100+ Essential Japanese Phrases for Tourists: Must-Know Expressions for Easy Travel in Japan
Knowing a few simple Japanese phrases can make your unique trip an unforgettable one, whether you’re visiting the neon streets of Tokyo, the shrines of Kyoto, or the street food vendors of Osaka.
This resource provides English translations, romaji, and pronunciations for over 100 key Japanese words for travelers, organized by category: greetings, directions, food, shopping, and emergencies.
๐ฌ Optional Tip: To assist readers in hearing native pronunciation, include brief audio clips next to each phrase using programs like Sound of Text or Forvo.
๐ฎ Section 1: Basic Japanese Greetings
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใใใซใกใฏ | Konnichiwa | Hello / Good afternoon |
| ใใฏใใใใใใพใใ | Ohayou gozaimasu | Good morning |
| ใใใฐใใฏ | Konbanwa | Good evening |
| ใฏใใใพใใฆ | Hajimemashite | Nice to meet you |
| ใใใใชใ | Sayounara | Goodbye |
| ใใใใฟใชใใ | Oyasuminasai | Good night |
| ใใใใจใ | Arigatou | Thank you |
| ใใใใจใใใใใพใ | Arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you (polite) |
| ใใฟใพใใใ | Sumimasen | Excuse me / Sorry |
| ใฉใใใใใพใใฆ | Dou itashimashite | Youโre welcome |
๐งญ Section 2: Getting Around (Transportation & Directions)
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ | ~ Wa doko desu ka? | Where is ~? |
| ้ง ใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ | Eki wa doko desu ka? | Where is the station? |
| ใใฎ้ป่ปใฏๆฑไบฌใซ่กใใพใใ๏ผ | Kono densha wa Toukyou ni ikimasu ka? | Does this train go to Tokyo? |
| ใในๅใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ | Basu-tei wa doko desu ka? | Where is the bus stop? |
| ๅณใงใ / ๅทฆใงใ | Migi desu / Hidari desu | Itโs to the right/left. |
| ๆญฉใใฆ่กใใพใใ๏ผ | Aruite ikemasu ka? | Can I walk there? |
| ใฟใฏใทใผใใ้กใใใพใใ | Takushii o onegaishimasu | Please call a taxi |
๐ฃ Section 3: Eating Out (Restaurants & Cafรฉs)
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใกใใฅใผใใใ ใใใ | Menyuu o kudasai | Please give me the menu |
| ใใใใใฏไฝใงใใ๏ผ | Osusume wa nan desu ka? | What do you recommend? |
| ๆฐดใใใ ใใใ | Mizu o kudasai | Water, please |
| ใไผ่จใใ้กใใใพใใ | Okaikei o onegaishimasu | The check, please |
| ็พๅณใใใงใ๏ผ | Oishii desu! | Itโs delicious! |
| ใใใฏไฝใงใใ๏ผ | Kore wa nan desu ka? | What is this? |
| ใใธใฟใชใขใณใงใ | Bejitarian desu | Iโm vegetarian |
| ใขใฌใซใฎใผใใใใพใใ | Arerugii ga arimasu | I have an allergy |
| ใใชใใงใ้กใใใพใ | ~ nashi de onegaishimasu | Without ~, please. |
๐๏ธ Section 4: Shopping and Money
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใใใใงใใ๏ผ | Ikura desu ka? | How much is it? |
| ใใใใใ ใใใ | Kore o kudasai | Iโll take this one |
| ่ฆใใ ใใงใใ | Miru dake desu | Just looking, thanks |
| ใฏใฌใธใใใซใผใใฏไฝฟใใพใใ๏ผ | Kurejitto kaado wa tsukaemasu ka? | Can I use a credit card? |
| ๅฎใใงใใญ๏ผ | Yasui desu ne! | Itโs cheap! |
| ้ซใใงใใญใ | Takai desu ne | Itโs expensive! |
| ่ฉฆ็ใใฆใใใใงใใ๏ผ | Shichaku shite mo ii desu ka? | Can I try it on? |
๐จ Section 5: Hotels & Accommodation
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ไบ็ดใใฆใใพใ | Yoyaku shiteimasu | I have a reservation |
| ใใงใใฏใคใณใใ้กใใใพใใ | Chekku in o onegaishimasu | Check-in, please |
| ใใงใใฏใขใฆใใฏไฝๆใงใใ๏ผ | Chekku auto wa nanji desu ka? | What time is check-out? |
| Wi-Fiใฏใใใพใใ๏ผ | Waifai wa arimasu ka? | Is there Wi-Fi? |
| ้ตใใชใใใพใใใ | Kagi o nakushimashita | I lost my key |
| ใทใฃใฏใผใๅบใพใใ | Shawaa ga demasen | The shower doesnโt work |
Visit here:
๐จ Section 6: Emergencies & Health
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ๅฉใใฆใใ ใใ๏ผ | Tasukete kudasai! | Help! |
| ่ญฆๅฏใๅผใใงใใ ใใใ | Keisatsu o yonde kudasai | Call the police! |
| ็ ้ขใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ | Byouin wa doko desu ka? | Where is the hospital? |
| ็ใใงใใ | Itai desu | It hurts |
| ่ฌๅฑใฏใฉใใงใใ๏ผ | Yakkyoku wa doko desu ka? | Where is the pharmacy? |
| ้ ญใ็ใใงใใ | Atama ga itai desu | I have a headache |
๐ฌ Section 7: Social & Cultural Phrases
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ใใใใใ้กใใใพใ | Yoroshiku onegaishimasu | Please treat me well. / nice to meet you |
| ใใใ๏ผ | Sugoi! | Amazing! |
| ใใใใ๏ผ | Kawaii! | Cute! |
| ใใใฐใฃใฆ๏ผ | Ganbatte! | Good luck / Do your best! |
| ใ็ฒใๆงใงใใ | Otsukaresama desu | Thank you for your hard work |
| ไน ใใถใใงใใญ๏ผ | Hisashiburi desu ne! | Long time no see! |
๐ง Bonus: Numbers and Time
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| ไธ (ใใก) | Ichi | 1 |
| ไบ (ใซ) | Ni | 2 |
| ไธ (ใใ) | San | 3 |
| ๅ (ใใ/ใ) | Yon/Shi | 4 |
| ไบ (ใ) | Go | 5 |
| ๅ ญ (ใใ) | Roku | 6 |
| ไธ (ใชใช/ใใก) | Nana/Shichi | 7 |
| ๅ ซ (ใฏใก) | Hachi | 8 |
| ไน (ใใ ใ) | Kyuu | 9 |
| ๅ (ใใ ใ) | Juu | 10 |
Common Time Expressions:
-
ไปไฝๆใงใใ๏ผ (Ima nanji desu ka?) โ What time is it now?
-
ไปๆฅ (Kyou) โ Today
-
ๆๆฅ (Ashita) โ Tomorrow
-
ๆจๆฅ (Kinou) โ Yesterday
๐ธ Conclusion: Speak with Confidence in Japan
Learning the Japanese phrases makes travel smoother and easierโand locals love it when you try! Even a polite โใใใใจใโ (Arigatou) or โใใฟใพใใโ (Sumimasen) can open doors and smiles.
