These nine cover roughly eighty percent of the social contact you'll have, and Japanese people are genuinely delighted when visitors attempt them.

• Hello / good afternoon

  こんにちは

  Konnichiwa

  /kon-ni-chi-wa/

  The daytime greeting, roughly 10am until dark. The final は is written 'ha' but always pronounced 'wa'.

• Good morning

  おはようございます

  Ohayō gozaimasu

  /o-ha-yo-o go-za-i-mass/

  Before about 10am. You can drop the gozaimasu with friends, but never with hotel or shop staff.

• Good evening

  こんばんは

  Konbanwa

  /kom-ban-wa/

  After dark. The n before b naturally softens to an m sound. Same は-pronounced-wa rule as konnichiwa.

• Thank you

  ありがとうございます

  Arigatō gozaimasu

  /a-ri-ga-to-o go-za-i-mass/

  Use the past form ありがとうございました (arigatō gozaimashita, 'a-ri-ga-to-o go-za-i-mash-ta') when the kindness is finished, such as leaving a shop or restaurant.

• Excuse me / sorry / thanks for the trouble

  すみません

  Sumimasen

  /su-mi-ma-sen/

  The single most useful word in Japan. It does the work of excuse me, sorry, and thank-you-for-going-to-the-trouble all at once. Use it to flag down staff, to squeeze past someone on a train, and to accept a small favour. When in doubt, say this.

• Please (when asking for something)

  お願いします

  Onegai shimasu

  /o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  Attach it to almost any request, or say it alone while handing something over. Softer and more polite than ください (kudasai).

• Yes

  はい

  Hai

  /ha-i/

  Often means 'I'm listening' rather than 'I agree'. Japanese people say it constantly through a conversation, so don't read every hai as consent.

• No

  いいえ

  Iie

  /i-i-e/

  Sounds blunt in real use. To turn something down, 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu, 'da-i-jo-o-bu dess', literally 'I'm fine') is far more natural and is what locals actually say.

• Goodbye

  さようなら

  Sayōnara

  /sa-yo-o-na-ra/

  Heavier and more final than English 'goodbye' — it carries a hint of not meeting again, so it sounds odd leaving a café. Locals say ありがとうございました or 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu, 'shi-tsu-re-e shi-mass') instead.

Ask while showing a map or your phone screen — Japanese people will very often walk you there rather than try to explain.

• Where is the bathroom?

  トイレはどこですか

  Toire wa doko desu ka

  /to-i-re wa do-ko dess ka/

  トイレ is completely normal and neutral, not crude. お手洗い (o-tearai, 'o-te-a-ra-i') is the politer version for a nice restaurant or a ryokan.

• Where is the station?

  駅はどこですか

  Eki wa doko desu ka

  /e-ki wa do-ko dess ka/

  Put the name first: 東京駅はどこですか. Staff at the green みどりの窓口 ticket window are used to helping foreign visitors.

• Where is the taxi stand?

  タクシー乗り場はどこですか

  Takushī noriba wa doko desu ka

  /tak-shi-i no-ri-ba wa do-ko dess ka/

  乗り場 means 'boarding point' and works for buses (バス乗り場) and ferries too. Where there is a rank, never hail a cab on the street — join the queue. Rear doors open automatically; don't touch them.

• Where is the exit? (entrance = iriguchi)

  出口はどこですか

  Deguchi wa doko desu ka

  /de-gu-chi wa do-ko dess ka/

  Swap 出口 for 入口 (iriguchi, 'i-ri-gu-chi') to ask about the entrance. Large stations have many named exits — 東口 east, 西口 west, 北口 north, 南口 south — and the exit number matters more than the station name.

• Left

  左

  Hidari

  /hi-da-ri/

  As a direction, say 左です (hidari desu) — 'it's on the left'.

• Right

  右

  Migi

  /mi-gi/

  右です (migi desu) — 'it's on the right'. Remember Japan drives on the left and people generally walk on the left too, except in Osaka.

