In about 2 and a half months I'm moving to Hirakata my wife got a job as a professor at Kansai Gaidai. The only time we have "been" to Japan is a 3 hour layover in the Tokyo airport… So we really have never visited.
I'm worried about about offending people (I fully anticipate that I'm going to on accident but I want to keep that to a minimum)
Neither of us speak the language (I've been doing Duolingo just to get a feel but we will have language classes when we move so I know that is going to be a sign of disrespect when I can't communicate but we will be working on that)
So what are some unwritten rules and customs I should be aware of?
I've heard of one. Where you give a small gift to people that help you, so like when you're getting your residency card or or things like that you give a small gift of candy or something like that to the person that helped you. I have also read avoid the number 4 and 9.
Is that a real thing? And what else should I do and not do.
by retna246