The City of Kyoto Wants Annoying Tourists to Stop Tipping at Restaurants

That, and a few other things.

No matter the locale, residents typically find out-of-town tourists to be annoying pests (never mind the money they're spending). Kyoto, Japan, is no exception, and now its government is attempting to politely remind guests of a few dos and don'ts during their time in the city. Kyoto's tourism office has provided this helpful guide to help visitors avoid looking foolish. Among the suggestions, which are rated by red frowny faces based on the severity of the offense:

• Don't tip at restaurants. Unlike America, which still has a tipping culture despite a recent movement to change that, tipping isn't customary in Japan. Instead, say "thank you" in the Kyoto dialect: "okini."
• Don't booze and bike. This seems like a no-brainer, but cycling under the influence carries a hefty penalty: a fine of 1 million yen ($8,000) or five years in prison.
• Don't cancel restaurant reservations at the last minute. Another no-brainer and good advice anywhere, really.

The guide doesn't mention what tourists should do if they experience culture shock due to burgers with tomato halves for buns, burgers with dyed-red buns, or burgers with no actual burger between the buns.

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