• Straight ahead

  まっすぐ

  Massugu

  /mas-su-gu/

  The double s is held for a beat — 'mass' then 'sugu'. まっすぐです means 'straight ahead'.

• Here

  ここ

  Koko

  /ko-ko/

  ここです ('it's here'). Very useful pointing at an address on your phone for a taxi driver.

• Over there

  あそこ

  Asoko

  /a-so-ko/

  Japanese splits 'there' three ways: ここ here by me, そこ (soko) there by you, あそこ over there away from both of us.

• Is it far?

  遠いですか

  Tōi desu ka

  /to-o-i dess ka/

  The answers you want are 近いです (chikai desu, 'it's close') or 歩けます (arukemasu, 'you can walk it').

Ordering by pointing is completely normal — but say the allergy line before you order, never after the food arrives.

• A table for two (two people)

  二人です

  Futari desu

  /fu-ta-ri dess/

  Hold up two fingers as you say it. Staff will greet you with 何名様ですか (nan-mei-sama desu ka) — 'how many in your party?'

• The menu, please

  メニューをお願いします

  Menyū o onegai shimasu

  /me-nyu-u o o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  For an English menu ask 英語のメニューはありますか (eigo no menyū wa arimasu ka). Most tourist-area restaurants have one, a picture menu, or a QR code.

• Water, please

  お水をお願いします

  O-mizu o onegai shimasu

  /o-mi-zu o o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  Tap water and tea are free and usually brought unasked. The restaurant word for iced water is お冷 (o-hiya). Asking for a refill is never rude.

• This one, please (while pointing)

  これをください

  Kore o kudasai

  /ko-re o ku-da-sa-i/

  Pointing at the menu, the plastic food display in the window, or even another table's dish is completely acceptable and not considered rude.

• I have a ___ allergy

  ○○アレルギーがあります

  ○○ arerugī ga arimasu

  /___ a-re-ru-gi-i ga a-ri-mass/

  Say this BEFORE ordering, and use the word アレルギー — the softer 〇〇は食べられません (taberaremasen, 'I can't eat it') is often heard as a preference and quietly ignored. Allergen words: 卵 tamago egg, 乳製品 nyū-see-hin dairy, 小麦 ko-mu-gi wheat, そば so-ba buckwheat, ピーナッツ pi-i-nat-tsu peanut, ナッツ nat-tsu tree nuts, えび e-bi shrimp, かに ka-ni crab, 魚 sa-ka-na fish. Carry a printed Japanese allergy card: dashi fish stock and wheat-based soy sauce hide in almost everything.

• Does this contain ___?

  これに○○が入っていますか

  Kore ni ○○ ga haitte imasu ka

  /ko-re ni ___ ga ha-it-te i-mass ka/

  The direct question, and the one to fall back on. 入っています means 'it's in there'. Treat any hesitation or a drawn-out ちょっと… (chotto) as a yes.

• No wasabi, please

  わさび抜きでお願いします

  Wasabi nuki de onegai shimasu

  /wa-sa-bi nu-ki de o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  抜き means 'with it taken out' and works for other things — ねぎ抜き (negi nuki) for no spring onion. Say it when ordering, before the sushi is made. Sushi chefs shorten it to さび抜き (sabi nuki).

• Is it spicy?

  辛いですか

  Karai desu ka

  /ka-ra-i dess ka/

  Japanese 'spicy' is mild by Canadian standards. The two things that genuinely catch people out are wasabi and からし (karashi) mustard, which hit the sinuses rather than the tongue.

• The bill, please

  お会計をお願いします

  O-kaikei o onegai shimasu

  /o-ka-i-ke-e o o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  In many places you carry the slip from your table to the register by the door instead of paying seated. Never tip — it causes real confusion and staff will often chase you to return the money.

