sniffing is generally considered more acceptable in public than blowing your nose.

It’s really a matter of etiquette.

I personally wouldn’t mind if someone blew their nose quietly in front of me on the train, but it can be useful for visitors to know that some people in Japan may consider it impolite.

When you visit another country and stay there for a while, you may encounter behaviors or customs that you have never seen in your own country. Sometimes they can be a pleasant surprise, and sometimes they may leave you puzzled.

What feels completely normal in one country may feel uncomfortable or impolite in another—not because either side is right or wrong, but simply because we have learned different social norms.

If you are looking for personalized Japanese lessons tailored to your own goals, learning style, and pace, I’d be happy to help.

Schedule a trial session here.