しきたり

• Reading: しきたり
• Romaji: shikitari
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ki.ta.ɾi/

Meaning

Custom; convention; established practice. Refers to traditional ways of doing things that are expected and observed by a community.

A noun describing customs and social conventions that have been passed down through generations. しきたり carries a sense of obligation — these are practices one is expected to follow because they have always been done that way. It can describe family customs, regional traditions, or workplace culture. The nuance is often that the practice is followed not out of personal choice but social expectation.

Examples

1. 地域のしきたりに従って、新年には神社へ参拝することになっている。 Following local customs, it is customary to visit a shrine at the start of the new year.
2. 古くからのしきたりに縛られていては、組織は変われない。 An organization cannot change if it remains bound by age-old conventions.
3. 葬儀のしきたりは地域によってかなり異なる。 Funeral customs vary considerably from region to region.

Usage Guide

Context: tradition, customs, workplace culture, community norms

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From the verb しきたる, meaning 'to have come to be the way things are done.' Evolved from classical Japanese patterns of habitual or established action.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: All classes