Nowadays it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t possess some sort of communication means such as a smartphone or a mobile phone, right? No matter whether you are a worker or not, there seem to be no life without a phone. Also considered the fact that having a smartphone can be very useful.

Useful for phone calls and emails, web search, shopping payments, watching videos and listening to the music, using social networking sites etc. There is a famous question that says: “If you were making a living on a desert island, what would you like to bring there?” In the past, many would answer back with “a knife”, “lighters or matches”, “good shoes” etc. In recent times, there are people who answer “a smartphone”, without blinking an eye. You might think: “So what?!”.
※Oh, this is a famous question in Japan!? It could always be a topic to talk about.

Regardless of whether live in Japan or abroad, if you just think how mobiles are integrated into our societies, you understand that there are various ways you can make use of a mobile. As a matter of fact, since it has become a part of our daily life, also the ways of thinking surrounding it are multiple. That’s why it’s quite difficult to talk about it. The same in Japan, a country with a lot of problems. One of them being “smartphone-dependence”. What we would like to introduce here, is something that is often called attention upon in Japan. This might also include things that will turn your nose up! We believe that manners with regard to the use of mobile devices such as smartphones and mobile phones are not yet well-grounded in Japan. One of the problems being that there is no balance when it comes to the frequency of use of mobile devices in daily life. Let’s take the above into consideration and crack on.

Walking-smartphone

If you walk around the city while looking down on the screen of your smartphone, you might be troubled, as you might hit not only things on your way but also people. Several accidents of people falling down from the train platform at the station have happened due to “aruki-sumaho” (walking with the phone). It’s the same degree of danger of using your phone whilst driving.

Call restrictions

Making phone-calls in certain buildings or on public transport, such as trains, is prohibited. There are a lot of warnings to remind this to people.

Photos / Video recording prohibited

Shooting / recording in specific buildings, areas, or public transportation such as trains is often prohibited. Camera photography at temples and shrines, museums, etc. has always been prohibited. Recently, the number of people who take photos and videos for personal use on social networks has increased. However, this if often perceived as an unpleasant act from others. Also pay attention because shooting is also prohibited in many restaurants. Recently, restrictions on video and photo taking have increased, as dangerous acts such as illegal irruption into private land and unauthorized shooting have become a problem of major concern. Have you heard of the word “tourism-pollution”? It is not limited to the use of mobiles we are talking about here. It includes leaving rubbish around the place, breaking and damaging things… Please pay attention!