Fifty Japanese phrases for your trip to Japan, as a five-day plan of ten a day: greetings and manners, café and restaurant, paying and shops, getting around and signs, hotel and help. Every card has rōmaji pronunciation, a real example exchange and a tip on when to use it and what catches tourists out, plus a bonus group of numbers 1–10. About 10 minutes a day.
CEFR A1 — Beginner
At this level you can introduce yourself, order food, ask directions. Vocabulary: ~500 words (cumulative).
Phrases you'll learn
How do you say “Hello / Good morning” in Japanese?
“Hello / Good morning” is “こんにちは / おはようございます” in Japanese. For example: おはようございます。 – いらっしゃいませ！ — Good morning. – Welcome!
How do you say “Good evening” in Japanese?
“Good evening” is “こんばんは” in Japanese. For example: こんばんは。二名です。 – どうぞ、こちらへ。 — Good evening. Two of us. – This way, please.
How do you say “Please” in Japanese?
“Please” is “お願いします” in Japanese. For example: これ、お願いします。 – かしこまりました。 — This one, please. – Certainly.
How do you say “Thank you” in Japanese?
“Thank you” is “ありがとうございます” in Japanese. For example: ありがとうございます。 – ありがとうございました。またお越しください。 — Thank you. – Thank you (for coming). Please come again.
Japanese → English60 words~6 days at 10 words/day0 downloadsA1A2
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konnichiwa / ohayō gozaimasu (kon-ni-chi-wa, even rhythm, no stressed syllable; hold the double n; ohayō ends in a long o)
昼間のあいさつ。朝は「おはようございます」、それ以降は「こんにちは」。
Hello / Good morning
おはようございます。 – いらっしゃいませ！
Good morning. – Welcome!
'Ohayō gozaimasu' until about 10 or 11 in the morning, 'konnichiwa' from then until dusk. The Japan twist: you do not greet shop staff on the way in; they greet you with 'irasshaimase!' (welcome) and expect no reply, so a small nod is plenty. Bow slightly instead of offering a handshake. The final は is read 'wa', not 'ha'.
こんばんはA1
konbanwa (kon-ban-wa, three even beats; the final は is read 'wa')
夕方から夜に、人に会ったときのあいさつ。
Good evening
こんばんは。二名です。 – どうぞ、こちらへ。
Good evening. Two of us. – This way, please.
From dusk, roughly five or six in the evening, and always when you arrive somewhere for dinner. 'Oyasumi nasai' is good night only for going to bed, never for leaving a restaurant. Like konnichiwa, it is a greeting on arrival, not a farewell.
お願いしますA1
onegai shimasu (o-ne-gai shi-mas, even rhythm; the final u of 'masu' is almost silent)
何かを頼むときに、最後につける丁寧な言葉。
Synonyms:ください
Please
これ、お願いします。 – かしこまりました。
This one, please. – Certainly.
Goes at the END, after the thing you want: point or name the item, then 'o onegai shimasu'. It also means 'I'm counting on you', so it closes almost any request to staff. 'Kudasai' (…を ください) is the other 'please give me'; both are polite, and either turns a bare noun into an order. 'Kashikomarimashita' is the waiter's 'certainly'.
ありがとうございますA1formal
arigatō gozaimasu (a-ri-ga-tō go-zai-mas, even rhythm; tō is a long o, 'masu' ends in a whispered u)
感謝を伝える丁寧な言葉。店では「ありがとうございました」と返される。
Thank you
ありがとうございます。 – ありがとうございました。またお越しください。
Thank you. – Thank you (for coming). Please come again.
The full form is for strangers and staff; bare 'arigatō' is for friends and children. The textbook reply 'dō itashimashite' (you're welcome) is rarely heard in shops: staff answer with a bow or 'arigatō gozaimashita', the past tense, thanking you for what has just finished. No tipping in Japan, ever; a thank-you and a bow is the tip, and coins left on a table get chased down the street after you. 'Sumimasen' also works as thanks for a small favour.
すみませんA1
sumimasen (su-mi-ma-sen, four even beats, no stressed syllable)
人を呼ぶとき、軽く謝るとき、お礼を言うときに使う便利な言葉。
Synonyms:すいません
Excuse me / Sorry
すみません、注文お願いします。 – はい、ただいま。
Excuse me, we'd like to order. – Yes, right away.
The single most useful word in Japan, doing triple duty: excuse me to call a waiter or stop a stranger, sorry for a bump, and thank you when someone does you a favour. Calling 'sumimasen!' clearly across a restaurant is normal, not rude; waiters will not come otherwise, and many places have a call button on the table instead. For a real apology say 'gomen nasai'; 'mōshiwake arimasen' is the formal apology staff say to customers, far too formal for you to say to them. 'Sumimasen' itself you will hear slurred as 'suimasen'.
すみません、降りますA1
sumimasen, orimasu (o-ri-mas; the final u is barely voiced)
電車を降りるときや、人ごみで道をあけてもらうときに言う。
Excuse me, I'm getting off (to get past)
すみません、降ります！ – あ、どうぞ。
Excuse me, getting off! – Oh, go ahead.
