Japanese Phrases for Tourists: Travel Communication Made Easy

Planning a trip to Japan and want to learn a few Japanese Phrases?

Learning a few essential Japanese phrases can transform your travel experience.

While many Japanese people in tourist areas speak some English, trying to speak their language shows respect and can lead to more authentic interactions.

These key phrases will help you navigate, dine, shop, and handle various situations during your Japanese adventure.

Using the local language will make your trip smoother and create lasting memories of genuine connections with the people you meet.

Pronunciation Guide

Japanese pronunciation is remarkably consistent.

Here are the basics:

• Vowels: a (ah), i (ee), u (oo), e (eh), o (oh)
• Consonants: Pronounced similarly to English
• Stress: Generally even, with slight emphasis on the first syllable
• Long vowels: Indicated by doubling (aa, ii, oo) – hold the sound longer

Essential Greetings and Politeness

These phrases form the foundation of polite interaction in Japan:

Basic Greetings:

• Ohayou gozaimasu (oh-high-oh goh-zigh-mas) – Good morning
• Konnichiwa (kon-nee-chee-wah) – Hello (used throughout the day)
• Konbanwa (kon-ban-wah) – Good evening

Key Polite Expressions:

• Arigatou gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zigh-mas) – Thank you very much
• Sumimasen (soo-mee-mah-sen) – Excuse me/Sorry (incredibly useful!)
• Onegaishimasu (oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – Please (when making requests)
• Sayonara (sigh-oh-nah-rah) – Goodbye (formal)
• Ja mata (jah mah-tah) – See you later (casual)

Navigation and Transportation

Getting around Japan is much easier with these essential phrases.

Asking for Directions:

• Sumimasen, [place] wa doko desu ka? (soo-mee-mah-sen [place] wah doh-koh dess kah) – Excuse me, where is [place]?
• Kono juusho wa doko desu ka? (koh-no joo-shoh wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where is this address?
• Toire wa doko desu ka? (toy-reh wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where is the bathroom?
• Migi (mee-gee) – right, hidari (hee-dah-ree) – left, massugu (mas-soo-goo) – straight ahead
• Chikaku (chee-kah-koo) – near, tooku (toh-koo) – far

Important Locations:

• Eki (eh-kee) – station, kouen (koh-en) – park, ginkou (gin-koh) – bank
• Konbini (kon-bee-nee) – convenience store
• Byouin (byoh-een) – hospital, koban (koh-ban) – police box

Transportation:

• Basu noriba wa doko desu ka? (bah-soo noh-ree-bah wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where’s the bus stop?
• Chikatetsu no eki wa doko desu ka? (chee-kah-tets-oo no eh-kee wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where’s the nearest subway station?
• Densha no kippu wa ikura desu ka? (den-shah no kip-poo wah ee-koo-rah dess kah) – How much is a train ticket?
• [Place] made onegaishimasu ([place] mah-deh oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – To [place], please (for taxis)
• Takushii o yonde kudasai (tah-koo-shee oh yon-deh koo-dah-sigh) – Please call a taxi

Accommodation

At Your Hotel:

• Yoyaku ga arimasu (yoh-yah-koo gah ah-ree-mas) – I have a reservation
• Chekku-in o onegaishimasu (check-in oh oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – I’d like to check in, please
• Heya no kagi o kudasai (hey-yah no kah-gee oh koo-dah-sigh) – The room key, please
• Wi-Fi arimasu ka? (wai-fai ah-ree-mas kah) – Do you have Wi-Fi?
• Wi-Fi no pasuwaado wa nan desu ka? (wai-fai no pass-wah-doh wah nan dess kah) – What’s the Wi-Fi password?

For bathroom location, see “Asking for Directions” section above

Dining Out

Ordering Food:

• Eigo no menyuu arimasu ka? (eh-go no men-yoo ah-ree-mas kah) – Do you have an English menu?
• Menyuu o misete kudasai (men-yoo oh mee-seh-teh koo-dah-sigh) – Please show me the menu
• Bejitarian ryouri arimasu ka? (vej-tah-ree-an ryoh-ree ah-ree-mas kah) – Do you have vegetarian food?
• Osusume wa nan desu ka? (oh-soo-soo-meh wah nan dess kah) – What do you recommend?
• Kore o kudasai (koh-reh oh koo-dah-sigh) – This, please (while pointing)
• Koohii o kudasai (koh-hee oh koo-dah-sigh) – Coffee, please
• Mizu o kudasai (mee-zoo oh koo-dah-sigh) – Water, please

Dining Etiquette:

