Redefining Public Transport in Tokyo

• Don't talk on the phone while on the train.
• If you must talk to your neighbor, keep it to a whisper.
• Keep music volume low, even if you're wearing headphones.
• Don't line up in front of the train doors. Stand to the sides to let people exit.
• Stand on the left side of an escalator so that people can walk on the right.
• Don't sit or lean on a staircase.

In a city packed with nine million residents, people in Tokyo rarely have time to themselves. As a result, trains are kept absolutely silent in order to maintain a sense of calm. People are also aware of where they're standing in a public space, and they make sure to keep out of the way. Each one of the rules above has one thing in common in that they're based on consideration for the people around you.

Japan is often called a "collectivist" culture, while America is known as an "individualist" culture. Basically, an individualist culture champions independence, self-expression and individual achievement, while a collectivist culture prioritizes group achievement, harmony within your community and an emphasis on conformity. I don't think that it's fair to simplify a culture by saying that it's 100% individualist or collectivist, but we can definitely think of it as one aspect among many that accounts for our differences! 

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