20+ Simple Phrases About Japanese Restaurants for Japanese Students (2023)

FAQs

What are the common Japanese greetings phrases used in restaurants? ›

Upon entering a restaurant, customers are greeted with the expression "irasshaimase" meaning "welcome, please come in". The waiter or waitress will ask you how many people are in your party and then lead you to your table.

Itadakimasu: “to eat and receive”

Itadakimasu might also be said while bowing the head as a sign of respect.

"Irasshaimase!" the chefs are all yelling in unison the moment you enter their restaurant. It's a surprise the first time it happens but get used to it, it's standard practice throughout Japan.

Before eating, Japanese people say "itadakimasu," a polite phrase meaning "I receive this food." This expresses thanks to whoever worked to prepare the food in the meal.

#1 Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello. #2 Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning. #3 Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good evening. #4 Moshi moshi (もしもし) – Hello (but only if you're on the phone or something like Skype)

Greetings Used Before and After Meals: “Itadakimasu” and “Gochisosama” Before eating meals, Japanese people join their hands in front of their chests and say, “itadakimasu.” After finishing, they perform the same gesture and say, “gochisosama.” These greetings are part of a day-to-day manner.

Historians say the Japanese called their country Yamato in its early history, and they began using Nippon around the seventh century. Nippon and Nihon are used interchangeably as the country's name.

Bowing is an essential part of Japanese custom to show respect, thanking, greeting or apology. In stead of shaking hands, we bow, and it depends on time and people how long and deep you bow. Generally men keep their hands in their side, and women put their hands together on their thighs with fingers touching.

Most travelers encounter the phrase “Irasshaimase!” (いらっしゃいませ！), which translates as “Welcome to the business!” or “Please come in!” within minutes of arriving in any Japanese restaurant. It is simply one of the numerous traditional Japanese techniques of extending a warm welcome to new clients on a formal basis.

What are Japanese waiters called? ›

A nakai (仲居) is a woman who serves as a waitress at a ryokan or Japanese inn.

Most Japanese anime or drama lovers are familiar with certain common phrases. “Itadakimasu!” (いただきます) “Gochisousama-deshita!” (ごちそうさまでした) – we see characters say these phrases whenever they have a meal.

3) Hirugohan (lunch)

Lunch in Japan just as asa means morning, hiru means noon. So hirugohan literally means “noontime meal.”

So why does Japanese have multiple words for the same number? It's partly to do with superstition - “shi” sounds like the Japanese word for death and “ku” can mean suffering; “shichi” can also mean “place of death”.

Sayounara (さようなら ) is the direct Japanese equivalent of goodbye, but is not commonly used by native Japanese speakers. Actually, sayounara has a strong sense of finality to it, and means there is a good chance you might not be meeting the other person for quite some time.

The more traditional way to praise the food is to say 'Hoppe ga ochiru'. Curiously, it means that 'the food is so nice that your cheeks are falling off' which is a symbolic way to express the delicacy of the food. But the more formal way to appreciate good food is to say 'Aji' meaning 'Taste' in Japanese.

What is Japanese food culture? ›

The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: washoku) is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes; there is an emphasis on seasonal ingredients. Side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables, and vegetables cooked in broth. Seafood is common, often grilled, but also served raw as sashimi or in sushi.

Typically the Japanese eat at low dining tables and sit on a cushion placed on tatami floor (a reed-like mat). In formal situations both men and women kneel (“seiza”), while in casual situations the men sit cross-legged and women sit with both legs to one side.

When eating from shared dishes (as it is commonly done at some restaurants such as izakaya), it is polite to use the opposite end of your chopsticks or dedicated serving chopsticks for moving food to your own dish. Blowing your nose at the table, burping and audible munching are considered bad manners in Japan.

The official Japanese-language name is Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku (日本国), literally "State of Japan". From the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II, the full title of Japan was the "Empire of Great Japan" (大日本帝國 Dai Nippon Teikoku).

These three systems are called hiragana, katakana and kanji. If that sounds overwhelming, don't worry! Hiragana and katakana are easy enough to learn – and will be a big help if you're thinking about travelling to Japan, or learning basic Japanese.

The Japanese word for America is represented by kanji characters 米国 meaning "rice country". This is pronounced “beikoku” in Japanese.

Japan has always been famous for its unique approach to gastronomy, combining a world of exotic ingredients and aromatic spices to create truly inspiring dishes. In addition, Japanese cuisine is known for being as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.

In Japanese culture, showing your appreciation and enjoyment of the food is encouraged, so don't feel conscious about eating neatly, but show how much you love your noodles by slurping them. It might feel impolite to do, but in Japan it is considered normal to eat your noodles this way since long ago.