Japanese has no separate 'permesso': 'sumimasen' again, plus what you are doing. On a packed train say 'orimasu' (I'm getting off) at the doors and people part; in a crowd or a narrow shop aisle, 'sumimasen, tōshite kudasai' (please let me through). Trap: on escalators stand on the left in Tokyo and on the right in Osaka, and never block the walking side. 'Dōzo' is the 'go ahead, after you' you will hear back.
はい / いいえA1
hai / iie (hai like 'high'; ii-e with a long i then a short e, 'ee-eh')
「はい」は肯定、「いいえ」は否定。丁寧に断るときは「結構です」。
Synonyms:結構です, 大丈夫です
Yes / No
袋はご利用ですか？ – いいえ、結構です。
Would you like a bag? – No, thank you.
'Hai' also means 'I'm listening', so a string of 'hai, hai' from a clerk is not agreement. A flat 'iie' sounds blunt; the polite no is 'kekkō desu' (no thanks, I'm fine) or 'daijōbu desu', often with a small hand wave. Plastic bags cost a few yen, so 'fukuro wa?' (bag?) comes at every konbini till: 'hai, onegai shimasu' or 'kekkō desu'. Street touts are rare; a smile and 'kekkō desu' ends it.
英語を話せますか？A1
eigo o hanasemasu ka (ei-go o ha-na-se-mas-ka, even rhythm, rising slightly on the final 'ka'; 'ei' sounds like a long 'eh')
相手が英語を話せるかどうか、丁寧にたずねる言い方。
Do you speak English?
すみません、英語を話せますか？ – 少しだけ。
Excuse me, do you speak English? – Just a little.
Asking in Japanese first relaxes people; the answer is usually 'sukoshi' (a little) followed by a real effort, or a sucked-in breath and a fetched colleague. Station staff, hotels and big shops manage; small restaurants often do not. Trap: most people read English far better than they speak it, so writing the question or showing a translation app works better than repeating it louder. 'Ka' at the end turns any sentence into a question; the voice rises slightly on that final 'ka'.
わかりませんA1
wakarimasen (wa-ka-ri-ma-sen, five even beats)
言われたことがわからないときに言う。「もう一度ゆっくり」と続ける。
Synonyms:日本語がわかりません
I don't understand
わかりません。もう一度、ゆっくりお願いします。
I don't understand. Once more, slowly please.
Pair it with 'mō ichido, yukkuri onegai shimasu' (once more, slowly please). 'Nihongo ga wakarimasen' is I don't understand Japanese. Trap: the same word means 'I don't know', so use it, rather than a shrug, when someone asks you something you cannot answer. 'Wakarimashita' (got it) is the reply you give when instructions are clear.
失礼しますA1formal
shitsurei shimasu (shi-tsu-rei shi-mas; the first 'shi' is almost whispered: 'shtsu-rei')
別れるときの丁寧なあいさつ。店を出るときは会釈だけでもよい。
Synonyms:さようなら
Goodbye (polite, on leaving)
では、失礼します。 – ありがとうございました。
Well then, goodbye. – Thank you (for coming).
Literally 'I'm being rude (by leaving)': the polite exit line at a hotel desk, a tourist office, a kōban or someone's home. Trap: 'sayōnara' sounds final, like a farewell before a long separation, and is almost never said in shops. Leaving a shop or restaurant needs no goodbye at all; the staff say 'arigatō gozaimashita' and a nod, or 'gochisōsama deshita' after a meal, is your reply. Friends say 'ja ne' or 'mata ne'.
二名ですA1
ni-mei desu (ni-mei des; 'mei' rhymes with 'may')
レストランの入口で、人数を伝える言い方。「何名様ですか」への答え。
Synonyms:二人です
A table for two, please (lit. 'two people')
何名様ですか？ – 二名です。 – カウンター席でもよろしいですか？
How many? – Two. – Is the counter OK?
Wait at the door to be seated; the first thing staff say is 'nan-mei sama desu ka?' (how many?). Answer with the counter for people: 'hitori' (one), 'futari' (two) or the more formal 'ni-mei'; holding up fingers works everywhere. Popular places have a waiting list to write your name on, or a ticket machine at the door, and small ones seat you at the counter. A wet towel ('oshibori') and free water arrive before you order.
…をくださいA1
… o kudasai (ku-da-sai, three even beats)
注文や買い物で「これがほしい」と丁寧に言うときの形。
Synonyms:…をお願いします
I'd like… / …, please
ラーメンをください。 生ビールをください。
I'd like a ramen. I'd like a draught beer.
Frame: the item, then 'o kudasai'. Ordering is mostly pointing at the picture menu or the plastic food models in the window and saying 'kore o kudasai' (this one, please); add 'hitotsu' (one) or 'futatsu' (two) after the item for the quantity. Trap: many ramen shops and chains have a ticket machine by the door, so you choose, pay and hand the ticket over before you sit; there is no 'I'd like' at all.
メニューをお願いしますA1
menyū o onegai shimasu (me-nyū, long u; o-ne-gai shi-mas)
店でメニューを見せてもらうときの言い方。
The menu, please
メニューをお願いします。英語のメニューはありますか？ – はい、こちらです。
The menu, please. Do you have an English menu? – Yes, here you are.
