Eating local food is a highlight of any trip abroad. Before you can satisfy your taste buds, you have to tell the waiter what you want! And you’ll likely have to order in Japanese because most people in Japan don’t speak English. With a little preparation, adding key vocabulary and phrases to your language toolkit will take any stress away and allow you to enjoy your meal.
Explore more about dining out in Japan with vocabulary and conversation lessons from Rosetta Stone. Identify different foods and learn adjectives to describe them through our Dynamic Immersion method that goes beyond rote memorization and suits all learning styles. Short, focused lessons fit into any schedule and set you up for success when ordering your lunch!
Understanding common restaurant greetings in Japan
Upon entering any Japanese restaurant or store, you will undoubtedly be greeted by the staff raising their voices to call out, Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ), or “Welcome, come in!” There’s no need to respond to this warm greeting: A polite head nod is just fine.
If a host is waiting at the front of the restaurant to take you to your table, they will likely ask “Nanmei-sama desu ka?” (何名様ですか。), or “How many people are in your party?” When you respond, make sure you drop the -sama, as it is a suffix denoting respect to other people and not yourself. The way to answer this question will be covered more below.
Restaurant types in Japan
Restaurants in Japan range from casual to formal. Generally, you will find fewer chain restaurants and more privately owned establishments.
Formal restaurants
The most formal meals feature kaiseki ryōri (会席料理), a multi-course dining experience of traditional Japanese food. These tend to be very expensive and require reservations.
Family restaurants
Family restaurants, or famiresu (ファミレス, ), are similar to the American style of table service restaurants. Menus offer plenty of options, cater to a wide audience, and are usually quite affordable—around 10 USD per meal.
Casual dining
For the most casual dining, service is minimal. This includes restaurants like ramen shops or kaitenzushi (回転ずし, conveyer belt sushi). There may be a touch-screen menu for you to order from rather than waiting for someone to take your order.
The basics of ordering food and drinks in Japan
Now for the main course of this guide! Show off your Japanese conversation skills with these phrases to make your dining experience as smooth as possible:
- [food item] wo kudasai! (＿＿を下さい！) = I’ll take the [food item], please!
- Hai, onegaishimasu! (はい、お願いします！) = Yes, please!
- Sumimasen! (すみません！) = Excuse me!
- Osusume wa nan desu ka? (お勧めは何ですか？) = What do you recommend?
- Okaikei wo onegaishimasu. (お会計をお願いします。) = Can I have the bill, please?
Also, note that the currency for yen will not always be written with the ¥ symbol. Instead, the character for yen (pronounced “en”), 円, may be used.
How to use counters in Japanese
Counting is a little more complicated than attaching a noun after a number, as in “one glass of water” versus “two glasses of water.” In Japanese, numbers are attached to something called a “counter,” which is a suffix attached to the number that clarifies what is being counted.
In the example above, “glass” is similar to a counter. We can count drinks as glasses. The tricky part to remember in Japanese is that the exact pronunciation of the number itself may change. “One” in Japanese is ichi (一), but when we say “one glass,” it becomes ippai (一杯).
The good news is that for ordering food, generic counters work well. Let’s take a look at three different ones you may encounter.
Counting the number of guests
The “-mei” (～名) counter is for the number of guests. To answer the question “Nanmei-sama desu ka?” (“How many people are in your party?”), a simple “[quantity] desu” will do the trick.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 一名（いちめい） | ichimei | ee-chee-meh | one guest |
| 二名（にめい） | nimei | nee-meh | two guests |
| 三名（さんめい） | sanmei | sahn-meh | three guests |
| 四名（よんめい） | yonmei | yohn-meh | four guests |
| 何名（なんめい） | nanmei | nahn-meh | How many guests? |
Counting pieces of food
The “-ko” (～個) counter is most easily translated as “pieces” and refers to small objects. Foods like sushi are perfect for this. Unlike “-mei,” some numbers have different pronunciations from the normal numbers.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 一個（いっこ） | ikko | eek-koh | one piece |
| 二個（にこ） | niko | nee-koh | two pieces |
| 三個（さんこ） | sanko | sahn-koh | three pieces |
| 四個（よんこ） | yonko | yohn-koh | four pieces |
| 五個（ごこ） | goko | goh-koh | five pieces |
| 六個（ろっこ） | rokko | rohk-koh | six pieces |
| 七個（ななこ） | nanako | nah-nah-koh | seven pieces |
| 八個（はっこ） | hakko | hahk-koh | eight pieces |
| 九個（きゅうこ） | kyuuko | kyoo-koh | nine pieces |
| 十個（じゅっこ） | jukko | jook-koh | ten pieces |
| 何個（なんこ） | nanko | nahn-koh | How many pieces? |
The generic counter
The last counter is the most generic and can be used for almost anything if you don’t know the specific counter. The “-tsu” counters have particularly unique pronunciations, but they are more than worth the effort to remember.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 一つ（ひとつ） | hitotsu | hee-toh-tsoo | one |
| 二つ（ふたつ） | futatsu | foo-tah-tsoo | two |
| 三つ（みっつ） | mittsu | mee-tsoo | three |
| 四つ（よっつ） | yottsu | yoht-tsoo | four |
| 五つ（いつつ） | itsutsu | ee-tsoo-tsoo | five |
| 六つ（むっつ） | muttsu | moot-tsoo | six |
| 七つ（ななつ） | nanatsu | nah-nah-tsoo | seven |
| 八つ（やっつ） | yattsu | yaht-tsoo | eight |
| 九つ（ここのつ） | kokonotsu | koh-koh-noh-tsoo | nine |
| 十（とお） | tō | toh | ten |
| 幾つ（いくつ） | ikutsu | ee-koo-tsoo | How many? |
Putting these into practice is straightforward. When asking for a certain quantity, simply follow this formula:
[Item] wo [quantity] kudasai.