• It was delicious / thank you for the meal

  ごちそうさまでした

  Gochisōsama deshita

  /go-chi-so-o-sa-ma desh-ta/

  Said to the staff as you leave, and it lands well every time. Its partner いただきます (itadakimasu, 'i-ta-da-ki-mass') is said quietly before the first bite. To praise the food mid-meal, おいしいです (oishii desu, 'o-i-shi-i dess').

Japan runs on cash far more than Canada does, and shop prices are fixed — there is essentially no haggling outside flea markets.

• How much is it?

  いくらですか

  Ikura desu ka

  /i-ku-ra dess ka/

  Point and add これは: これはいくらですか (kore wa ikura desu ka). Prices are almost always shown tax-included, marked 税込 (zeikomi).

• That's expensive

  高いですね

  Takai desu ne

  /ta-ka-i dess ne/

  This is a remark, not the opening of a negotiation. Haggling is not done in Japanese shops and attempting it is simply awkward. The ね on the end softens it to 'that's a bit pricey, isn't it'.

• Can I pay by card?

  カードは使えますか

  Kādo wa tsukaemasu ka

  /ka-a-do wa tsu-ka-e-mass ka/

  When handing the card over, just カードでお願いします (kādo de onegai shimasu). Small restaurants, shrines, ramen ticket machines, and rural shops are frequently cash-only, so keep ¥10,000 or so on you at all times.

• Cash

  現金

  Genkin

  /gen-kin/

  現金のみ (genkin nomi) on a sign means cash only. 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs reliably accept Canadian debit and credit cards; many domestic bank ATMs will reject them.

• A bag, please

  袋をください

  Fukuro o kudasai

  /fu-ku-ro o ku-da-sa-i/

  Plastic bags have cost a few yen since 2020. Staff will ask 袋はご利用ですか (fukuro wa go-riyō desu ka) — 'do you need a bag?' — to which はい or 大丈夫です both work.

• I'm just looking

  見ているだけです

  Mite iru dake desu

  /mi-te i-ru da-ke dess/

  You'll hear the contracted 見てるだけです (miteru dake desu) more often. In practice a smile plus 大丈夫です (daijōbu desu) does the same job and is easier to say.

• Tax-free, please

  免税でお願いします

  Menzei de onegai shimasu

  /men-ze-e de o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  Tax-free shopping needs your actual passport, not a photocopy or a photo, at a shop displaying a Tax-Free logo, usually over about ¥5,000. Consumables get sealed in a bag you must not open before leaving Japan. Carry the passport on shopping days.

• May I try this on?

  試着してもいいですか

  Shichaku shite mo ii desu ka

  /shi-cha-ku shi-te mo i-i dess ka/

  Shops often hand you a thin face cover to pull over your head so makeup doesn't mark the garment. Take your shoes off at the step into the fitting room.

Japan is extremely safe and lost property genuinely comes back, but the emergency numbers differ from Canada: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.

• Help!

  助けて！

  Tasukete!

  /tas-ke-te/

  For a genuine emergency — shout it. The u in 助 is swallowed, so it sounds like 'tas-ke-te'. On a crowded train, the phrase that brings immediate help against a groper is 痴漢です (chikan desu, 'chi-kan dess').

• I'm lost

  道に迷いました

  Michi ni mayoimashita

  /mi-chi ni ma-yo-i-mash-ta/

  Show the map on your phone as you say it. Police boxes (交番, kōban, 'ko-o-ban') sit on most busy corners and giving directions is a large part of what they're for.

• Does anyone speak English?

  英語を話せる人はいますか

  Eigo o hanaseru hito wa imasu ka

  /e-e-go o ha-na-se-ru hi-to wa i-mass ka/

  英語 has a long e — 'ee-go', not 'ay-go'. Asking one person directly, the softer 英語は話せますか (eigo wa hanasemasu ka) is better; many people will say no out of modesty and then help anyway.

• I don't understand

  わかりません

  Wakarimasen

  /wa-ka-ri-ma-sen/

  日本語がわかりません (nihongo ga wakarimasen) is 'I don't understand Japanese'. Holding out your phone with a translation app open is completely normal and people will happily type into it.

