No tipping
Tipping isn't customary in Japan, whether in restaurants, taxis or hotels, and it often causes confusion. Say ありがとうございました (arigatō gozaimashita) as you leave instead.
Phrase guide · Japanese
Japanese phrases for travelers
43 phrases for greeting people, shopping, finding your train and ordering food in Japan. Every one is written in Japanese with easy romaji, so you can say it, or point to it.
How to read the pronunciation
- A line over a vowel (ā, ō, ū) means hold it twice as long. It can change the meaning, so don't rush it
- r is a light tap of the tongue, close to the tt in butter in American English
- u is often almost silent, especially at the end: desu sounds like dess and -masu like mass
- Say every syllable evenly, with no strong stress: karaoke is ka-ra-o-ke. A double consonant, like the ss in irasshaimase, is a short pause
Japanese · Travel phrasesありがとうございます
arigatō gozaimasu
Thank you.
Youすみません、鎌倉に行く電車は何番線ですか？Excuse me, which platform is the train to Kamakura?
Greetings and goodbyes
Greetings change with the time of day. A small nod or bow goes with any of them, and nobody expects a perfect bow from a visitor.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello! |
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning!Polite. Friends say ohayō |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening! |
| いらっしゃいませ | irasshaimase | Welcome!What staff say as you walk in. No need to reply |
| さようなら | sayōnara | Goodbye.Sounds a little final, for when you won't meet again soon |
| お世話になりました | osewa ni narimashita | Thank you for everything.Said to your hosts or hotel staff when you leave |
Please, thank you and other basics
Short words you'll use dozens of times a day. Put onegaishimasu after what you want, and almost any request becomes polite.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お願いします | onegaishimasu | Please. |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you.Polite and safe with anyone. On its own, arigatō is casual |
| いえいえ | ie ie | You're welcome.“No, no.” Heard more often than dō itashimashite |
| はい / いいえ | hai / iie | Yes. / No.People also say hai just to show they're listening |
| 大丈夫です | daijōbu desu | I'm OK. / No, thanks.A soft way to turn down an offer, like a bag or a receipt |
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me. / Sorry.Also how you call staff over |
When you don't understand
Nobody expects a visitor to speak Japanese. When you get stuck, these keep the conversation going.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 英語を話せますか？ | eigo o hanasemasu ka? | Do you speak English? |
| わかりません | wakarimasen | I don't understand.Also means “I don't know.” |
| もう少しゆっくりお願いします | mō sukoshi yukkuri onegaishimasu | A little slower, please. |
| もう一度言ってもらえますか？ | mō ichido itte moraemasu ka? | Could you say that again? |
| 書いてもらえますか？ | kaite moraemasu ka? | Could you write it down? |
Shopping and konbini
Prices are fixed in most shops, so there's no bargaining. Cards work at konbini (convenience stores) and big stores, but keep some cash for small shops and cafés.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これはいくらですか？ | kore wa ikura desu ka? | How much is this? |
| …はありますか？ | ... wa arimasu ka? | Do you have ...? |
| これをください | kore o kudasai | This one, please. |
| カードは使えますか？ | kādo wa tsukaemasu ka? | Can I pay by card? |
| 免税できますか？ | menzei dekimasu ka? | Can I buy this tax-free?Bring your passport. The minimum is 5,000 yen before tax, per shop, per day. From November 2026, you get the tax back as you leave |
| 袋はご利用ですか？ | fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka? | Do you need a bag?You'll hear this at the register. Plastic bags cost a few yen |
| 温めますか？ | atatamemasu ka? | Would you like it heated up?Konbini staff ask this when you buy a bento or other ready meal |
Trains, taxis and getting around
IC cards like Suica, PASMO and ICOCA pay for trains and buses in cities across Japan, and you can add one to the Wallet app on iPhone. In taxis, the driver opens and closes the back door for you.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| …はどこですか？ | ... wa doko desu ka? | Where is ...? |
| トイレはどこですか？ | toire wa doko desu ka? | Where's the restroom? |
| …に行く電車は何番線ですか？ | ... ni iku densha wa nanban-sen desu ka? | Which platform is the train to ...?Platforms are numbered: sanban-sen is platform 3 |
| この電車は…に止まりますか？ | kono densha wa ... ni tomarimasu ka? | Does this train stop at ...?Rapid and express trains skip smaller stations |
| チャージはどこでできますか？ | chāji wa doko de dekimasu ka? | Where can I add money to my card?For IC cards. Ticket machines at almost every station can do it |