'Eigo no menyū' is an English menu, common in tourist areas; elsewhere the photos, the plastic models outside and a camera-translation app fill the gap. The lunch 'teishoku' (set meal: main, rice, miso soup, pickles) is the bargain of the day and often ends by two. 'Osusume wa?' asks for the house recommendation; 'omakase' means you leave it to the chef.
コーヒーをお願いしますA1
kōhī o onegai shimasu (kō-hī: both vowels long, 'koh-hee')
喫茶店やカフェでコーヒーを注文する言い方。「ホット」か「アイス」を聞かれる。
Synonyms:コーヒーをください
A coffee (= a hot drip coffee), please
コーヒーをお願いします。 – ホットとアイス、どちらになさいますか？ – ホットで。
A coffee, please. – Hot or iced, which would you like? – Hot, please.
'Kōhī' on its own is a cup of hot filter coffee, black, with milk and sugar on the side, and you will be asked 'hotto ka aisu?' year-round because iced coffee is standard, not a summer thing. For a milky coffee say 'kafe ore' or 'kafe rate'; 'burendo' is the house blend. Cheapest good cup: the konbini machine, about ¥140. An old-style 'kissaten' charges ¥500 or more, but the seat is yours for as long as you like, and before about 11 the 'mōningu' set adds toast and an egg for ¥100–200 extra (free in Nagoya).
お水をくださいA1
o-mizu o kudasai (o-mi-zu, three even beats; the o- is a politeness prefix)
レストランで水を頼む言い方。日本では水は無料で、頼まなくても出てくる。
Water, please (free tap water)
すみません、お水をください。 – はい、お冷ですね。
Excuse me, water please. – Yes, cold water, coming up.
Nobody will ask you still or sparkling: a glass of free iced tap water ('ohiya') or green tea lands on the table unprompted at almost every restaurant, refilled on request, and tap water is safe everywhere. Sparkling water is 'tansan-sui', bottled and paid for, and only some places stock it; ask for 'tansan' alone in a bar and you may get plain soda for a highball. The 'o-' prefix shows up on many polite nouns: okane (money), otearai (toilet).
お会計お願いしますA1
o-kaikei onegai shimasu (o-kai-kei; 'kei' like 'kay')
食事のあとで支払いを頼む言い方。会計はレジですることが多い。
Synonyms:お勘定お願いします
The bill, please
すみません、お会計お願いします。 – レジでお願いします。
Excuse me, the bill please. – Please pay at the register.
The bill often arrives with the food, in a small tray or clipped to the table, and you carry it to the register by the door when you are done; where it doesn't, say this or cross your index fingers into an X, the Japanese 'check please' gesture. Put cash or card in the little tray, not in the cashier's hand. Staff rarely split bills by item, though 'betsu-betsu de' (separately) works at chains. No tip, and do not round up.
カードは使えますか？A2
kādo wa tsukaemasu ka (kā-do, long a; tsu-ka-e-mas-ka)
クレジットカードで払えるかどうかをたずねる言い方。
Can I pay by card?
カードは使えますか？ – はい、大丈夫です。
Can I pay by card? – Yes, that's fine.
Cards and tap-to-pay are taken in chains, department stores, hotels, konbini and on the shinkansen, but plenty of small restaurants, ramen shops, temples, market stalls and rural places are still 'genkin nomi' (cash only), so carry ¥10,000–20,000. Your transport IC card (Suica, PASMO, ICOCA) also pays at konbini and vending machines. 7-Eleven and post-office ATMs take foreign cards; bank ATMs often do not.
乾杯！A1
kanpai (kan-pai, two even beats; 'pai' like 'pie')
お酒を飲み始めるときのかけ声。全員がそろってから言う。
Cheers!
乾杯！ – 乾杯！
Cheers! – Cheers!
Wait until everyone has a drink; starting before the group toast is the faux pas. Clink glasses, and with someone older or senior hold yours a little lower than theirs. Never say 'chin chin' in Japan: it is a child's word for a body part and the table will collapse laughing. In an izakaya the first round is 'toriaezu bīru' (beer for now) and someone usually pours for you: hold your glass up with both hands.
いただきます / ごちそうさまでしたA1
itadakimasu / gochisōsama deshita (i-ta-da-ki-mas; go-chi-sō-sa-ma desh-ta, long o in 'sō')
食事の前に「いただきます」、食べ終わったら「ごちそうさまでした」と言う。
(Before eating) / It was delicious, thank you (after eating)
いただきます！ …ごちそうさまでした。 – ありがとうございました。
Let's eat! …That was delicious, thank you. – Thank you (for coming).
No 'bon appétit' from the waiter. Instead you say 'itadakimasu' (I humbly receive) before the first bite, hands together, and 'gochisōsama deshita' (it was a feast) when you finish and again to the staff on your way out or at the register: that is the compliment that makes a cook's day. Slurping noodles is fine; blowing your nose at the table and sticking chopsticks upright in rice are not.
お通しA2
otōshi (o-tō-shi, long o in the middle)
居酒屋で最初に出る小さな料理。席料として料金がかかる。
Synonyms:席料, サービス料
Table charge (the small appetiser you didn't order)
お通し 400円（お一人様）
Otōshi ¥400 (per person)
In an izakaya a small dish you did not order arrives with the first drink: that is the otōshi, a compulsory seat charge of about ¥300–600 per person, printed on the bill as お通し or 席料 (seki-ryō). It is not a scam and refusing it rarely works. Hotels and smarter restaurants add サービス料 (service charge, 10–15%) instead. There is no tipping anywhere. Menu prices are marked 税込 (tax included) or 税抜 (tax excluded, so add 10% at the till).
