Greetings
- 1
ใใใซใกใฏ
Hello (daytime) “konnichiwa”
- 2
ใใใใจใใใใใพใ
Thank you “arigatou gozaimasu”
- 3
ใใฟใพใใ
Excuse me / Sorry (to get attention, apologize, or thank) “sumimasen”
- 4
ใใฏใใใใใใพใ
Good morning “ohayou gozaimasu”
- 5
ใ้กใใใพใ
Please “onegaishimasu”
- 6
ๅคงไธๅคซใงใ
I'm okay / No thank you (polite decline) “daijoubu desu”
- 7
ๅคฑ็คผใใพใ
Excuse me (entering or leaving) “shitsurei shimasu”
Local etiquette
- A slight bow (ojigi) is the standard greeting; handshakes are uncommon.
- To get someone's attention, say "sumimasen" quietly rather than calling out loudly.
Basics
- 1
ใฏใ / ใใใ
Yes / No “hai / iie”
- 2
ใใใใพใใ
I don't understand “wakarimasen”
- 3
ๆฅๆฌ่ชใใใใใพใใ
I don't speak Japanese “nihongo ga wakarimasen”
- 4
ใใฃใใ่ฉฑใใฆใใ ใใ
Please speak slowly “yukkuri hanashite kudasai”
- 5
ใใใฏไฝใงใใ๏ผ
What is this? “kore wa nan desu ka?”
- 6
่ฑ่ชใฏ่ฉฑใใพใใ๏ผ
Do you speak English? “eigo wa hanasemasu ka?”
- 7
ๅ็ใๆฎใฃใฆใใใใงใใ๏ผ
May I take a photo? “shashin o totte mo ii desu ka?”
- 8
ๆไผใฃใฆใใ ใใ
Could you help me? “tetsudatte kudasai”
Local etiquette
- Many shrines, temples, shops and restaurants forbid photos. Ask "Shashin totte mo ii desu ka?" first.
- Keep your voice down and avoid phone calls on trains and indoors.
Shopping
- 1
ใใใใงใใ๏ผ
How much is it? “ikura desu ka?”
- 2
ใซใผใใงๆใใพใใ๏ผ
Can I pay by card? (many places are cash-only) “kaado de haraemasu ka?”
- 3
ๅ
็จใงใใพใใ๏ผ
Can I buy tax-free? (bring your passport) “menzei dekimasu ka?”
- 4
่ขใใใ ใใ
A bag, please “fukuro o kudasai”
- 5
่ฉฆ็ใใฆใใใใงใใ๏ผ
Can I try this on? “shichaku shite mo ii desu ka?”
- 6
ใใใใ ใใ
I'll take this “kore kudasai”
Local etiquette
- Place money on the small tray at the register rather than handing it over directly.
- Bring your passport for tax-free (menzei) shopping to get the tax refunded.
- Many shops are still cash-only, so carry some cash.
Restaurant
- 1
ใกใใฅใผใใใ ใใ
The menu, please “menyuu o kudasai”
- 2
ใใใใใฏไฝใงใใ๏ผ
What do you recommend? “osusume wa nan desu ka?”
- 3
ใใใใใ ใใ
This one, please “kore o kudasai”
- 4
ๆณจๆใ้กใใใพใ
I'd like to order “chuumon onegaishimasu”
- 5
ใๆฐดใใใ ใใ
Water, please “omizu o kudasai”
- 6
ใขใฌใซใฎใผใใใใพใ
I have an allergy “arerugii ga arimasu”
- 7
ใไผ่จใ้กใใใพใ
Check, please “okaikei onegaishimasu”
- 8
ใใกใใใใพใงใใ
Thank you for the meal (said when leaving) “gochisousama deshita”
Local etiquette
- There is no tipping culture; tipping can cause confusion.
- Say "itadakimasu" before eating and "gochisousama deshita" after.
- Never stick chopsticks upright in rice or pass food chopstick-to-chopstick โ both echo funeral rites.
- Slurping ramen or soba is perfectly fine and even welcomed.
Getting around
- 1
ใใคใฌใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ
Where is the restroom? “toire wa doko desu ka?”
- 2
้ง
ใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ
Where is the station? “eki wa doko desu ka?”
- 3
ICใซใผใใฏไฝฟใใพใใ๏ผ
Can I use an IC card (Suica/Pasmo)? “ai-shii kaado wa tsukaemasu ka?”
- 4
ใใฎไฝๆใพใงใ้กใใใพใ
To this address, please (taxi) “kono juusho made onegaishimasu”
- 5
ไฝ็ช็ทใงใใ๏ผ
Which platform number? “nan bansen desu ka?”
- 6
ไธๆฅไน่ปๅธใฏใใใพใใ๏ผ
Is there a one-day pass? “ichinichi jousha-ken wa arimasu ka?”
- 7
้ใซ่ฟทใใพใใ
I'm lost “michi ni mayoimashita”
Local etiquette
- Stand on one side of the escalator (left in Tokyo, right in Osaka) and leave the other side clear.
- No phone calls on trains; keep your phone on silent (manner mode).
- Line up neatly along the platform markings.
Hotel
- 1
ไบ็ดใใฆใใพใ
I have a reservation “yoyaku shite imasu”
- 2
ใใงใใฏใคใณใ้กใใใพใ
Check-in, please “chekku-in onegaishimasu”
- 3
ใใงใใฏใขใฆใใฏไฝๆใงใใ๏ผ
What time is check-out? “chekku-auto wa nanji desu ka?”
- 4
่ท็ฉใ้ ใใฃใฆใใใใพใใ๏ผ
Could you hold my luggage? “nimotsu o azukatte moraemasu ka?”
- 5
Wi-Fiใฎใในใฏใผใใฏ๏ผ
What's the Wi-Fi password? “wai-fai no pasuwaado wa?”
Local etiquette
- Take off your shoes in ryokan and tatami rooms; there are separate slippers for rooms and toilets.
- Wash your body before entering an onsen bath and don't put your towel in the water.
Emergency
- 1
ๅฉใใฆ๏ผ
Help! “tasukete!”
- 2
่ญฆๅฏใๅผใใงใใ ใใ
Please call the police “keisatsu o yonde kudasai”
- 3
ๆๆฅ่ปใๅผใใงใใ ใใ
Please call an ambulance “kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai”
- 4
็
้ขใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ
Where is a hospital? “byouin wa doko desu ka?”
- 5
ใในใใผใใใชใใใพใใ
I lost my passport “pasupooto o nakushimashita”
Local etiquette
- Police 110, fire/ambulance 119. A police box (koban) can help with directions and lost items.
- Report lost items to a koban โ recovery rates in Japan are high.
