Planning & Tips

50+ Basic Japanese Phrases for Travel: Speak Confidently in Japan

Eimee Rodriguez

I spill travel tips , and show you the Japan that tourists usually miss.

7 July 2026

Heading to Japan? Learn the most useful basic Japanese phrases for travel—from greetings and restaurant tips to asking for directions. Easy, essential phrases that will make your trip smoother and more fun.

Planning your first Japan trip? Read these next

Best Apps For Japan Travel – for translation tools, maps, train routes, food help, and all the tiny digital life-savers you will absolutely want in your pocket.
How To Get Around Tokyo – for making Tokyo’s train system feel less like a puzzle designed by a caffeinated octopus.
Suica Card Guide – for trains, buses, vending machines, konbini snacks, and the quiet joy of not buying paper tickets every five minutes.
Beginner’s Guide To The Shinkansen Train In Japan – for bullet train basics, luggage rules, seat choices, and not looking wildly confused on the platform.
Best Japan Itinerary – for turning your phrase practice into an actual route across Japan, without accidentally planning a train marathon.

The Japanese pronunciation

Japanese pronunciation can seem intimidating, but don’t panic! It’s all about practice, and you’ll just need a little practice to feel more comfortable.

Vowels, AIUEO

Japanese lanterns with words in Japanese

The A , the I and the O are pronounced as in French.
Contrary to what we often hear, the U has not pronounced OU , but rather halfway between the French U and the E (as in the pronunciation of “euh”). At the end of certain words like desu , the U can thus become completely silent.
Le E if pronounced É .
The stroke over a vowel (like ō) means that the vowel is doubled as if pronounced twice in a row. “ ō ” = “ oo ”.

Consonants

Unlike in English, consonants are never written alone. Each consonant is necessarily associated with one of the five vowels (the Y being halfway between the consonant and the vowel), except the N, which can be alone.
The R is pronounced halfway between the Spanish rolled R and the L.
The H is aspirated as in English.
The CH is pronounced like a light TCH .
The J is pronounced like a light DJ .
The S is pronounced like a Ç, and the Z is pronounced Z (so we pronounce wasabi and not wazabi as we sometimes hear).
A doubled consonant is slightly accented using a very short pause between the two letters (e.g. the two N’s in konnichi wa ).

Basics in Japanese

Word written in Japanese on exit sign among ferns

English	Transcription
Good morning)	ohayō gozaimasu
Hello (during the day)	konnichiwa
Good evening	konbanwa
Goodbye (polite)	sayonara
See you	mata ato de
Goodbye (from English bye-bye, casual)	bai bai
See you (casual)	mata ne
Please	onegai shimasu
Thank you (polite)	arigato gozaimasu
Thank you (more casual)	arigato
It was nothing	do itashimashite
An all-purpose polite formula that can be used when introducing yourself to someone	yoroshiku onegai shimasu
What is your name ?	o namae wa nan desu ka?
My name is …	watashi no namae wa… desu
How are you doing ?	o genki desu ka?
I’m fine / I’m not fine	watashi wa genki/genki ja nai desu
Where are you from ?	doko kara kimashita?
I come from	kara kimashita
What nationality are you ?	nani jin desu ka?
I am	desu
Excuse me (to approach someone, or to apologize)	sumimasen
I’m sorry (to apologize for something more serious)	gomen nasai
It’s not serious	daijōbu desu
I don’t know, I don’t understand	wakarimasen

Expressions for orientation

Night city street and light latern adorned with japanese words

English	Transcription
Where is the station ?	eki wa doko desu ka?
Where is the restroom ?	toire wa doko desu ka?
How do we get to…?	… made do yatte ikimasu ka?
I would like one / two / three / four tickets for … please.	… made no kippu wo hitotsu / futatsu / mittsu / yottsu kudasai
I have a JR pass	JR-Pass wo motte imasu
I would like to buy a Suika card	suika-kādo wo kaitai desu
What time is the last train?	shūden wa nan ji ni mairimasu ka
The Subway	chikatetsu
The bus	basu
Is there a taxi stand?	takushii noriba wa arimasu ka?
Where is the taxi stand?	takushii noriba wa doko desu ka?
I would like to go to …	… ni ikitai desu
How much does it cost to go to …?	…made wa ikura desu ka?
Right	cities
Left	hidari
Straight ahead	massugu
U-turn	U (pronounced in English, you ) tān
Before	mae ni
Behind	ushiro
Beside …	…no tonari
I’m lost	michi ni mayotta desu
Could you show me the way to …?	… made no ikikata wo oshiete kuremasu ka?
What time is it ?	ima nan ji desu ka?

Expressions to understand and be understood

Hanging wooden plates with japanese calligraphy on them

English	Transcription
I did not understand very well	yoku wakarimasen deshita
Could you please repeat ?	mō ikkai itte kuremasu ka?
Would you speak slower, please ?	mō chotto yukkuri hanashite kuremasu ka?
Could you speak louder please?	motto ōki koe de hanashite kuremasu ka?
I only speak a little Japanese	nihongo wo chotto shika wakaranai desu
I don’t speak Japanese at all	nihongo wo zenzen wakaranai desu
Do you speak English?	eigo wo wakarimasu ka?
What does mean … ?	…wa dō iu imi desu ka?
What is this ?	kore wa nan desu ka?

Useful expressions in the restaurants or shops

Japanese calligraphy on red item in the woods

English	Transcription
How much does it cost ?	kore wa ikura desu ka?
I would like to buy this	kore wo kaitai desu
We are two (to ask for a table)	futari desu
A beer/a glass of water please	bīru/mizu wo hitotsu kudasai
The check, please	o kaikei kudasai
A beer/a glass of water, please	kurejitto kādo wo tsukaemasu ka?
Is there a ticket machine?	ATM wa arimasu ka?

A few more tips to help you

One of the golden rules in Japan is respect. Here are some tips to go unnoticed and not get noticed in the bad sense of the word.

Never eat while walking in the street, even if it is only a small snack. This rule is also valid on the train, except for the Shinkansen.
No smoking in the street: it is forbidden, except in places designated by signs. On the other hand, it is generally not forbidden to smoke in restaurants as well as bars.
Avoid speaking loudly, especially on public transport;
Do not tip when you go to a restaurant; it can be considered an insult.
Pay attention to the Kabukichō district in Shinjuku, which is known to be home to yakuza and trafficking.

How to improve in Japanese?

If learning a few expressions bit by bit can be very useful during a trip, it takes a little more to achieve mastery of a foreign language. Don’t panic, learning has nothing to do with your old-school memories! Here are some websites and apps to get you started practising Japanese.

NHK-World is an accessible and free way to learn fast
Duolingo : to discover the different alphabets and the basics
Renshuu– a highly engaging app with in-depth explanations of vocabulary, grammar, and kanji, plus customizable quizzes to test your progress. The app also offers fun learning games to test your skills, such as crosswords and Shiritori.
FluentU– Authentic Japanese media clips transformed into language learning lessons.