Japanese manga icons like Sailor Moon teach train etiquette to foreign tourists

A Japanese railway company has launched an etiquette campaign aimed at foreign tourists that taps into one of the nation’s most globally recognisable cultural icons – manga characters – in response to increasing annoyance regarding the behaviour of some international visitors on trains.

In April, Central Japan Railway Company, in collaboration with publisher Kodansha, began displaying posters of characters from 17 popular manga series at stations along the Tokaido shinkansen line between Tokyo and Osaka.

Each of the Manga Manners posters – featuring the stars of comic books including Sailor Moon, Fairy Tail, and Attack on Titan – is accompanied by a message asking foreign visitors to follow the rules for a safer and more enjoyable stay in Japan.

For example, the poster featuring Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon instructs women renting kimonos for sightseeing in Kyoto “wear kimono and yukata [summer kimono] correctly by crossing the left side over the right”.

A poster from the Manga Manners campaign featuring a character from the comic book “Pretty Guardian Sailor”. Photo: Central Japan Railway Company

While Cardcaptor Sakura declared, “a bow at a 45-degree angle is customary to show gratitude”, Blue Lock advised travellers, “be mindful of others and keep conversations quiet on the train”.

“We wanted to use manga characters that are popular overseas to make travelling in Japan more comfortable and enjoyable for customers from overseas,” railway spokesman Yusuke Sasaki said.