Essential Japanese Phrases for Travelers

Japan remains an enormously popular travel destination, and while many tourist areas offer English signage and support, a handful of Japanese phrases go a long way, both practically and in how they're received.

Greetings and politeness

こんにちは konnichiwa (hello), ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu (thank you, polite form), すみません sumimasen (excuse me/sorry — genuinely one of the most useful, frequently used phrases for travellers), お願いします onegaishimasu (please) — small courtesies genuinely valued in Japan.

Politeness matters even as a visitor

As covered in more detail in our politeness levels article, using the standard polite (-masu/-desu) form is a safe, appropriate default even for a short-term visitor with limited Japanese — locals generally appreciate the effort, even with an imperfect accent or limited vocabulary.

Getting around

すみません、〜はどこですか sumimasen, ~wa doko desu ka (excuse me, where is ~?), いくらですか ikura desu ka (how much does it cost?) — practical navigation and shopping phrases.

Dining

二人お願いします futari onegaishimasu (two people, please — useful when seated at a restaurant), お会計お願いします okaikei onegaishimasu (the bill, please), おいしい oishii (delicious) — genuinely useful, appreciated phrases in restaurants.

Common signage recognition

Being able to recognise a handful of common written words — 出口 (exit), 入口 (entrance), お手洗い (restroom) — is practically useful and reinforces growing kanji recognition, covered in more detail in our writing systems article.

Emergencies and help

手伝っていただけますか tetsudatte itadakemasu ka (could you help me?), わかりません wakarimasen (I don't understand), 英語を話せますか eigo wo hanasemasu ka (can you speak English?) — practical fallback phrases.

A practical pre-trip habit

Look up and practice the phrases you know you'll actually need — check-in, dining, directions — and download your dictionary app before travelling so it works offline once you land, particularly useful given Japan's excellent but sometimes complex transit system where quick lookups matter.

Look up any Japanese word or phrase instantly, offline, with English Japanese Dictionary →