| …までお願いします | ... made onegaishimasu | To ..., please.For taxis. Showing the address on your phone works too |
| ここで止めてください | koko de tomete kudasai | Please stop here. |
Food and drink
Most restaurants bring free water or tea when you sit down. You usually pay at the register by the exit, not at the table.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 二人です | futari desu | Two people.Your answer when staff ask how many. For one person: hitori desu |
| 英語のメニューはありますか？ | eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka? | Do you have an English menu? |
| これを二つお願いします | kore o futatsu onegaishimasu | Two of these, please.For counting things: hitotsu (one), futatsu (two), mittsu (three) |
| …は食べられません | ... wa taberaremasen | I can't eat ...Fill in niku (meat), butaniku (pork) or ebi (shrimp) |
| お水をお願いします | omizu o onegaishimasu | Water, please. |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | Said before eatingLiterally “I humbly receive.” Often said with hands together |
| おいしいです！ | oishii desu! | It's delicious! |
| お会計をお願いします | okaikei o onegaishimasu | The check, please. |
| ごちそうさまでした | gochisōsama deshita | Thank you for the meal.Said when you finish, and to the staff as you leave |
If something goes wrong
Hopefully you won't need these. In Japan, call 110 for the police and 119 for an ambulance or the fire department.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 助けて！ | tasukete! | Help! |
| 救急車を呼んでください | kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai | Please call an ambulance. |
| 道に迷いました | michi ni mayoimashita | I'm lost. |
Finding your train
Big stations can be confusing, so don't be shy about asking. This is how it sounds when you check your platform with station staff.
Youすみません、鎌倉に行く電車は何番線ですか？sumimasen, Kamakura ni iku densha wa nanban-sen desu ka?Excuse me, which platform is the train to Kamakura?
Station staff3番線です。sanban-sen desu.Platform 3.
You乗り換えはありますか？norikae wa arimasu ka?Do I need to change trains?
Station staffいいえ、乗り換えなしで行けますよ。iie, norikae nashi de ikemasu yo.No, you can get there without changing.
You次の電車は何時ですか？tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka?What time is the next train?
Station staff10時15分発です。jūji jūgofun hatsu desu.It leaves at 10:15.
Youわかりました。ありがとうございます！wakarimashita. arigatō gozaimasu!Got it. Thank you!
Numbers and money
Prices are in yen, called en in Japanese, so 1,500円 on a price tag is sen gohyaku en.
| Japanese | Romaji | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | ichi | 1 |
| 二 | ni | 2 |
| 三 | san | 3 |
| 四 | yon | 4 |
| 五 | go | 5 |
| 六 | roku | 6 |
| 七 | nana | 7 |
| 八 | hachi | 8 |
| 九 | kyū | 9 |
| 十 | jū | 10 |
| 二十 | nijū | 20 |
| 五十 | gojū | 50 |
| 百 | hyaku | 100 |
| 千 | sen | 1,000 |
| 円 | en | yen |
Good to know in Japan
Quiet on trains
People keep their voices down on trains and avoid phone calls. Switch your phone to silent, called マナーモード (manā mōdo), “manner mode,” in Japanese.
Shoes off
Take your shoes off in homes, ryokan (traditional inns), inside many temples and in some restaurants. A step up at the entrance is your cue. Some toilet rooms have their own slippers: wear them inside and leave them there.
Carry your trash
Public trash cans are hard to find, so carry a small bag for wrappers and empty bottles. The bins next to vending machines are for bottles and cans only.
Questions travelers ask
How do you say hello in Japanese?
こんにちは (konnichiwa) is hello during the day. In the morning, say おはようございます (ohayō gozaimasu), and in the evening こんばんは (konbanwa).
How do you say thank you in Japanese?
ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) is polite and works with anyone. With friends, ありがとう (arigatō) is enough. Once something is done, like a meal or a taxi ride, people switch to the past form, ありがとうございました (arigatō gozaimashita).
How do you ask how much something costs in Japanese?
Point and ask これはいくらですか？ (kore wa ikura desu ka?), how much is this? Most shops in Japan don't haggle, so expect to pay the marked price.
Do people in Japan speak English?
Signs in big stations are in English, and so are announcements on bullet trains and many city lines. Fewer people speak English with confidence than many visitors expect, so a few Japanese phrases, or text on your phone, help a lot.
What does sumimasen mean?
すみません (sumimasen) means excuse me or sorry. It's how you call a server, ask a stranger for help or get past someone on a crowded train. When someone goes out of their way for you, it also works as thank you, a bit like “sorry for the trouble.”
More phrase guides
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