Learn Japanese
Japanese phrases for travellers
旅行で使える日本語りょこうでつかえるにほんごryokō de tsukaeru NihongoThe expressions that open doors on a trip to Japan
A handful of polite Japanese phrases – sumimasen, arigatō gozaimasu, onegaishimasu – goes a long way in Japan. This guide collects the expressions travellers use most, from greetings and ordering food to asking the way and getting help, with kana, romaji and meanings.
Most people working in hotels, stations and tourist areas in Japan are used to foreign visitors, and signs in major cities are often in English. Even so, a few Japanese words make daily encounters smoother and are warmly received. Politeness matters more than grammar: a clear 'sumimasen' and 'arigatō gozaimasu' with a slight bow will serve better than a long, hesitant sentence.
The phrases below use the polite forms appropriate for talking to strangers and staff. Romaji follows the Hepburn system; a macron (ō, ū) marks a long vowel, held for twice as long. The final 'u' in -masu and desu is barely pronounced.
Greetings and basics
Japanese greetings change with the time of day. Shop and restaurant staff greet customers with 'irasshaimase' (welcome); no reply is expected beyond a nod. Sumimasen is the all-purpose word: it gets attention, apologises and thanks someone who has gone to trouble for you.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| おはようございます | ohayō gozaimasu | Good morning |
| こんにちは | konnichiwa | Hello, good afternoon |
| こんばんは | konbanwa | Good evening |
| さようなら | sayōnara | Goodbye (for a longer parting) |
| おやすみなさい | oyasuminasai | Good night |
| はい / いいえ | hai / iie | Yes / no |
| すみません | sumimasen | Excuse me; sorry; thank you |
| ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you (polite) |
| どういたしまして | dō itashimashite | You're welcome |
| ごめんなさい | gomen nasai | I'm sorry |
| はじめまして | hajimemashite | Nice to meet you |
| 〜です | … desu | I am … (name, nationality) |
Politeness and getting by
When the conversation runs beyond your Japanese, these phrases help. Onegaishimasu turns almost any noun into a polite request: 'kore, onegaishimasu' means 'this one, please'. Japanese has elaborate honorific language (keigo), but visitors are not expected to master it.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お願いします | onegaishimasu | Please (when asking for something) |
| ください | kudasai | Please give me … |
| 大丈夫です | daijōbu desu | It's fine / no thank you |
| 分かりません | wakarimasen | I don't understand |
| 日本語が少しだけ話せます | Nihongo ga sukoshi dake hanasemasu | I speak only a little Japanese |
| 英語を話せますか | Eigo o hanasemasu ka | Do you speak English? |
| もう一度お願いします | mō ichido onegaishimasu | Once more, please |
| ゆっくりお願いします | yukkuri onegaishimasu | Slowly, please |
| これは何ですか | kore wa nan desu ka | What is this? |
In a restaurant
Staff usually ask how many people are in the group and show the table. Many restaurants have picture menus, plastic food models or ordering tablets. Before eating, people say 'itadakimasu', and after the meal 'gochisōsama deshita' – a thank-you to the cook and host that visitors are always welcome to use.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 二人です | futari desu | Two people (table for two) |
| メニューをお願いします | menyū o onegaishimasu | The menu, please |
| 英語のメニューはありますか | Eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka | Is there an English menu? |
| これをください | kore o kudasai | This one, please |
| おすすめは何ですか | osusume wa nan desu ka | What do you recommend? |
| お水をください | omizu o kudasai | Water, please |
| 〜が食べられません | … ga taberaremasen | I can't eat … |
| いただきます | itadakimasu | Said before eating |
| ごちそうさまでした | gochisōsama deshita | Thank you for the meal (after eating) |
| お会計お願いします | okaikei onegaishimasu | The bill, please |
| おいしいです | oishii desu | It's delicious |
Chopsticks, slurping and paying.
How ordering works in a Japanese pub.
Shopping
Prices in shops are fixed and haggling is not customary. The cashier will often ask whether a bag is needed, since plastic bags are charged for, and whether the customer is paying by card or cash.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| いくらですか | ikura desu ka | How much is it? |
| これをください | kore o kudasai | I'll take this |
| 見ているだけです | mite iru dake desu | I'm just looking |
| カードは使えますか | kādo wa tsukaemasu ka | Can I pay by card? |
| 袋はいりません | fukuro wa irimasen | I don't need a bag |
| 免税できますか | menzei dekimasu ka | Is tax-free shopping possible? |
| 試着してもいいですか | shichaku shite mo ii desu ka | May I try it on? |
| もっと大きい/小さいのはありますか | motto ōkii / chiisai no wa arimasu ka | Do you have a bigger / smaller one? |
How visitors can shop without consumption tax.