…はいくらですか？A1
… wa ikura desu ka (i-ku-ra des-ka, even rhythm; は as a particle is read 'wa')
値段をたずねる言い方。物を指して「これはいくらですか」と聞く。
How much is…?
これはいくらですか？ 入場料はいくらですか？
How much is this? How much is admission?
Frame: the item plus 'wa ikura desu ka', or just 'ikura desu ka?' while pointing at 'kore' (this). Prices are almost always on the label, so you mostly need this at market stalls and ticket windows. Trap: a 税抜 (tax-excluded) tag is about 10% less than what you pay; 税込 is the real price. Big numbers are said in units: ¥1,500 is 'sen gohyaku en', ¥10,000 'ichi-man en'.
ちょっと高いですねA1
chotto takai desu ne (chot-to: hold the double t; ta-kai des-ne)
値段が高いと感じたときに、やわらかく言う言い方。
That's a bit expensive
ちょっと高いですね。もう少し考えます。
That's a bit expensive. I'll think about it a little more.
Haggling is not done in Japan: shops, markets and even flea markets have fixed prices, and pushing for a discount embarrasses everyone. Softened with 'chotto' (a bit) and 'ne', this is only a remark; 'kangaemasu' (I'll think about it) is the polite way to walk away. The real visitor discount is tax-free shopping (免税, ¥5,000+ in one shop, passport needed); from November 2026 the 10% is refunded at the airport instead of taken off at the till.
現金で / カードでA1
genkin de / kādo de (gen-kin; kā-do with a long a)
レジで支払い方法を言うときの言い方。「現金で」か「カードで」。
In cash / by card
お支払いはどうなさいますか？ – カードで。 – 一括でよろしいですか？ – はい。
How would you like to pay? – By card. – In one payment, is that OK? – Yes.
The cashier asks 'o-shiharai wa?' (payment?); answer 'genkin de' or 'kādo de'. Trap: with a credit card comes 'ikkatsu de yoroshii desu ka?' (in a single payment?), which baffles visitors; the answer is 'hai'. Put money in the tray, not in their hand, and the change is counted back out loud. Cities run on IC cards and PayPay QR codes too, but never assume a small restaurant takes anything but cash.
レシートをお願いしますA2
reshīto o onegai shimasu (re-shī-to, long i; o-ne-gai shi-mas)
レジで買い物の明細をもらうときの言い方。正式なものは「領収書」。
The receipt, please
レシートはご利用ですか？ – はい、お願いします。
Do you need the receipt? – Yes, please.
Konbini cashiers often ask 'reshīto wa go-riyō desu ka?' (want the receipt?): 'hai' or 'kekkō desu'. There is no law about taking it, unlike Italy. The trap is the two words: 'reshīto' is the till slip, 領収書 (ryōshūsho) is a formal receipt with your name written on it for expense claims, and asking for that starts a small ceremony. For tax-free purchases keep the receipt with your passport until you fly out.
見ているだけですA1
mite iru dake desu (mi-te i-ru da-ke des, even rhythm)
店員に「買うつもりはなく、見ているだけ」と伝える言い方。
I'm just looking, thanks
何かお探しですか？ – 見ているだけです。ありがとうございます。
Looking for anything in particular? – Just looking, thank you.
Staff say 'irasshaimase' and sometimes 'nanika o-sagashi desu ka?' (looking for something?); this line gets you left alone, politely, and nobody will push. You need not greet them on entering or say anything on leaving; a small nod does it. In small shops ask before handling delicate goods, and note that trying on often means shoes off and a face cover for pullovers.
以上ですA1
ijō desu (i-jō des, long o)
注文や買い物を終えるときの「これで全部です」。
That's all, thanks
以上でよろしいですか？ – はい、以上です。
Will that be all? – Yes, that's all.
At a bakery, deli counter or konbini the clerk asks 'ijō de yoroshii desu ka?' (is that all?); 'hai, ijō desu' closes it, and in a restaurant 'ijō de' ends the order. Then come the konbini questions: 'fukuro?' (bag), 'atatamemasu ka?' (warm it up?), 'o-hashi?' (chopsticks); 'hai' or 'kekkō desu' to each. The word also ends announcements: 'ijō desu' means 'that concludes it'.
これを一つくださいA1
kore o hitotsu kudasai (ko-re o hi-to-tsu ku-da-sai, even beats; no doubled consonant in 'hitotsu')
指さして一つ買うときの言い方。「これ」「それ」「あれ」で使い分ける。
One of these, please
これを一つください。 – 温めますか？ – はい、お願いします。
One of these, please. – Shall I warm it up? – Yes, please.
'Kore' (this, near me), 'sore' (that, near you), 'are' (that over there) plus 'o hitotsu kudasai'. 'Hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu' is the all-purpose counter for things, and it rescues you from Japanese's shape-based counters. At a bakery you take tongs and a tray and serve yourself; at a konbini any bento comes with the 'atatamemasu ka?' question and a microwave.
