Japan introduces handbook showing tourists how to use the toilet

The Japanese take their toilet manners very seriously and they're letting tourists in the country know this.

The city of Kyoto has introduced etiquette guides aimed at showing tourists what is and isn't acceptable in the country's public toilets and other areas.

Kyoto's Tourism and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) promotion office shared two separate etiquette guides - "How to Use this Toilet" and "Insider Guide to Kyoto Part II: AKiMaHen (Don'ts) of Kyoto" on the city's official website.

The guides cater to users of both Japanese- and Western-style toilets and feature graphic illustrations which show how to sit on the toilet, where to throw toilet paper and how to flush.

Read: 9 surprising things that could get you in trouble in Japan

According to the website, many tourists tourists use Japan's public toilets the way they would use the toilets at home and discard used toilet paper in the trash bin, an attitude that is highly unacceptbale.

The guidelines will be posted as stickers in the city's public and private toilet facilities.

The Japanese are however not just interested in instilling some toilet manners to its tourists,  they also hope to address cultural conflicts arising from differences in lifestyles.

Some of such actions that hope to be corrected are  are tipping (an absolute offence in Japan) and opening taxi doors by yourself (they are opened and closed remotely by taxi drivers).

The most serious offenses include smoking outdoors in non-designated areas, punishable by a fine of 1,000 yen ($8).

Bicycling while drunk carries a whopping penalty of up to one million yen (about N1,500) or five years in prison.

Other lifestyle tips include being polite when asking a maiko (an apprentice dancer who wears a traditional kimono) for pictures and not canceling restaurant reservations at the last minute.

The guide was created with input from travel site, TripAdvisor.

So, what do you make of the move by the Japanese city? Do you think it will yield the desired results or it will cause disaffection amongst tourists? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.