Don’t Wear This In Japan: Inappropriate Clothing
Last Updated on April 17, 2025 by Kay
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I’ve lived in Japan for almost two decades now (I feel old) and have seen fashion trends come and go. However, when it comes to modesty, Japan has remained rather steadfast, especially in comparison with other countries.
So if you’re wondering what clothes you should avoid wearing in Japan, I’ve got you covered. By refraining from wearing these types of clothes, you’ll stay in the good graces of locals and not stick out like a sore thumb and possibly offend someone.
Table of Contents
What Not To Wear in Japan for Women
Just Leggings
I know, I know, these are very comfortable and great for traveling. However, they’re tight and form-fitting, which is a big no-no in Japan (especially if we can see underwear lines!).
People in Japan only wear leggings if they’re wearing something over top of it, like a skirt or shorts.
Pajama Pants or Sweats
PJ pants and sweatpants are another clothing item that fit under the “comfortable but not appropriate for Japan” category.
People living in Japan might wear these to pick something up quickly from the convenience store but that’s it. It looks lazy and, quite frankly, embarrassing because these are things you wear at home, not in public.
Short Skirts Without Shorts
Throughout the years, short skirts have come and gone (and come back again) in Japan. I think they’re perfectly fine to wear as long as you have some shorts underneath.
This is not only a modesty issue — some men in Japan are known to take underskirt photos and videos of women on escalators and sometimes on the train.
Tops Revealing Cleavage
Cleavage-revealing dresses and tops are not a thing in Japan. In fact, women wear shirts underneath low-cut tops and dresses.
If you have a low-cut outfit, please wear something on top because showing your cleavage in Japan isn’t great.
Tops Revealing Bra Straps
About a decade ago, wearing a tank top in Japan that revealed your shoulders was a big faux pas. Now it’s more acceptable but it’s still not okay for your bra straps to show. This means you need to choose a strapless bra.
This goes for any other part of the bra as well, such as the back.
Don’t show your bra in Japan, ladies.
I also recommend wearing a cardigan or jacket if possible to cover your shoulders. Although it is becoming more acceptable than in the past to show your shoulders, I usually only see young girls in their early twenties doing this, and it’s still relatively uncommon.
Short-Shorts
Women in Japan don’t wear very short shorts, especially if it’s tight and very close to showing off your buttcheeks.
If you want to wear shorts, I highly recommend wearing stockings or leggings underneath. (And yes, this might suck in summer when it’s super hot, so I recommend going to Uniqlo and buying some AIRISM tights/leggings. They are awesome.)
Tight-Fitting Clothing
In Japan, women tend to wear loose, flowy clothing. They very rarely wear anything form-fitting, especially not something like a tight mini dress. Basically, if it looks like it’s something you can wear to the bar or club, it’s absolutely not something you should wear in Japan.
What Not To Wear in Japan for Men
Low Rise Pants Revealing Underwear
I’m honestly not sure if this is still in style in other countries, but wearing low-rise pants that reveal your underwear in any shape or form is a huge no-no in Japan. If you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, make sure your pants cover your undies.
Sleeveless Shirts
Men in Japan typically don’t wear sleeveless shirts on their own, especially not white ones, because it looks like an undershirt. Instead, they’ll pair it with a jacket.
Completely Shirtless
Japan can be very hot, especially in summer, but please don’t go shirtless unless you’re on a beach.
What Not To Wear in Japan for Kids
With kids, there aren’t nearly as many rules as there are for adults. Honestly, kids are free to wear whatever they want! I’ve even seen kids with short tops that reveal their belly and short skirts.
As a mom of a kindergartener in Japan, I make sure my daughter wears shorts under her skirts and dresses. I also stay away from leggings unless she has a skirt on top.
Other than that, she wears plenty of kids’ clothes from both Japan and Canada (Carters, The Children’s Place, etc).
Also, although Japan is less strict when it comes to what kids wear, if you don’t want your kiddos to stick out, don’t have them wear pajamas. My daughter and her friend saw some tourist kids wearing PJs out in public, and they wouldn’t stop laughing. (And yes, I did tell them to stop, but this can be hard to control when it comes to preschoolers.)