Survival Phrases for Travelling Japan
If you don’t know any Japanese, here are Tanuki’s 12 survival phrases for travelling Japan. This list covers everything from how to greet, express thanks, get directions, get help, and more. Japan is a country where there are few English speakers. You’ll definitely want to know a few basic phrases before your trip!
Tanuki’s friend, Panda, visited Japan for the first time and knew no Japanese. With the help of this list, Panda had a great time in Japan.
1. Konnichiwa – こんにちは。- Hello
The first thing you’ll want to do when you interact in Japanese is to greet the other person. For travelling in Japan, it would be ok for foreigners to use this greeting all day long. Note that in the long run, you’ll have to learn the separate greetings for each time of day (konnichiwa is used only for the day time).
2. Sumimasen. – すみません。- Excuse me.
If you want to make a request, you’ll almost always start by saying this phrase. For example, this could be useful when you need directions, looking for help, or you’re ordering food.
3. Arigatou – ありがとう。- Thank you.
There’s a good chance you already know this phrase, but it’s important to express gratitude if someone helps you. Arigatou will work perfectly for travellers expressing thanks.
4. Kore wa nan desu ka? – これは何ですか? – What is this?
If you want to know what something is, you can point to the object and say this phrase. This is useful if you’re confused by something, or you want to know the name of the dish you just ate!
5. Toire wa doko desuka? – トイレはどこですか？- Where is the bathroom?
Finding bathrooms can often be difficult when travelling. Here is a phrase you can ask someone if you can’t find one. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
6. _____ o kudasai. – _____ を下さい。- I would like to have _____.
This is a useful phrase when you need something. You can use this for ordering food, picking out souvenirs, and anything else you can think of. Try putting a word in English in the blank or pointing at the item while saying the phrase.
7. Eigo ga hanasemasuka? – 英語が話せますか？-Do you speak English?
If you really need help, you might want to use this phrase. Even if the person you’re talking with can’t speak English, they might be able to go and find someone who can.
8. Wakarimasen. – わかりません。- I don’t understand.
When trying to communicate in Japanese, there might be times when you don’t understand what the other person is saying. You can say this phrase to indicate that you don’t understand. The other person will try to speak slower or explain to you in other ways.
9. _____ wa doko desuka? – _____ はどこですか？- Where is _______?
If you are looking for directions, you can put the location in the blank and ask this phrase. This is useful for finding your hotel, landmarks, and other locations. If you don’t understand the directions they give you, you can also try handing your phone or map and get them to point it out to you.
10. ikura desuka? – いくらですか？- How much is this?
When out shopping, you’ll want to know the prices of things. Try this phrase to find out the prices. In Japan, all of the prices are normally written out clearly. In Japan, there isn’t a custom to haggle, so don’t try to negotiate prices!
11. Tasukete kudasai! – 助けて下さい！- Please help me!
In situations where you need help, you’ll want to use this phrase. This can be used when you’re trying to figure out how to buy train tickets, or even for serious situations when you need medical help.
12. Guai ga warui desu – 具合が悪いです。- I don’t feel well.
If you don’t feel well and need help, you can use this phrase. Someone will be able to direct you to a hospital. In serious cases, they’ll also be able to call an ambulance for you.
I hope that this list of 12 survival phrases for travelling Japan was helpful! If you want to learn more in depth Japanese, here are some articles for beginners How to order food at a restaurant in Japanese or How to say sorry in Japanese: 10 useful phrases
~Tanuki