…はありますか？A1
… wa arimasu ka (a-ri-mas-ka, even rhythm, rising slightly on the final 'ka')
店に何かがあるかどうかをたずねる言い方。
Do you have…?
大きいサイズはありますか？ Wi-Fiはありますか？
Do you have a bigger size? Do you have Wi-Fi?
Frame: the thing plus 'wa arimasu ka'. Yes is 'arimasu' or 'gozaimasu'; no is 'nai desu' or 'gozaimasen', sometimes just an apologetic sucked-in breath, which means no. Clothing sizes run small (a Japanese L is roughly a Western M), so 'ōkii saizu' (bigger size) is the fill you will actually use. Konbini and drugstores stock almost everything a traveler forgets.
営業中 / 準備中A1
eigyō-chū / junbi-chū (ei-gyō-chū; jun-bi-chū; long o and u)
店の入口の札。「営業中」は開いている、「準備中」は閉まっている。
Open (for business) / Closed (preparing)
営業中 11:00〜22:00 定休日：水曜日
Open 11:00–22:00. Closed on Wednesdays.
The door signs: 営業中 is open and 準備中, literally 'preparing', means closed, including the afternoon break between lunch and dinner. 定休日 is the weekly closing day, 閉店 closed for the night or for good, and a noren curtain hanging outside a restaurant means it is serving. Shops open late (10–11 a.m.) and close late (8–9 p.m.); restaurants often shut from about 2 to 5 p.m. and take a weekday off.
セール / レジA1
sēru / reji (sē-ru with a long e; re-ji, two short beats)
「セール」は値引き、「レジ」は支払いをする場所。
Synonyms:バーゲン
Sale / Checkout
セール 30%OFF お会計はこちら（レジ）
Sale: 30% off. Pay here (register).
'Sēru' and 'bāgen' (バーゲン) both mean sale; the big ones are early January, with 'fukubukuro' lucky bags, and midsummer. 'Reji' is the till: queue in the marked lane and, increasingly, pay at a セルフレジ (self-checkout) or feed your cash into a machine after the clerk scans. 割引 is discount, 半額 half price (the sticker on supermarket food after about 7 p.m.).
…はどこですか？A1
… wa doko desu ka (do-ko des-ka, even rhythm)
場所をたずねる言い方。「駅はどこですか」など。
Where is…?
駅はどこですか？ トイレはどこですか？
Where is the station? Where is the toilet?
Frame: the place plus 'wa doko desu ka', opened with 'sumimasen'. People will often walk you there rather than explain, and 'wakarimasen' is not a brush-off. Japanese addresses go by area and block, not street name, so a map on your phone beats any spoken answer; the reply uses 'migi', 'hidari' and 'massugu'.
トイレはどこですか？A1
toire wa doko desu ka (to-i-re, three even beats)
トイレの場所をたずねる言い方。駅やコンビニのトイレは無料。
Synonyms:お手洗い
Where is the bathroom?
すみません、トイレはどこですか？ – 奥の右側です。
Excuse me, where is the toilet? – At the back, on the right.
'Toire' is the everyday word; signs say お手洗い (otearai) or 化粧室. Japan's trap is the opposite of Europe's: toilets are everywhere, free and clean (every station, konbini, department store and park), so never pay or buy something to use one. Doors: 男 men, 女 women. Washlet buttons: 流す flush, おしり spray, 止 stop. Many toilets have no paper towels, so carry a small hand towel like the locals.
駅はどこですか？A1
eki wa doko desu ka (e-ki wa do-ko des-ka)
駅の場所をたずねる言い方。出口の名前も確認するとよい。
Where is the station?
駅はどこですか？ – まっすぐ行って、五分くらいです。
Where is the station? – Straight ahead, about five minutes.
'Eki' is any train or metro station, so name it in big cities ('Shinjuku eki wa doko desu ka?'). Stations have several exits by direction (東口 east, 西口 west) or number, and the wrong one can cost you fifteen minutes, so ask for the exit too. Look for the JR logo or the metro 'M'; the bus terminal is 'basu tāminaru'.
京都まで一枚お願いしますA1
Kyōto made ichi-mai onegai shimasu (Kyō-to: two beats, 'kyoh-toh', not 'kee-oh-toh'; ma-de; i-chi-mai)
切符を買うときの言い方。「まで」のあとに枚数を言う。
One ticket to Kyoto, please
京都まで一枚お願いします。 – 自由席ですか、指定席ですか？ – 指定席で。
One to Kyoto, please. – Non-reserved or reserved seat? – Reserved.
'Made' (as far as) plus 'ichi-mai', the counter for flat things like tickets. At the shinkansen window or machine you will be asked 'jiyū-seki' (non-reserved cars) or 'shitei-seki' (reserved seat); buy at the green window (みどりの窓口), a ticket machine, or online: SmartEX for the Tokaido/Sanyo/Kyushu line (Tokyo–Kyoto–Osaka–Hakata), Eki-net for the JR East lines heading north. For local trains and metros you skip tickets entirely: tap an IC card and the fare is taken by distance. Trap: on the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu shinkansen any bag whose length + width + height comes to more than 160 cm needs a free 'oversize baggage' seat reservation; board without one and you pay ¥1,000 and the conductor moves your case.
