Japanese Travel Phrases for Tourists
Most Japanese travel phrasebooks teach you how to talk. That is the easy half. The half that actually goes wrong is listening — you deliver your line, the staff member answers with a perfectly ordinary question, and the whole exchange stops because nobody taught you what was coming back.
So this is organised around the moment you are standing in, and every phrase set comes with the replies you will hear. Everything is written in romaji as well as Japanese, so you do not need to read kana to use any of it.
Eight phrases worth knowing before you land
These are the ones that come up in the first few hours: immigration, a train card, a konbini counter, a restaurant. If you learn nothing else, learn these.
| What you want to say | Say it like this | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism. / I'm here for sightseeing. | Kankou desu. | 観光です。 |
| I'll stay seven days. | Nanoka-kan taizai shimasu. | 七日間滞在します。 |
| Yes, please. (accept a bag / heating) | Onegai shimasu. | お願いします。 |
| No thanks. / I'm okay. (decline anything) | Daijoubu desu. | 大丈夫です。 |
| This one, please. (point at the photo or item as you say it) | Kore o kudasai. | これをください。 |
| What do you recommend? | Osusume wa nan desu ka? | おすすめは何ですか？ |
| A Welcome Suica, please. | Werukamu Suika o kudasai. | ウェルカムSuicaをください。 |
| I'd like to charge 1,000 yen. | Sen-en chaaji shitai desu. | 千円チャージしたいです。 |
What staff say back — the part phrasebooks skip
Here is the konbini counter, which you will hit more times than anything else in Japan. The questions are near-identical at every chain, so once you can recognise these three you can stop bracing for them.
Phrases by situation
Each of these is a full page — what actually happens there, the phrases worth having ready, what you will hear, and what commonly goes wrong.
- Airport & arrival — Immigration, customs, baggage and getting out of the airport.
- Konbini — The counter script, the bag question, and finding what you need.
- IC cards & local trains — Suica/ICOCA, topping up, tickets and finding the right platform.
- Shinkansen — Reserved vs non-reserved seats, the JR Pass, and the ticket window.
- Taxis & buses — Getting in, saying where you're going, and paying on a local bus.
- Restaurants — Getting a table, the wait-list, ordering, and ticket-machine meals.
- Allergies & diets — Allergies, "no ___", vegetarian and halal — how to actually be understood.
- Cafés & izakaya — Coffee to go, the izakaya opening moves, and asking for the bill.
- Shopping — "How much?", sizes and colours, trying things on, tax-free.
- Cash & ATMs — Which ATMs take foreign cards, and paying with cash and coins.
- Directions & help — Asking the way, the police box, lost property, and photo requests.
- Hotels — Checking in, luggage storage, and checking out.
- Onsen & sento — The washing-first rule, tattoos, towels, and what not to do.
- Pharmacy & emergencies — The drugstore, describing symptoms, and 119 / 110 when it's serious.
Hacks & etiquette
Insider moves + how to behave — konbini, money, manners, temples & onsen.
🚃 Getting around
- One IC card does everything — Grab a rechargeable IC card (Suica, Pasmo or ICOCA) and it covers trains, subways, buses and even konbini snacks. Just tap it flat on the reader at the gate and wait for the beep, then tap again when you exit. No need to figure out fares or buy paper tickets.
- Tap your IC card at vending machines too — Those drink vending machines on every corner take your IC card as well as coins. Just tap the same card you use for trains and grab your drink. It is the fastest way to spend that leftover balance. これでお願いします。
- Google Maps is your best friend — Google Maps transit directions in Japan are incredibly accurate. It tells you the exact platform, which train car to board for the fastest exit, and the price. Trust it completely and you will never get lost.
- Stand left, walk right on escalators — Stand on the left side of the escalator and leave the right side clear for people walking. The one big exception is Osaka and much of the Kansai region, where it flips: stand on the right there. When unsure, just copy the locals.
