I've Lived in Tokyo for 20 Years and These Are the 3 Most Important Phrases to Know When Visiting Japan

"Just like English "Excuse me," this versatile word can be used to get someone's attention, to ask them to repeat something you didn't catch, to apologize for small errors, and to ask someone to make way. Which means this is an actual conversation you might hear on the train: Intonation and pronunciation are key here. Speaking up with clear enunciation is more likely to be a call for attention, a softly spoken and elided suimasen probably a request to get by."

"Possibly the most useful word in the entire Japanese language, daijōbu means something like "fine" and has a wide range of applications. If you bump into someone, for example, you can ask if they are OK with Daijōbu? The response: Daijōbu! If someone offers you something you don't want, you can gently refuse with daijōbu. If someone asks if arrangements are satisfactory? Daijōbu! If someone apologies? Daijōbu! Can you eat raw fish? You guessed it: Daijōbu!"

Memorizing a few practical Japanese phrases improves politeness and convenience while traveling. Common greetings include konnichiwa and arigatō, but other words carry everyday utility. Suimasen functions like "Excuse me" for attention, apologies, repeating, or asking someone to move, with meaning influenced by intonation and enunciation. Daijōbu conveys "fine" in many contexts—acceptance, refusal, reassurance, or confirmation. Sayonara implies a dramatic, final farewell, while mata ne is a casual "see you later." Vocabulary like hōdai appears in compound terms such as nomihōdai and tabehōdai for all-you-can-drink and all-you-can-eat options.

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