何番線ですか？A1
nan-ban-sen desu ka (nan-ban-sen des-ka, even rhythm)
電車が出るホームの番号をたずねる言い方。
Which platform?
京都行きは何番線ですか？ – 三番線です。
Which platform for Kyoto? – Platform three.
Platforms are 'X-ban-sen' (track X) on the boards, in the announcements and on the signs above the stairs. Queue between the painted lines on the platform floor and let people off first; shinkansen car numbers are marked on the platform edge. 'Yuki' after a place name (Kyōto-yuki) means 'bound for', and 'kakueki-teisha' is the slow all-stations train, so check the type as well as the platform.
左 / 右 / まっすぐA1
hidari / migi / massugu (hi-da-ri; mi-gi; mas-su-gu, hold the double s)
道案内で聞く三つの言葉。左、右、まっすぐ。
Left / right / straight on
まっすぐ行って、二つ目の信号を右です。
Go straight, then right at the second traffic light.
What every answer to 'doko desu ka' contains, usually with 'itte' (go) or 'magatte' (turn). Directions come by landmarks and traffic lights ('shingō'), not street names, because most streets have none. 'Mukai' is opposite, 'tonari' next door, 'chikai' near, 'tōi' far. Cars drive on the left, so look right first when you step off the kerb.
入口 / 出口A1
iriguchi / deguchi (i-ri-gu-chi; de-gu-chi, even rhythm)
「入口」は入るところ、「出口」は出るところ。駅の出口には名前がある。
Entrance / Exit
東口 → 出口はこちら
East exit → Way out this way
On every station, museum and shop. Station exits are named by compass point (東口 east, 西口 west, 南口 south, 北口 north) or numbered, and map apps list them, so match the sign to the app before you climb the stairs. 非常口 is the emergency exit (green running man), 改札 the ticket gates you tap through, and 乗り換え a transfer.
押す / 引くA1
osu / hiku (o-su; hi-ku, two short beats each)
ドアの札。「押す」は押して開ける、「引く」は手前に引く。
Push / Pull
押す。 – 引く。
Push. – Pull.
On doors you usually see the single kanji 押 (push) and 引 (pull), often with the English. Most konbini, hotel and station doors slide open by themselves, and taxi rear doors open and close automatically too, so keep your hands off them. 押 also appears on 'push to cross' buttons and on the bell at restaurant tables that you press to call staff.
ICカードをタッチしてくださいA2
ai-shī kādo o tatchi shite kudasai (tat-chi: hold the t; kā-do, long a)
改札でICカードを読み取り機にあてる。入るときと出るときは同じカードを使う。
Tap your IC card (in and out)
ICカードをタッチしてください。残高不足の場合は精算機をご利用ください。
Tap your IC card. If the balance is insufficient, use the fare-adjustment machine.
There is no ticket stamping in Japan and no on-the-spot fine for it; the system is tap in, tap out, and the fare is worked out at the exit. The trap: tap the SAME card at the exit gate that you tapped in with, or the gate slams shut, beeps, and you are stuck inside until a staffer resets it. A short balance stops you too: top up at the 精算機 (fare-adjustment machine) or any ticket machine by the gates. Suica, PASMO and ICOCA work on nearly every train and bus nationwide and pay at konbini; on an iPhone add one to Apple Wallet (Google Wallet only works on phones sold in Japan), and the physical Welcome Suica is the visitor version.
バス停A1
basu-tei (ba-su-tei; 'tei' like 'tay')
バスが止まる場所の札。車内では「次は…」と放送される。
Synonyms:停留所
Bus stop
次は、清水道。お降りの方はボタンを押してください。
Next stop: Kiyomizu-michi. Passengers getting off, please press the button.
The sign at the stop, often a pole with a Japanese-only timetable. On board, 'tsugi wa…' is the next-stop announcement, shown on a screen too; press the button on the wall or rail before your stop. Trap: outside Tokyo you board by the rear door and pay when you get OFF, at the front, by tapping your IC card or dropping the exact fare in the box (the 両替 changer by the driver breaks coins and ¥1,000 notes); Kyoto city buses are a flat fare paid on exit.
予約していますA1
yoyaku shite imasu (yo-ya-ku shi-te i-mas, even rhythm)
ホテルやレストランで、予約してあることを伝える言い方。
I have a reservation
こんばんは。予約しています。スミスです。 – パスポートをお願いします。
Good evening. I have a reservation, under Smith. – Your passport, please.
Follow it with your surname plus 'desu'. Hotels must copy every foreign guest's passport, so keep it handy, and carry it around too: visitors are required to, and police can ask. Check-in is rarely before 3 p.m. Trap at a ryokan or guesthouse: shoes come off at the step and slippers are waiting, with a separate pair for the toilet. At a restaurant the same idea is 'yoyaku shita Sumisu desu'.
鍵をお願いしますA1
kagi o onegai shimasu (ka-gi; o-ne-gai shi-mas)
フロントで部屋の鍵を受け取るときの言い方。
The key, please
鍵をお願いします。305号室です。 – はい、どうぞ。
The key, please. Room 305. – Here you are.
