However, there are certain places especially out of town area; you will find lesser signs in English. Although Japanese people are always willing to help, many of them neither speak English nor speak it well.
So, knowing some key phrases and expression would help you in reading names of places, ordering food from menu and getting directions to your destination.
Here are some examples of phrases and expressions.
Polite Expressions
Please
|
Onegai shimasu
|
Thank
you
|
Arigatō gozaimasu
|
Thank
you very much
|
Dōmo arigatō gozaimasu
|
Excuse
me
|
Sumimasen
|
Yes
|
Hai
|
No
|
Iie
|
I
don’t understand.
|
Wakarimasen
|
Asking For Directions
May
I have a map?
|
Chizu wo morae masu ka?
|
Where
is the Osaka station?
|
Osaka eki wa doko desu ka
|
Where
is …?
|
… wa doko desu ka?
|
… bus station?
|
Basutei …
|
… train station?
|
Eki …
|
… subway?
|
Chika-tetsu …
|
… toilet?
|
Toire …
|
I
want to go to Asuka Hotel.
|
Asuka hoteru ni ikitai desu.
|
How
do I get to Sensoji?
|
Sensoji e wa dou iku no desu ka?
|
At The Restaurant
A
table for two people, please.
|
Futari de onegai
shimasu.
|
I’d
like a menu, please.
|
Menyū o onegai shimasu
|
What
do you like to drink?
|
Nomimono wa nani ni
naasaimasu ka?
|
Wine,
please.
|
Wain o onegai shimasu
|
Beer
|
Bīru
|
Tea
|
Kōcha, ocha
|
Fish
|
Sakana
|
Chicken
|
Toriniku
|
It would be a good idea to invest in a travel book Fodor's Japan (Full-color Travel Guide)
which has a section on language to cover the key phrases and expressions.
which is a small and light phrase book that easy to carry along. 