• Itadakimasu (ee-tah-dah-kee-mas) – Said before eating (like “bon appétit”)
• Oishii desu (oy-shee dess) – It’s delicious
• Gochisousama (goh-chee-soh-sah-mah) – Said after eating (thanks for the meal)
• Okaikei onegaishimasu (oh-kigh-kay oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – The bill, please

Shopping

Making Purchases:

• Ikura desu ka? (ee-koo-rah dess kah) – How much is it?
• Kore o kudasai (koh-reh oh koo-dah-sigh) – I’d like this, please
• Hoka no saizu arimasu ka? (hoh-kah no sigh-zoo ah-ree-mas kah) – Do you have other sizes?
• Hoka no iro arimasu ka? (hoh-kah no ee-roh ah-ree-mas kah) – Do you have other colors?
• Fukuro wa irimasen (foo-koo-roh wah ee-ree-mah-sen) – I don’t need a bag
• Kurejitto kaado de onegaishimasu (koo-reh-jit-toh kah-doh deh oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – Credit card, please

Essential Numbers

Number	Japanese	Pronunciation
1	ichi	ee-chee
2	ni	nee
3	san	sahn
4	yon/shi	yon/shee
5	go	goh
6	roku	roh-koo
7	nana/shichi	nah-nah/shee-chee
8	hachi	hah-chee
9	kyuu	kyoo
10	juu	joo
100	hyaku	hyah-koo
1,000	sen	sen
10,000	man	mahn

Time:

• Ima nanji desu ka? (ee-mah nahn-jee dess kah) – What time is it?
• Asa (ah-sah) – morning, hiru (hee-roo) – afternoon, yoru (yoh-roo) – evening/night
• Kyou (kyoh) – today, ashita (ah-shee-tah) – tomorrow, kinou (kee-noh) – yesterday

Emergencies and Getting Help

🚨MOST IMPORTANT EMERGENCY PHRASE:

TASUKETE KUDASAI! (tah-soo-keh-teh koo-dah-sigh) – PLEASE HELP ME!

Learn this phrase first as it could save your life.

Other Urgent Situations:

• Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai! (kyoo-kyoo-shah oh yon-deh koo-dah-sigh) – Please call an ambulance!
• Keisatsu o yonde kudasai! (kay-sah-tsoo oh yon-deh koo-dah-sigh) – Please call the police!
• Byouin wa doko desu ka? (byoh-een wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where is the hospital?

Health Issues:

• Guai ga warui desu (goo-igh gah wah-roo-ee dess) – I’m not feeling well
• Atama ga itai desu (ah-tah-mah gah ee-tigh dess) – I have a headache
• Onaka ga itai desu (oh-nah-kah gah ee-tigh dess) – I have a stomachache
• Kusuri ga hoshii desu (koo-soo-ree gah hoh-shee dess) – I need medicine

General Help:

• Eigo ga dekimasu ka? (eh-go gah deh-kee-mas kah) – Do you speak English?
• Yukkuri hanashite kudasai (yook-koo-ree hah-nah-shee-teh koo-dah-sigh) – Please speak slowly
• Mou ichido onegaishimasu (moh ee-chee-doh oh-neh-guy-shee-mas) – Once more, please

Quick Reference Card

Most Essential Phrases:

1. TASUKETE KUDASAI (tah-soo-keh-teh koo-dah-sigh) – PLEASE HELP ME!
2. Sumimasen (soo-mee-mah-sen) – Excuse me/Sorry
3. Arigatou gozaimasu (ah-ree-gah-toh goh-zigh-mas) – Thank you very much
4. [Place] wa doko desu ka? ([place] wah doh-koh dess kah) – Where is [place]?
5. Kore o kudasai (koh-reh oh koo-dah-sigh) – This, please
6. Ikura desu ka? (ee-koo-rah dess kah) – How much?
7. Eigo ga dekimasu ka? (eh-go gah deh-kee-mas kah) – Do you speak English?

Helpful Tips

• Use both hands when giving money or receiving business cards
• Bow slightly when greeting or thanking someone
• Download translation apps like Google Translate as backup
• Point to phrases in this guide if pronunciation is difficult
• Practice basic phrases before your trip
• Don’t worry about perfection – locals appreciate any effort to speak Japanese

Remember, even if your pronunciation isn’t perfect, Japanese people will greatly appreciate your effort to communicate in their language.

These Japanese phrases will open doors to more meaningful interactions and show respect for Japanese culture.

And if you want to take a few lessons before your trip, then you can find great Japanese instructors who speak English here.