'Kagi' is the key; most business hotels use a card key ('kādo kī') and many ask you to leave a physical key at the desk whenever you go out. Room numbers are read digit by digit with zero as 'maru': 305 is 'san-maru-go', with 'gō-shitsu' after it. Checkout ('chekku-auto') is often 10 a.m. and, in chain hotels, done at a machine in the lobby. Coin lockers at stations hold luggage for ¥400–900 a day if the hotel cannot.
Wi-Fiのパスワードは何ですか？A1
wai-fai no pasuwādo wa nan desu ka (pa-su-wā-do, long a; nan des-ka)
Wi-Fiのパスワードをたずねる言い方。
What's the Wi-Fi password?
Wi-Fiのパスワードは何ですか？ – こちらに書いてあります。
What's the Wi-Fi password? – It's written here.
'Wai-fai' and 'pasuwādo' are loanwords everyone understands; 'nan desu ka' is 'what is it'. Free Wi-Fi is normal in hotels, cafés, stations and konbini but patchy on the street, so most visitors buy an eSIM or a pocket router at the airport. Hotel passwords are usually on a card in the room or on the TV screen.
朝食は何時からですか？A1
chōshoku wa nan-ji kara desu ka (chō-sho-ku, long o; nan-ji ka-ra des-ka)
朝食の時間をたずねる言い方。
What time is breakfast?
朝食は何時からですか？ – 七時から十時までです。
What time does breakfast start? – From seven to ten.
'Nan-ji kara' is 'from what time'; the answer 'X-ji kara Y-ji made' gives the range. Hotel breakfast is often a buffet with a Western corner and a Japanese one (rice, miso soup, grilled fish, natto); at a ryokan it is served at a fixed time you agree the night before, and dinner is included and early. The other question: 'chekku-auto wa nan-ji desu ka?'.
助けて！A1
tasukete (ta-su-ke-te, four even beats; often 'tas-ke-te' in a hurry)
緊急のときに助けを求める言葉。警察は110、救急車は119。
Help!
助けて！誰か、救急車を呼んでください！
Help! Someone, call an ambulance!
Shout it; 'dareka' is 'someone'. Two emergency numbers: 110 for police, 119 for ambulance and fire, both free from any phone and with interpreters in the big cities. For a snatched bag shout 'dorobō!' (thief!), though that almost never happens. Every neighbourhood has a police box (交番 kōban) where officers help with anything from lost wallets to directions.
病院に行きたいですA2
byōin ni ikitai desu (byō-in: long o, two beats; i-ki-tai des)
体調が悪くて医者にみてもらいたいときの言い方。
I need a doctor (lit. I want to go to a hospital)
具合が悪いです。病院に行きたいです。 – 救急車を呼びましょうか？
I feel ill. I need to see a doctor. – Shall I call an ambulance?
In Japan you see a doctor at a 'byōin' (hospital) or 'kurinikku' (clinic), walk-in, and pay at the desk before you leave; 'guai ga warui' is 'I feel unwell'. Travel insurance matters because visitors pay the full price and may be asked for a card up front. 119 is the ambulance. The JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, answers in English around the clock and finds English-speaking clinics; hotel desks can also call one.
薬局はどこですか？A1
yakkyoku wa doko desu ka (yak-kyo-ku: hold the k; do-ko des-ka)
薬局の場所をたずねる言い方。市販薬はドラッグストアで買える。
Synonyms:ドラッグストア
Where is the pharmacy?
薬局はどこですか？ – あのドラッグストアにあります。
Where is the pharmacy? – There's one in that drugstore.
Two kinds: a ドラッグストア (drugstore chain such as Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Welcia or Sugi) sells over-the-counter medicine, cosmetics and snacks until late, while a 薬局 or 調剤薬局 (dispensing pharmacy, usually next to a clinic) fills prescriptions. No green cross here: look for the chain's colours or a big 薬 sign. Trap: some medicines that are routine at home are controlled in Japan (pseudoephedrine, some ADHD and strong painkillers), so check before you pack; local painkillers are milder.
警察を呼んでくださいA2
keisatsu o yonde kudasai (kei-sa-tsu; yon-de ku-da-sai)
事件や盗難のときに警察を呼んでもらう言い方。近くの交番でもよい。
Call the police, please
警察を呼んでください。財布を盗まれました。
Call the police, please. My wallet was stolen.
'Yonde kudasai' is 'please call'. Japan is safe but things get lost, and the 交番 (kōban, police box) on the corner is where lost items and reports go: 'otoshimono' is a lost item, and phones, umbrellas and wallets are usually handed in with the cash still inside. For insurance ask the kōban for a report ('todokede'). 110 is the direct number; 'tōnan' is theft.
道に迷いましたA1
michi ni mayoimashita (mi-chi ni ma-yoi-mash-ta; the i in 'shita' is almost silent)
自分がどこにいるかわからなくなったときに言う。
I'm lost
道に迷いました。浅草寺はどこですか？
I'm lost. Where is Sensō-ji temple?
No gendered forms in Japanese: everyone says it the same way. Say it at a kōban or to station staff and show the address on your phone; the reply is more often a walk to the corner than an explanation. Addresses run area, block, building rather than street and number, so even locals navigate by map app and landmarks; a business card from your hotel with its address in Japanese solves most taxi rides home.
タクシーを呼んでもらえますか？A2
takushī o yonde moraemasu ka (ta-ku-shī, long i; yon-de mo-ra-e-mas-ka)
タクシーを呼んでもらうときの丁寧な言い方。
Can you call a taxi, please?