🏪 Konbini & shopping
- Konbini do absolutely everything — Convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Lawson and FamilyMart are travel lifesavers. They have ATMs, clean toilets, free wifi, hot meals, and can even print event tickets. You are never far from one, so make them your go-to for anything.
- Pour your coins into the machine — At the register you will often see a small coin slot or tray on the payment machine. Just pour all your coins in and it counts them for you and returns the change. It is a great way to clear out that heavy pocket of yen coins. カードは使えますか。
- Tax-free shopping with your passport — Spend over 5,000 yen at a tax-free shop and you can skip the roughly 10 percent consumption tax. Just bring your passport to the register or a dedicated tax-free counter. Look for the red and white tax-free sticker on the door.
- Free, clean toilets are everywhere — Public toilets at konbini, train stations and department stores are free and spotlessly clean, often with heated seats. You never have to pay or hunt around. When nature calls, just pop into the nearest konbini or station.
💴 Money
- Carry cash, always — Japan still loves cash, and plenty of small restaurants, shrines and shops are cash-only. Keep a decent amount of yen on you so you are never caught out. A small coin purse helps, since you will collect a lot of coins.
- Konbini ATMs take foreign cards — The ATMs inside 7-Eleven (7-Bank) and other konbini accept foreign cards 24 hours a day, with English menus. They are the easiest and most reliable way to withdraw yen. Many local bank ATMs reject foreign cards, so stick with these.
- Never tip, ever — Tipping is not part of Japanese culture and can actually cause confusion or embarrassment. Great service is simply the standard here. Leaving extra money on the table may have staff chasing you down to return it.
- Ask card or cash before you order — To avoid an awkward surprise at the till, check whether a place takes cards before you sit down and order. A quick question saves you scrambling for cash later. When in doubt, assume it is cash-only. カードは使えますか、それとも現金だけですか。
🙇 Manners & etiquette
- “Irasshaimase!” just means “welcome” — The moment you step into almost any shop, konbini, or restaurant, the staff sing out “Irasshaimase!” It's a warm welcome, NOT a question — you don't have to say anything back. A small nod or smile is perfect. Once you know it, it stops being startling and starts feeling lovely. いらっしゃいませ！
- Keep it quiet on trains — Trains are peaceful spaces, so set your phone to silent (manner mode) and avoid taking calls onboard. Talk softly if you chat with a friend. Locals often nap or read, and following their calm lead is always welcome. マナーモードにします。
- Carry your trash with you — Public bins are surprisingly rare in Japan, so keep a small bag for your rubbish and dispose of it later at your hotel or a konbini. Nobody will mind you carrying it around. It is a big reason the streets stay so clean.
- Slurp your noodles, but do not eat while walking — Slurping ramen or soba is totally fine and even shows you are enjoying it, so go for it. But eating while walking down the street is frowned upon. Finish your snack near the shop or find a spot to stand.
- A small bow goes a long way — You do not need to master formal bowing. A gentle little nod of the head when saying thank you or sorry is warmly received everywhere. Pair it with a smile and you will fit right in. ありがとうございます。
- Chopstick no-nos and taking off shoes — Never stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice or pass food chopstick-to-chopstick, as both echo funeral customs. Also, take your shoes off wherever you see a step up, a genkan entrance, or shoe lockers. When in doubt, follow what others do.
⛩️ Temples & shrines
- Praying at a Shinto shrine (jinja) — At a shrine, toss a coin in the offering box, then bow deeply twice, clap your hands twice, make your wish, and finish with one more deep bow. The rhythm is two bows, two claps, one bow. A 5-yen coin (go-en) is considered especially lucky. 二礼二拍手一礼
- Praying at a Buddhist temple (o-tera) — At a Buddhist temple the custom is different: simply press your palms together quietly in front of your chest and bow your head. Do NOT clap here, as clapping is only for Shinto shrines. Toss your coin in the box first, then pray in silence. お寺
- Purify at the water basin first — Before approaching the main hall, stop at the temizuya water basin near the entrance. Scoop water with the ladle to rinse your left hand, then your right, then pour a little into your hand to rinse your mouth (never drink from the ladle). This little cleanse readies you for prayer. 手水舎
- Walk to the side, and mind the photo rules — The centre of the path leading up to a shrine is reserved for the gods, so walk along the side out of respect. Also watch for no-photo signs, especially inside temple halls and near sacred objects. A quick glance around tells you what is allowed.