• Please say that again slowly

  もう一度ゆっくりお願いします

  Mō ichido yukkuri onegai shimasu

  /mo-o i-chi-do yuk-ku-ri o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  Politer than it looks and remarkably effective. もう一度 is 'one more time', ゆっくり is 'slowly'. People will slow right down without any offence taken.

• I need a doctor

  医者を呼んでください

  Isha o yonde kudasai

  /i-sha o yon-de ku-da-sa-i/

  For an ambulance, 救急車を呼んでください (kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai) or dial 119 — ambulances themselves are free. Hospitals bill foreign visitors directly and often in cash, so travel insurance matters.

• Where is a pharmacy?

  薬局はどこですか

  Yakkyoku wa doko desu ka

  /yak-kyo-ku wa do-ko dess ka/

  薬局 is a dispensing pharmacy for prescriptions; for everyday medicine look for a ドラッグストア (doraggu sutoa) — Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Welcia, Sundrug. Important: several ordinary Canadian cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine are illegal to bring into Japan, so check before you pack.

• I've lost my passport

  パスポートをなくしました

  Pasupōto o nakushimashita

  /pa-su-po-o-to o na-ku-shi-mash-ta/

  Go to the nearest 交番 (kōban) police box first for a written loss report, then the Embassy of Canada in Tokyo (Akasaka) for an emergency travel document. Keep a photo of the ID page somewhere separate from the passport itself.

• Please call the police

  警察を呼んでください

  Keisatsu o yonde kudasai

  /ke-e-sa-tsu o yon-de ku-da-sa-i/

  Police is 110, fire and ambulance is 119 — neither is 911. Lost items are very often handed in: ask at a station's 遺失物 (ishitsubutsu) lost property counter or at any kōban.

Shrines are Shinto and temples are Buddhist; both welcome respectful visitors, and the etiquette is simple once you know the running order.

• May I take a photo?

  写真を撮ってもいいですか

  Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka

  /sha-shin o tot-te mo i-i dess ka/

  Always ask before photographing inside a hall, a priest, or a ceremony. 撮影禁止 (satsuei kinshi) on a sign means no photography and is common inside main halls, even where the grounds are fine.

• May I have a goshuin, please?

  御朱印をお願いします

  Goshuin o onegai shimasu

  /go-shu-in o o-ne-ga-i shi-mass/

  Pray first — walking straight to the stamp desk is a genuine breach of etiquette. Hand your book over open to the blank page you want used. A goshuin is a record of worship, not a souvenir stamp, so don't ask for one in an empty notebook. Usually ¥300–¥500, cash, exact change appreciated.

• Where can I receive a goshuin?

  御朱印はどこでいただけますか

  Goshuin wa doko de itadakemasu ka

  /go-shu-in wa do-ko de i-ta-da-ke-mass ka/

  Look for a desk signed 御朱印所 (goshuinjo) or 授与所 (juyosho). The book itself, a 御朱印帳 (goshuinchō), is sold at most large shrines for around ¥1,500–¥2,000 and makes a far better souvenir than anything in a gift shop.

• How much is the offering?

  お賽銭はいくらですか

  O-saisen wa ikura desu ka

  /o-sa-i-sen wa i-ku-ra dess ka/

  Expect a puzzled look — there is no set amount and asking is slightly odd, since sincerity is the point rather than the sum. A ¥5 coin is traditional because go-en puns on ご縁, 'a good connection'. Drop it in gently rather than throwing. At a shrine the sequence is: bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow once. At a temple there is no clapping — just press your palms together.

• Do I take my shoes off?

  靴を脱ぎますか

  Kutsu o nugimasu ka

  /ku-tsu o nu-gi-mass ka/

  At most temple halls, yes. There will be a step up, a shoe rack, or a plastic bag to carry them in. Wear socks and slip-on shoes on temple days, and expect the same rule in traditional restaurants and ryokan.

• May we go inside?