Try out these phrases when sushi or taiyaki (タイ焼き, fish-shaped pastry) is calling your name:
- Maguro wo niko kudasai (マグロを二個下さい！) = Two pieces of tuna, please!
- Taiyaki wo mittsu kudasai! (タイ焼きをみっつ下さい！) = Two taiyaki, please!
Reading the menu: Important food vocabulary
Japanese cuisine includes both the foreign and the familiar. Some foods, such as sushi and edamame, are known as Japanese and enjoyed the world over. Others, like savory pancakes called okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, “your preference, fried”), are less common outside of Japan. On the other end of the spectrum, you will find certain foods from around the world on Japanese menus, too: salads, pizza, curry, and more.
In many cases, menus will come with pictures of the food, giving you a good idea of what you’re looking at even if the vocabulary is unfamiliar. When in doubt, a quick “Kore wa nan desu ka?” (これは何ですか。, “What is this?”) to the waiter will answer any questions. Similarly, you can simply point and say, “Kore kudasai!” (これ下さい！, “This, please!”) to place your order.
It’s also worth noting that some menus may have the text written vertically. When reading Japanese horizontally, you read lines of text from top to bottom and words from left to right, just like in English. However, if Japanese is written vertically, you read lines of text from right to left and words from top to bottom.
Japanese foods
Also known as washoku (和食), traditional Japanese foods remain popular. Here you will find standard Japanese fare, most of which includes rice or noodles. Certain suffixes and words also point to how a meal is prepared, such as yaki (焼き, grilled), age (揚げ, deep-fried), and don (丼, rice bowl).
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 丼ぶり | donburi | dohn-boo-ree | rice bowl |
| おにぎり | onigiri | oh-nee-gee-ree | rice ball |
| 天ぷら | tempura | tehn-poo-rah | deep-fried vegetables and / or meats |
| ラーメン | rāmen | rah-mehn | broth dish with thin wheat noodles |
| うどん | udon | oo-dohn | broth dish with thick wheat noodles |
| そば | soba | soh-bah | buckwheat noodles |
| 串焼き | kushiyaki | koo-shee-yah-kee | grilled skewers (kabobs) |
| お好み焼き | okonomiyaki | oh-koh-noh-mee-yah-kee | savory pancake |
| 鍋 | nabe | nah-beh | hot pot dishes |
| 味噌汁 | misoshiru | mee-soh-shee-roo | miso soup |
Western-style foods
Complementing traditional Japanese food is cuisine inspired by or borrowed from the Western world: yōshoku (洋食). It can be found in restaurants around the world—spaghetti in Italian restaurants, curry in Indian restaurants—but Japanese influence can change the flavor or experience. You may enjoy trying Japanese takes on familiar favorites.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| カレーライス | karēraisu | kah-reh-rah-ee-soo | curry with rice |
| コロッケ | korokke | koh-rohk-keh | croquette |
| スパゲッティ | supagetti | soo-pah-geht-tee | spaghetti |
| 豚カツ | tonkatsu | tohn-kah-tsoo | fried pork cutlet |
| オムライス | omuraisu | oh-moo-rah-ee-soo | omelet rice |
| ハンバーグ | hanbāgu | hahn-bah-goo | Hamburg steak |
| ピザ | piza | pee-zah | pizza |
| サラダ | sarada | sah-rah-dah | salad |
| サンドイッチ | sandoicchi | sahn-doh-ee-chee | sandwich |
Sushi
Perhaps the most famous Japanese food found abroad is sushi, which is typically made with raw fish and rice. The sushi rolls wrapped in crispy seaweed you’ve come to know and love are available, as are many other preparations. Depending on where you go, the type of sushi may be written in hiragana, katakana, or even kanji in some cases. Fortunately, menus for sushi often come with pictures, so written language need not be a barrier here.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 握り | nigiri | nee-gee-ree | hand-pressed sushi |
| 巻き | maki | mah-kee | rolled sushi |
| 手巻き | temaki | teh-mah-kee | hand-rolled sushi |
| サケ、サーモン | sake, sāmon | sah-keh, sah-mohn | salmon |
| マグロ | maguro | mah-goo-roh | tuna |
| いくら | ikura | ee-koo-rah | salmon roe |
| エビ | ebi | eh-bee | shrimp |
| イカ | ika | ee-kah | squid |
| たこ | tako | tah-koh | octopus |
| うなぎ | unagi | oo-nah-gee | eel |
Drinks
What is a meal without something to wash it down? It will come as no surprise that tea features prominently in Japan. Some restaurants even offer complimentary green tea along with water. For alcoholic beverages, beer is the most popular. Keep in mind that osake (お酒) does not just refer to the specific rice wine drink, but is also a general word for alcohol.
