8 Statements You Should Know Before Visiting Japan

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So you’re lucky enough to get the opportunity to visit Japan?  You’re in for a treat.

The land of the rising sun, with its diverse landscapes and rich culture that spans centuries, is home to sights and sounds you won’t soon forget. You’re guaranteed to have moments within your travels when you feel like you’re in a completely different world.

Japanese; it ain’t easy

In no area of your travels will you feel like you’re in a different world than when it comes to the Japanese language.  Spoken by over 130 million people, Japanese, the native language of Japan, is also one of the hardest languages to master.

That’s because the Japanese written language is different from the spoken one. If that’s not enough, there’s also three different written systems to master and between 10,000 and 15,000 characters to remember!

It’s easier if you don’t learn everything

Now you likely don’t have the six months to years it takes to master the Japanese language, but you still want to be able to get yourself around without feeling like a complete outsider. No need to worry.

You don’t need to know how to read and say everything; you need to know how to read and say the essential things. While you might not be able to gab with the best of them, the following five statements should ensure that you’ve got your basics covered (though we’d still recommend Rosetta Stone).

8 Statements You Should Know Before Visiting Japan

• Hi, How are you? (こんにちは、元気ですか？)(kon-nichiwa, genki-desuka) – Being friendly and having good manners works in any country. Start off your conversation by asking you counterpart how they’re doing.
• Do you speak English? (英語を話せますか？) (eigo-o-hanasemasuka) – Okay, maybe this is a dead giveaway that you’re a tourist, but English is known by many throughout Japan as English is taught in Elementary and High Schools.
• What’s your name? (名前は何ですか？) (namae-ha-nan-desuka) – You want to know who you’re speaking with don’t you? You’re going to be meeting tons and tons of new people throughout your journey. Make sure you get their name!
• How do I get to… (どうやれば….)  (dou-yareba) – You may have a map and GPS. You may even have the Internet. Unfortunately, these tools don’t always give you the accuracy that a local might have. Know how to ask for them.
• I’m Lost! (わかりません！) (wakarimasen) – Hey sometimes you misinterpret directions! Worse yet you sometimes get a bad set! When traveling through a country, be able to tell someone you’re lost is the first step towards getting back on track.
• How much is this? (いくらですか？)(ikura-desuka) – You’ll likely see a lot of enticing pieces of art, clothing, collectibles and souvenirs when in Japan. Understanding how much they cost will prevent you from over spending or even possible getting scammed.
• Can you speak slowly? (ゆっくり話してください。) (yukkuri-hanashite-kudasai) – When you’re new to a language your comprehension will be low and native speakers will likely rumble off their sentences with what seems like the speed of light. Politely ask them to slow down a bit so you can understand.
• My Japanese is bad.  (私の日本語は下手です。) (watashi-no-nihongo-wa- heta-desu) – Nothing wrong with being proactive in telling someone that you Japanese isn’t up to snuff. Most will understand and attempt to help you understand as best they can.

Can you think of anything else?

Have you already been to Japan? What other statements would you add to this list based on your experience? Let us know in the comments!

Guest Post provided by Jason Thai, marketing manager for FoxTranslate, specialists in Japanese translation services.