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This guide explains how tipping is viewed in Tokyo, clarifying cultural norms so travelers can navigate service situations with confidence and respect.
November 22, 2025
5 mins read
If you're visiting Tokyo from a country where tipping is normal, the hardest part is psychological: you'll often receive excellent service and still be expected to pay exactly what's on the bill, nothing extra. In most everyday situations, tipping isn't just unnecessary—it can create confusion, a refusal loop, or a staff member chasing you down the sidewalk to return what they think you forgot.
This guide is built for decision support: how to pay, what charges are not tips, where the rare exceptions live, and how to show appreciation without turning the moment awkward.
The Default Rule in Tokyo
Tipping is not common in Tokyo for bars, cafes, restaurants, taxis, and hotels.
That default holds for:
Restaurants and cafés
Bars and izakaya
Taxis
Hotels
Everyday services (shops, transit, museums)
Your baseline behavior in Tokyo:
Pay what's printed (menu, meter, bill, terminal)
Take your change if you pay cash
Say thank you well and move on
Why Tokyo Is "Tip-Free" in Practice
Tokyo service culture treats good service as part of the job and part of the price, not something that needs a post-transaction reward. When extra money appears unexpectedly, staff may interpret it as a mistake rather than gratitude.
In a tip-based system, leaving money communicates approval. In Tokyo, leaving money can communicate confusion: "Did they misunderstand the bill? Did they forget their change?"
That's why well-meaning tipping attempts often lead to polite refusal—sometimes persistent refusal. The refusal isn't personal. It's procedural. Service workers in Tokyo are trained to handle payment precisely, and deviations from the expected flow create friction.
"Extra Charges" You'll See in Tokyo That Are Not Tips
Before you decide whether to add money, make sure you're not reacting to a charge that already plays the service role in Tokyo's pricing system.
Charge Type | Where You'll See It | What It Is | Is It a Tip? |
|---|---|---|---|
Service Charge (サービス料) | Higher-end restaurants and hotels in Ginza, upscale Roppongi venues | Automatic percentage added to bill, usually noted in reservation or menu | No - part of cost structure |
Otoshi (お通し) | Izakaya in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Nakameguro, Kichijoji | Small appetizer served automatically, 300-700 yen per person | No - table/seating charge |
Cover/Music/Table Charge | Bars in Roppongi, Shinjuku's Golden Gai | Entry or seating fee | No - pricing model |
If you're budgeting for Tokyo, factor service charges into restaurant costs rather than thinking of them as discretionary.
The otoshi charge is tied to how izakaya price seating. The small dish arrives when you sit down or with your first drink, acting as both an order confirmation and a way to cover costs for customers who nurse drinks for hours. Don't tip to compensate or protest—if you're uncomfortable with the system, choose a different venue next time.
If reading itemized bills or asking about charges feels like another barrier, having someone navigate these moments for you removes the entire layer of uncertainty.
Restaurants and Cafés
Pay the bill as presented. If paying cash, use the small payment tray when offered. If staff returns change, take it.
Don't leave coins or bills on the table "for the staff." Don't insist if someone refuses.
At upscale venues—whether a Ginza kaiseki restaurant or an Omotesando café with a formal service model—you may see an automatic service charge. That's your clue the venue has already priced service into the experience.
If a Card Terminal Asks You for a Tip
This is still uncommon in Tokyo, but it can appear in tourist-heavy contexts or with certain payment platforms.
Decision rule:
If you're at a normal Tokyo restaurant/café and the terminal shows a "tip" screen: choose 0 or skip unless staff clearly instruct otherwise
If it's a clearly foreign-owned venue catering to visitors and it explicitly requests tips: treat it like an opt-in donation, not a cultural obligation
If you're uncertain what the terminal is asking or can't read the options, this is where language barriers in service situations compound payment anxiety.
Izakaya, Bars, and Nightlife
This is where "I didn't order this but it appeared" causes the most anxiety.
You sit down at an izakaya in Shibuya or a standing bar in Kichijoji, order a drink, receive a small dish, and later see a per-person charge. It's best understood as a seating/table model, not a judgment of you or an attempt to extract a tip.
Pay it without drama if you stay. If you prefer places without this system, choose venues that advertise no cover/seating charge, or stick to standing bars, casual chain izakaya, or places where the fee is clearly posted.
Don't offset it by tipping less (you weren't tipping anyway). Don't try to leave a tip to "make up for" being a tourist.
Standing bars often skip otoshi altogether. Seated izakaya in neighborhoods like Nakameguro or Shinjuku are more likely to have the charge. If avoiding otoshi matters to you, ask before sitting.
If navigating izakaya culture—ordering, understanding charges, and reading the room—feels like too many variables at once, guided nightlife experiences remove the guesswork and let you focus on the food and atmosphere.
Taxis in Tokyo
For standard taxi rides, the norm is straightforward: no tip, pay the meter.
If you pay cash and the driver returns change, take it. If you try to refuse your change, you may be politely corrected—the driver may assume you forgot.
If you really want to express appreciation for exceptional help, a safer pattern than forcing money:
Sincere thanks
A calm goodbye
No extra cash exchange that puts the driver in an awkward position
Hotels and Ryokan in Tokyo
In most Tokyo hotels—business hotels in Shinjuku, luxury properties in Roppongi, or international chains—tipping bell staff or housekeeping is not standard, and staff may refuse. Hotels are explicitly included in the no-tipping norm.
Some travelers hear that ryokan are different. What's true is more nuanced: there's a historical custom of kokorozuke (a heartfelt gratuity) in limited contexts. But it's not an everyday traveler expectation, and it's typically discreet and wrapped, not casual cash left out.
If you're staying somewhere that feels traditional and service-intensive (multi-course meals, dedicated attendants), follow the property's guidance. Don't improvise a Western tipping routine.
Beauty Services: Salons, Massage, Spa
In Tokyo, the mainstream expectation is still no tipping for personal services—whether you're at a hotel spa in Shibuya or a neighborhood salon. If a venue wants an added fee, it will usually price it in or present an explicit option.
If you see a tip line on a booking flow or terminal:
Treat it as optional
Don't assume it's required to be polite
Shopping, Convenience Stores, and Everyday Transactions
No tipping in:
Convenience stores (7-Eleven, Family Mart, Lawson)
Department stores (Tokyu Hands, Isetan)
Supermarkets
Museums and ticket counters
Trains/subways
Coin lockers
If staff at Tokyu Hands helps you carry a bag, walks you to an aisle, or carefully wraps your purchase: that's normal Tokyo retail service, not a cue for gratuity.
If you decide to offer a gratuity, put it in an envelope. Small cash envelopes are easy to find at convenience stores (Family Mart, Lawson, 7-Eleven), 100-yen shops (Daiso, Seria, Can Do), and stationery shops.
A practical, low-drama method: use a small envelope, keep the amount modest and simple, offer discreetly (not in front of a crowd), accept "no" immediately if they refuse.
Don't hand loose bills directly. Don't leave money on the table. Don't insist after a refusal.
This isn't about being "more Japanese than Japanese." It's about not turning gratitude into a public negotiation.
You may occasionally see a small tip box near the register, a QR code prompt, or a payment screen with preset tip percentages. These are still not the Tokyo baseline—they're an emerging phenomenon in tourist-heavy areas, and there's debate locally about whether they dilute service culture.
If the venue clearly asks (box, sign, terminal prompt) and you're comfortable, you can participate as a voluntary extra. If it's not clearly asked, default to no tip. If you feel pressured, that's your signal to opt out and choose a different venue next time.