Where to shop and what to bring home.
Directions
When asking the way, start with 'sumimasen' and name the place followed by 'wa doko desu ka' – 'where is …?'. Answers often come with a gesture or a hand-drawn map; showing the destination on a phone also helps.
| Japanese | Reading | 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 is the toilet? |
| 駅 | eki | Station |
| 右 / 左 | migi / hidari | Right / left |
| まっすぐ | massugu | Straight ahead |
| 近いですか | chikai desu ka | Is it close? |
| 歩いて行けますか | aruite ikemasu ka | Can I walk there? |
| この住所に行きたいです | kono jūsho ni ikitai desu | I want to go to this address |
Trains, taxis and hotels
Station staff and ticket machines handle most questions, and announcements on major lines are also given in English. Taxi doors open and close automatically, and showing the address on a phone or card is the surest way to arrive at the right place.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 〜まで、お願いします | … made, onegaishimasu | To …, please (taxi) |
| この電車は〜に行きますか | kono densha wa … ni ikimasu ka | Does this train go to …? |
| 何番線ですか | nanban-sen desu ka | Which platform? |
| 次の駅は何ですか | tsugi no eki wa nan desu ka | What is the next station? |
| 指定席 / 自由席 | shitei-seki / jiyū-seki | Reserved seat / non-reserved seat |
| 切符 | kippu | Ticket |
| 乗り換え | norikae | Change of trains |
| チェックインお願いします | chekku-in onegaishimasu | I'd like to check in |
| 予約しています | yoyaku shite imasu | I have a reservation |
| 荷物を預かってもらえますか | nimotsu o azukatte moraemasu ka | Could you keep my luggage? |
Trains, buses, taxis and route planning.
Japan's high-speed trains.
Emergencies and health
The emergency numbers are 110 for the police and 119 for fire and ambulance. Tasukete is a cry for help; in a pharmacy or hospital, pointing and simple phrases work well, and many large hospitals have interpreters or translation devices.
| Japanese | Reading | 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 |
| 警察を呼んでください | keisatsu o yonde kudasai | Please call the police |
| 病院 | byōin | Hospital |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | Pharmacy |
| 気分が悪いです | kibun ga warui desu | I feel unwell |
| ここが痛いです | koko ga itai desu | It hurts here |
| アレルギーがあります | arerugī ga arimasu | I have an allergy |
| 道に迷いました | michi ni mayoimashita | I am lost |
| 財布をなくしました | saifu o nakushimashita | I have lost my wallet |
Emergency numbers, hotlines and help for visitors.
Kōban
交番kōbanNeighbourhood police box, also the place to ask the way or report lost property.
Numbers
Japanese has two sets of numbers: Sino-Japanese numbers (ichi, ni, san) for counting, prices, times and dates, and native Japanese numbers (hitotsu, futatsu) up to ten, which are convenient for ordering items without knowing the right counter word. Four and seven have two readings each; yon and nana are safer in speech.
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一 / 一つ | ichi / hitotsu | 1 / one (item) |
| 二 / 二つ | ni / futatsu | 2 / two (items) |
| 三 / 三つ | san / mittsu | 3 / three (items) |
| 四 / 四つ | yon (shi) / yottsu | 4 / four (items) |
| 五 / 五つ | go / itsutsu | 5 / five (items) |
| 六 / 六つ | roku / muttsu | 6 / six (items) |
| 七 / 七つ | nana (shichi) / nanatsu | 7 / seven (items) |
| 八 / 八つ | hachi / yattsu | 8 / eight (items) |
| 九 / 九つ | kyū / kokonotsu | 9 / nine (items) |
| 十 / 十 | jū / tō | 10 / ten (items) |
| 百 / 千 / 万 | hyaku / sen / man | 100 / 1,000 / 10,000 |
Vowels, long sounds and pitch.
The basic syllabary for reading Japanese.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to speak Japanese to travel in Japan?
No. Transport, hotels and major sights are well signposted in English, and translation apps fill most gaps. A few polite phrases are still appreciated and make encounters easier.
What is the most useful Japanese word for travellers?
Sumimasen. It means 'excuse me' to get attention, 'sorry' for small inconveniences and 'thank you' when someone has taken trouble for you.
Is arigatō enough to say thank you?
Arigatō on its own is casual. With strangers, staff and older people, the polite arigatō gozaimasu is more appropriate.
How do I say 'I don't speak Japanese'?
Nihongo ga hanasemasen, or, if you know a few words, Nihongo ga sukoshi dake hanasemasu – 'I speak only a little Japanese'.
What do I say before and after a meal?
Itadakimasu before eating and gochisōsama deshita afterwards, for example when leaving a restaurant.