For soup served in larger bowls — often containing noodles such as ramen, soba and udon — use the spoon provided for the broth. When eating the noodles, slurp away! Loud slurping may be rude in the U.S., but in Japan it is considered rude not to slurp.

What does itadakimasu mean? ›

What is itadakimasu? The short answer: While it's often translated before meals as something similar to the French, “Bon appétit!”, itadakimasu is actually the polite and humble form of the verb “to receive”, so in a literal sense, it means, “I humbly receive”.

Tipping in Japan is not customary. It is in the Japanese culture to take pride in your work. As such, employees have the highest standards when supplying a service and don't feel the need to accept tips to feel appreciated. Indeed, as stated in many Japan travel guide, attempting to tip staff can be offensive.

Don't leave food behind. It's considered bad manners to leave even grains of rice behind, so be sure to clean your plate! If there are some foods you cannot eat, ask to have them left out of the dish. Do use the opposite end of chopsticks to pick up food from a shared dish.

"Itadakimasu" is an essential phrase in your Japanese vocabulary. It's often translated as "I humbly receive," but in a mealtime setting, it's compared to "Let's eat," "Bon appétit," or "Thanks for the food." Some even liken it to the religious tradition of saying grace before eating.

Irasshaimase!

It basically means: “welcome, come in” and it comes from irassharu いらっしゃる, which is the polite form of “to be” (iru いる) or “to come/go” (kuru くる, iru いく).

Kawaii and Kakkoii

かわいい (kawaii) is one of the most common Japanese words to hear in anime and about anime. It means “cute” in Japanese.

Ara ara (あら あら) is a Japanese expression that is mainly used by older females and means “My my”, “Oh dear”, or “Oh me, oh my”.

A classic pretender phrase known for its amazing versatility; 'daijoubu' can mean 'yes' or 'no', 'it's ok', 'is it ok?

What is the meaning of Datte? ›

Translation of datte – French–English dictionary

date [noun] the brown, sticky fruit of the date palm, a kind of tree growing in the tropics.

Shokudo are casual restaurants, similar to family restaurants, but tend to be small, independently owned and feature mostly Japanese-style food such as soba, udon, donburi and curry. Shokudo are commonly found around tourist sites. Teishoku-ya are restaurants that serve set menus (teishoku).

3) School lunch in the COVID-19 pandemic

They cannot talk to their classmates while eating. Before the pandemic, it was normal for students to put their desks together and face each other while eating. Now, students leave their desks facing the front, as they are during lesson times, and eat quietly and alone.

The diet is rich in steamed rice, noodles, fish, tofu, natto, seaweed, and fresh, cooked, or pickled fruits and vegetables but low in added sugars and fats. It may also contain some eggs, dairy, or meat, although these typically make up a small part of the diet.

In Japan, the most common gesture when greeting is a bow. The depth, length and style of bow depends on the social context (see below). Bowing takes place in many instances where handshakes would be common in the English-speaking West.

At shops and restaurants, customers are typically welcomed by the staff with the greeting "irasshaimase". No response from the customer is required, and a smile and a nod with the head would suffice for those who want to reciprocate the greeting.

'Irasshaimase' means 'Welcome to my shop/restaurant' and is just one of the many formal Japanese ways of politely welcoming new customers.

Moshi moshi, or もしもし, is a common Japanese phrase that Japanese people use when picking up the phone. It's a casual greeting used for friends and family, like a “hello”, but in fact means something entirely different! In English, it literally means something more like, “to say to say”, or “I speak I speak”.

The formal Japanese sitting position is known as 'seiza'. In this position, people sit with their legs tucked under their thighs while resting their bottom on the heels and maintaining a straight back. Women usually keep their knees together, while men have their knees slightly apart.

How to impress a Japanese client? ›

When working with Japanese customers, it is important to assign a main contact person for the account. All communication with the customer should flow through this person to ensure coordination and consistency. This will prevent conflicting messages from different departments.

Prolonged eye contact (staring) is considered rude. Don't show affection, such as hugging or shoulder slapping, in public. Never beckon with your forefinger. The Japanese extend their right arm out in front, bending the wrist down, waving fingers.

What is itadakimasu? The short answer: While it's often translated before meals as something similar to the French, “Bon appétit!”, itadakimasu is actually the polite and humble form of the verb “to receive”, so in a literal sense, it means, “I humbly receive”.

So, this 'Domo' can be used together with 'Arigato. ' as in 'domo arigato' meaning “Thank you so much.” Just saying 'domo' would be less polite than 'Arigato' since it's the short version of 'Domo arigato. ' People use 'domo' rather than 'arigato' when they consider 'arigato' is a little bit formal in a situation.

Before eating meals, Japanese people join their hands in front of their chests and say, “itadakimasu.” After finishing, they perform the same gesture and say, “gochisosama.” These greetings are part of a day-to-day manner.