  中に入ってもいいですか

  Naka ni haitte mo ii desu ka

  /na-ka ni ha-it-te mo i-i dess ka/

  Some inner halls carry a separate ¥300–¥800 admission and some are closed to the public entirely. A small gesture toward the doorway with this phrase gets a clear yes or no.

• What time do you close?

  何時までですか

  Nanji made desu ka

  /nan-ji ma-de dess ka/

  Shrine grounds are often open late or all night, but the office and the goshuin desk typically close around 16:00–16:30. 拝観時間 (haikan jikan) on a sign means visiting hours.

• Thank you very much (polite, for a kindness received)

  どうもありがとうございました

  Dōmo arigatō gozaimashita

  /do-o-mo a-ri-ga-to-o go-za-i-mash-ta/

  The past tense form, for something already done for you — the right one after receiving a goshuin, a blessing, or directions. Add a small bow from the waist; the bow carries more weight than the words do.

Jeju has a famously distinct dialect, but everyone speaks and understands standard Korean, so these ten will carry you comfortably through a port day.

• Hello

  안녕하세요

  Annyeonghaseyo

  /an-nyong-ha-se-yo/

  Works all day and in every situation, from a shopkeeper to a stranger on a path. Add a small nod as you say it. Korean bowing is lighter and quicker than Japanese bowing.

• Thank you

  감사합니다

  Gamsahamnida

  /kam-sa-ham-ni-da/

  The ㅂ in 합 assimilates to an m before the following n, so it is 'ham-ni-da' and never 'hap-nee-da' — this is the mistake foreigners make most. 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida, 'ko-map-sseum-ni-da') is equally polite and slightly warmer.

• Excuse me (to get attention)

  저기요

  Jeogiyo

  /juh-gi-yo/

  This is how you call a waiter or flag down a stranger — said out loud across a restaurant, which feels rude to Canadians but is entirely normal in Korea. For squeezing past someone, use the formal 실례합니다 (sillyehamnida, 'shil-lye-ham-ni-da') instead.

• Yes

  네

  Ne

  /ne/

  Often comes out sounding like 'de'. Like Japanese hai, it frequently just signals 'I'm listening'. 예 (ye) is a more formal variant you'll hear from staff.

• No

  아니요

  Aniyo

  /a-ni-yo/

  To decline something being offered, 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo, 'gwen-cha-na-yo' — 'I'm fine, thanks') is much softer and more natural than a flat no.

• Where is the bathroom?

  화장실이 어디예요?

  Hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?

  /hwa-jang-shi-ri uh-di-ye-yo/

  The final ㄹ of 화장실 links into the next syllable, giving 'shi-ri'. In a pinch, just saying 화장실? (hwajangsil, 'hwa-jang-shil') with a questioning tone works perfectly.

• How much is it?

  얼마예요?

  Eolmayeyo?

  /uhl-ma-ye-yo/

  이거 얼마예요? (igeo eolmayeyo) is 'how much is this?' Jeju's traditional markets prefer cash; larger shops and cafés take foreign cards without any trouble.

• It's delicious

  맛있어요

  Masisseoyo

  /ma-shi-ssuh-yo/

  Present tense, so say it while eating — ideally to the cook. There is no exact Korean equivalent of gochisōsama; afterwards you say 잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida, 'jal muh-guh-sseum-ni-da'), 'I ate well'.

• Please give me this one

  이거 주세요

  Igeo juseyo

  /i-guh ju-se-yo/

  Point and say it — the single most useful sentence pattern in Korean. 주세요 attaches to any noun: 물 주세요 (mul juseyo) for water, 계산서 주세요 for the bill.

• Goodbye

  안녕히 계세요

  Annyeonghi gyeseyo

  /an-nyong-hi ge-se-yo/

  Use this one when YOU are the one leaving — it means 'stay well'. If the other person is the one departing, it is 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo, 'go well'). Mixing them up is the classic learner's error. Leaving a shop, 수고하세요 (sugohaseyo) is a warm alternative that acknowledges the staff's hard work.