タクシーを呼んでもらえますか？ – はい、どちらまでですか？
Could you call me a taxi? – Yes, where to?
'Yonde moraemasu ka' is the polite 'could you… for me'. Taxis are plentiful in cities, hailed in the street or from ranks, and the rear door opens and closes by itself: don't touch it. Drivers rarely speak English, so show the address written in Japanese or on a map; fares are metered from about ¥500, with a late-night surcharge, cards mostly accepted, no tip. The GO app, or Uber (which books ordinary taxis), skips the conversation entirely.
一A1
ichi (いち; i-chi, two even beats)
数字の一（1）。
one
大人一枚お願いします。
One adult ticket, please.
'Ichi' is the counting form; the word changes with what you count: 'hitotsu' for one thing when ordering, 'hitori' for one person, 'ichi-mai' for one ticket. Pointing plus 'hitotsu' is the traveler's shortcut around the counter system. In the fast count 'ichi, ni, san' the ch is crisp, like 'itchy'.
二A1
ni (に; a single short beat, like 'knee')
数字の二（2）。
two
二名です。
Two of us.
'Ni-mei' or 'futari' for two people, 'futatsu' for two things, 'ni-mai' for two tickets. Hold up two fingers as you say it; number gestures are understood at every counter. 'Ni-ban-sen' is platform two.
三A1
san (さん; one beat, flat nasal n, not 'sahn')
数字の三（3）。
three
三番線です。
Platform three.
'San-ban-sen' platform three, 'mittsu' three things, 'san-nin' three people. The same syllable is the honorific after names (Tanaka-san), so do not be confused when a hotel calls you 'Sumisu-san'. Three is a lucky number here.
四A1
yon / shi (よん・し; use 'yon' in almost every case)
数字の四（4）。「よん」と読むことが多い。
four
四名です。 – 少々お待ちください。
Four of us. – Please wait a moment.
Two readings, and the trap is that 'shi' also means death: hotels and hospitals skip room 4, and people say 'yon' when counting things: 'yon-mei' (four people), 'yon-ban-sen' (platform four), 'yon-hyaku' (400). 'Shi' survives only in fixed spots such as 'shi-gatsu' (April) and the rhythmic count 'ichi-ni-san-shi'. When in doubt, 'yon'.
五A1
go (ご; one short beat, like 'go' but clipped)
数字の五（5）。
five
五分くらいです。
About five minutes.
'Go-fun' is five minutes, 'go-hyaku en' is ¥500, the big coin worth hoarding for lockers and vending machines, and 'go-nin' five people. 'Itsutsu' is five things when pointing. 'Kurai' after a number means 'about'.
六A1
roku (ろく; ro-ku, two short beats, the r a light tap between r and l)
数字の六（6）。
six
六時に予約しています。
I have a reservation at six.
'Roku-ji' six o'clock; 'X-ji ni' is 'at' a time. Timetables use the 24-hour clock (18:00) but speech says 'roku-ji'. Dinner at six is normal in Japan and many kitchens take last orders by nine, so book early rather than late; 'roppyaku' is 600.
七A1
nana / shichi (なな・しち; 'nana' for counting, 'shichi' for seven o'clock)
数字の七（7）。「なな」と読むことが多い。
seven
朝食は七時からです。
Breakfast is from seven.
Two readings again: 'nana' in most counting ('nana-hyaku' 700, 'nana-mai' seven tickets) and 'shichi' for the time ('shichi-ji', seven o'clock) and July ('shichi-gatsu'). When in doubt say 'nana'; it is always understood and avoids the 'shichi' / 'ichi' mix-up across a noisy counter, which is exactly why locals prefer it too.
八A1
hachi (はち; ha-chi, two even beats)
数字の八（8）。
eight
八時に閉まります。
It closes at eight.
'Hachi-ji' eight o'clock, 'hachi-nin' eight people; before some counters it contracts to 'happ-': 'happyaku' (800), 'happun' (eight minutes). Hachikō, the dog statue at Shibuya station, is Tokyo's classic meeting point, and the name is 'hachi' plus a suffix.
九A1
kyū / ku (きゅう・く; kyū with a long u for counting, 'ku' for nine o'clock)
数字の九（9）。「きゅう」と読むことが多い。
nine
九番出口です。
It's exit nine.
'Kyū' in most counting ('kyū-hyaku' 900, 'kyū-mai' nine tickets, 'kyū-ban' number nine) but 'ku' for the time ('ku-ji', nine o'clock) and September ('ku-gatsu'). Like four, the short reading has a gloomy homonym ('ku', suffering), which is why 'kyū' is the safe everyday choice.
十A1
jū (じゅう; one long syllable, 'joo' held for two beats)
数字の十（10）。
ten
十分くらい歩きます。
It's about a ten-minute walk.
'Jū' with a long u; 'juppun' is ten minutes and 'jū-ji' ten o'clock. Bigger numbers stack: 'jū-ichi' 11, 'ni-jū' 20, 'hyaku' 100, 'sen' 1,000 and 'man' 10,000, the unit prices are quoted in ('ichi-man en' is ¥10,000, 'san-man en' ¥30,000).