♨️ Onsen & baths
- Wash fully before you get in — The number one rule: sit on a shower stool and wash and rinse your entire body thoroughly before entering the bath. The shared water is kept pure, so never bring soap or shampoo into the pool. Everyone does this, so just follow along.
- No swimsuits, you bathe naked — Onsen are enjoyed completely naked, with no swimsuits allowed. It feels unusual at first, but everyone is in the same boat and nobody pays any attention. Relax and enjoy the soak the way it is meant to be.
- Keep the little towel out of the water — You get a small towel for washing and modesty, but it must never touch the bath water. Most people fold it up and rest it on their head, or leave it at the edge of the bath. Also tie up long hair so it stays out of the water.
- Tattoos may need covering — Some onsen still refuse guests with tattoos, though attitudes are relaxing fast in tourist areas like Hakone and Beppu. Look for a tattoo-friendly onsen, use a cover-up patch for small ink, or book a private bath (kashikiri) to be safe. A quick check ahead saves any awkwardness.
Reading them is not the same as saying them
Everything above is free and always will be. The gap it does not close is the one between recognising a phrase on a page and producing it at a counter with three people behind you — which is a different skill, and the only way to build it is under a bit of time pressure. That is what PlaneHopper does: the same situations, but as a 10-second roleplay where the staff member speaks first and you have to answer.
If the trip has turned into an actual interest in the language, the free JLPT N5 course starts from zero, and the learning guides cover hiragana, kanji and grammar.
Frequently asked questions
How much Japanese do you need to travel in Japan?
Less than people expect, but not zero. Signs and menus in tourist areas are widely translated, and staff will meet you far more than halfway. What actually catches travellers out is not speaking — it is understanding the four or five fixed questions that get asked at a counter. Learn to recognise those and most days go smoothly.
Do I need to read hiragana to use Japanese travel phrases?
No. Every phrase on these pages is written in romaji as well as Japanese, so you can say all of it without reading a single kana. Learning hiragana is worth it if you are staying a while, because it unlocks menus and signs, but it is not a prerequisite for a trip.
Will people in Japan speak English to me?
In major stations, big hotels and tourist-facing restaurants, often yes or enough to get by. Away from those — a neighbourhood konbini, a local bus, a small pharmacy, a koban — frequently not. That is exactly where a handful of phrases stops being polite garnish and starts being useful.
What is the most useful Japanese phrase for a tourist?
Sumimasen. It works as 'excuse me' to get attention, as 'sorry' when you are in the way, and as 'thank you' when someone has gone out of their way for you. If you learn one word before flying, learn that one.
Is it rude to speak bad Japanese in Japan?
No. Trying is read as courtesy, and mistakes are almost universally met with patience. The genuinely rude things are behavioural rather than linguistic — talking loudly on trains, not washing before getting into an onsen, blocking a queue at a ticket gate.
Should I use Google Translate in Japan?
For reading — menus, labels, signs — the camera translation is genuinely excellent and you should use it. For speaking it is much weaker in practice: it is slow at a counter, it mangles polite forms, and it cannot help you understand a question that was already asked. The two solve different problems and it is worth having both.
What do Japanese shop staff say at the checkout?
A near-fixed sequence: a greeting, then whether you have a point card, whether you want a bag, and whether you want a hot item warmed up. The wording varies slightly by chain but the questions do not, which is why they are worth learning as a set rather than one at a time.
Can I get by in Japan with only English?
Many people do, particularly on a short trip through Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. It works until something goes slightly wrong — a missed connection, a pharmacy, lost property, a restaurant with no picture menu. A small phrase set is cheap insurance against exactly those moments.