Japanese social etiquette

: Why Do Japanese Restaurants Feel So Quiet?

Why do Japanese restaurants often feel surprisingly quiet, even when they are full of people? Japanese dining culture tends to prioritize a calm, shared atmosphere rather than filling the space with constant conversation or background noise. In many restaurants, customers naturally adjust their behavior to avoid disturbing those around them — creating an environment that can feel unusually hushed to visitors from louder dining cultures. This is not because people are not enjoying themselves. In many cases, they are simply enjoying themselves considerately. The atmosphere reflects a broader Japanese social value in which comfort is created collectively — ...