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| お水 | omizu | oh-mee-zoo | water |
| お茶 | ocha | oh-chah | green tea |
| 紅茶 | kōcha | koh-chah | black tea |
| ウーロン茶 | ūroncha | oo-rohn-chah | oolong tea |
| コーラ | kōra | koh-rah | soda |
| コーヒー | kōhī | koh-hee | coffee |
| オレンジジュース | orenji jūsu | oh-rehn-jee joo-soo | orange juice |
| アルコール | arukōru | ah-roo-koh-roo | alcoholic beverage |
| ノンアルコール | nonarukōru | nohn-ah-roo-koh-roo | non-alcoholic beverage |
| お酒 | osake | oh-sah-keh | rice wine |
| ビール | bīru | bee-roo | beer |
| 焼酎 | shōchū | shoh-choo | distilled hard liquor |
| チューハイ | chūhai | choo-hah-ee | fruit-flavored shōchū |
Dining etiquette
When you first receive your meal, a hearty “Itadakimasu!” (頂きます！), or “Thank you for the meal!”, is polite and shows appreciation for the staff and cooks. When you finish your meal, “Gochisōsama deshita!” (ごちそうさまでした！), which also means “Thank you for the meal!”, is the way to thank them for the food after you’ve already eaten it. You can even add “Oishikatta desu!” (おいしかったです！) to tell the staff, “It was delicious!”
Tipping is not customary in Japan and may even come across as impolite. It’s best to avoid the temptation, even if it is a common practice where you’re from.
As for table manners, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- A little practice with chopsticks ahead of time can go a long way. Western utensils like forks can be found in many restaurants, but it’s polite to at least try to use chopsticks.
- When taking food from common plates or serving other people, use the back end of your chopsticks to avoid spreading germs.
- Do not stick your chopsticks upright in your food. Instead, set them aside until you’re ready to continue eating.
- Eat every last grain of rice if you can! Avoid wasting food.
- If eating soup or a broth-based dish, it’s not only acceptable to slurp but encouraged! It shows you are enjoying your meal.
- Food substitutions are uncommon, but if necessary, you can ask for something to be taken out by saying, “[item] nuki de onegaishimasu.” (＿＿抜きでお願いします).
>> Our guide on Japanese honorifics will equip you with other crucial etiquette tips!
Food allergies and dietary restrictions
We’ve covered what you can eat, but what about what you can’t? Your safety and health are important, and knowing the vocabulary to protect yourself is critical. Restaurant staff will be very accommodating to any dietary restrictions, so don’t be afraid to ask!
For allergies, you can simply say, “Watashi wa [item] arerugī ga arimasu,” (私は＿＿アレルギーがあります。) or “I have a [item] allergy.” If there is a certain food you can’t eat for any reason, you can say, “Watashi wa [item] ga taberaremasen,” (私は＿＿が食べられません。) or “I can’t eat [item].”
For specific diets, like vegetarian or kosher, you can say, “Watashi wa [item] desu,” (私は＿＿です。). Staff may need a further explanation if they are unfamiliar with the restrictions, but explaining what you can’t eat with the aforementioned phrase will help. You can also ask if a dish has specific ingredients with “[Item] ga haitteimasu ka?” (__が入っていますか。).
| Japanese | Romanization | Pronunciation | English |
| 鶏 | tori | toh-ree | chicken |
| 肉 | niku | nee-koo | meat |
| 魚 | sakana | sah-kah-nah | fish |
| 貝類 | kairui | kah-ee-roo-ee | shellfish |
| 小麦 | komugi | koh-moo-gee | wheat |
| ナッツ | nattsu | naht-tsoo | nuts |
| 卵 | tamago | tah-mah-goh | egg |
| 乳製品 | nyūseihin | nyoo-seh-heen | dairy products |
| ベジタリアン | bejitarian | beh-jee-tah-ree-ahn | vegetarian |
| ビーガン | bīgan | bee-gahn | vegan |
| グルテン | guruten | goo-roo-tehn | gluten |
| ハラール | harāru | hah-rah-roo | halal |
| コーシャー | kōshā | koh-shah | kosher |
Itadakimasu! Thank you for the meal!
Eating in a restaurant where your native language is not spoken can be intimidating, but don’t let it stop you from enjoying Japanese cuisine! With these words and phrases, you can walk into the establishment of your choice and order with confidence.
To take your language journey one step further, learn more Japanese with Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine. It analyzes your responses to ensure your pronunciation is clear, and you’re ready to place your first sushi order.
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