JAPANESE OCCUPATIONS しょくぎょう shoku gyou Occupation

OCCUPATION JAPANESE LANGUAGE

1.Accountant 会計士　　　　　kaikeishi
2. Athlete ツ選手　 senshu 
3. Attorney べんごし bengo shi
4. Bookkeeper 簿記係 Boki-gakari
5. Boss 上司 jōshi
6. Carpenter だいく daiku
7. Cashier Rejigakari
8. Clerk 店員
Ten'in
9. Cook コック kokku
10. Customer お客様 – Okyakusama/ kokyaku
11. Doctor いしゃ – isha
12. Employer 雇用者 Koyō-sha
13. Employee かいしゃいん kaisha in
14. Engineer エンジニア enjinia
15. Fireman しょうぼうし – shōbōshi
16. Fisherman りょうし ryou shi
17. Manager 支配人 shihainin
shitsuchou 室長
kachou 課長

18. Nurse かんごし – kangoshi

Female Nurse かんごふ -- kango fu
19. Policeman けいかん kei kan
けいさつかん keisatsu kan
20. President ( Company ) shachou 社長
21. President ( University ) 大学学長
Daigaku gakuchō
22. Waiter/Waitress ウェイトレス
U~eitoresu
ウェイター
U~eitā
 In English, we can use ‘to give’ and ‘to receive’ regardless who is giving and who is talking.
Differently, in Japanese, there are two verbs for expressing ‘to give’: あ げ る  (Ageru), く れ
る (Kureru); while ‘to receive’ is indicated by もらう (Morau). Here comes the question: What
is the difference between them?
 
Basically, it depends on the point of view as well as the relationship between the
giver, the receiver, and the speaker.
 
In order to fully understand this, it is better for you to understand the concept
of 内 (uchi) and 外(soto) first.
 The word 内  (uchi) literally
means inside, while 外  (soto) means outside.
内 (uchi) refers to you, your family, your friend,
or anyone you are close with. In
contrast, 外  (soto) refers to the others or anyone
besides your 内 (uchi).
 
Verb Verb
Verb Verb
(Past (Polite Concept
(Basic Form) (Polite Past Form)
Form) Form)
‘I’ → Uchi
あげる あげた あげます あげました ‘I’ → Soto
(ageru) (ageta) (agemasu) (agemashita) Uchi → Soto
Soto → Soto
Uchi → ‘Me’
くれる くれた くれます くれました
Soto → ‘Me’
(kureru) (kureta) (kuremasu) (kuremashita) Soto → Uchi
もらう もらった もらいます もらいました
Anyone → Anyone
(morau) (moratta) (moraimasu) (moraimashita)

「あげる」
あげる (ageru) is used when the giver is the subject of the sentence.
When to use:

 I give to UCHI (g. I give to my friend)

 I give to SOTO (g. I give to the cashier)
 UCHI gives to SOTO (g. My mother gives to the cashier)
 SOTO gives to SOTO (g. Someone gives to the cashier)
 
Structure: Giver + は/が + Recipient + に + Object + を + あげる
 
Example:
私は友達に花をあげた。
Watashi wa tomodachi ni hana o ageta.
I gave a flower to my friend.
Note: in conversation, we usually leave out the ‘私は’ (watashi wa) 
「くれる」
くれる (kureru) is also used when the giver is the subject of the sentence.
When to use:

 UCHI gives me (g. My friend gives to me)

  SOTO gives me (g. The cashier gives to me)
 SOTO gives to UCHI (g. The cashier gives to my mother)
 
Structure: Giver + は/が + Recipient + に + Object + を + くれ
Example:
友達は母に本をくれた。
Tomodachi wa haha ni hon o kureta.
My friend gave a book to my mother.
 
「もらう」
Luckily, there is only one version of ‘to receive’ in Japanese. We use も ら う (morau) when
the verb of the sentence is ‘to receive’. In other words, it is used when the receiver is the
subject of the sentence. 
Structure:
Giver + から + Object + を + もらう
Recipient + は/が + Giver + に + Object + を + もらう
 
Examples:
1. 友達から土産をもらった。
Tomodachi kara miyage o moratta.
I received a souvenir from my friend.
 
For better understanding, let’s use the example from あげる (ageru).
2. 私は友達に花をあげた。
Watashi wa tomodachi ni hana o ageta.
I gave a flower to my friend.
 
The sentence above has the same meaning as:
1. 友達は私に花をもらった。
Tomodachi wa watashi ni hana o moratta.
My friend received a flower from me.
 
For the example from くれる (kureru).
 友達は母に本をくれた。
Tomodachi wa haha ni hon o kureta.
My friend gave a book to my mother.
 
The sentence above has the same meaning as:
 母は友達に本をもらった。
Haha wa tomodachi ni hon o moratta.
My mother received a book from my friend.
 

Giver は Receiver に Object を あげます

Giver wa Receiver ni Object wo agemasu

Receiver は Giver に/から Object を もらいます

Receiver wa Giver ni/kara Object wo moraimasu

In the first expression, the focus is put on the Giver as it is the topic. It means
the Giver is giving Object to the Receiver.
Whereas in the second expression, the emphasis is put on the Receiver. The
sentence means the Receiver is receiving Object from the Giver.

For the second expression, you can either use に (ni) or か ら (kara) before the
Object.

Assuming that yesterday was Mr Yamada's birthday and he has received a present
from his friend Mr Tanaka.

 たなかさん は やまださん に ほんを あげました。
tanaka san wa yamada san ni hon wo agemashita

Meaning: Mr Tanaka gave a book to Mr Yamada.

 やまださん は たなかさん に ほんを もらいました。
yamada san wa tanaka san ni hon wo moraimashita

Meaning: Mr Yamada received a book from Mr Tanaka.

あげます (agemasu) and くれます (kuremasu) Sentences

The third Japanese verb くれます (kuremasu) has the same meaning of "to
give" as あ げ ま す (agemasu). However, you need to take note of some rules to
decide which one to use in your sentence.

Giver は Receiver に Object を あげます

Giver wa Receiver ni Object wo agemasu

Giver は Receiver に Object を くれます

Giver wa Receiver ni Object wo kuremasu

In Japanese custom, it is important and is always the first priority to

show respect to other people (third person).

In that perspective, your family members are considered part of

yourself. Therefore when comparing to third person, your family members have
to be in lower priority.

Secondly, if third person is absent, you have to show respect to your

family members, putting yourself in the lowest priority. This is even true to
family members younger than you.

Based on the above two conditions, when you have to show respect to
ONLY the Giver, use く れ ま す (kuremasu). Other than that you have to use the
Japanese verb あげます (agemasu).

In summary, look at the following table to decide which Japanese verb to use...
Giver Receiver Use
1. Third PersonThird Personあげます
2. Third PersonMe/Family Members くれます
3. I/Family Members Third Personあげます
4. Family Members Me くれます
5. I Family Members あげます

1. たなかさんはやまださんにはなを あげました。
tanaka san wa yamada san ni hana wo agemashita
Meaning: Mr Tanaka gave flower to Mr Yamada.

2. たなかさんはいもうとにはなを くれました。
tanaka san wa imouto ni hana wo kuremashita
Meaning: Mr Tanaka gave flower to my younger sister.

3. ちちはたなかさんにコーヒーを あげました。
chichi wa tanaka san ni ko-hi- wo agemashita
Meaning: My father gave coffee to Mr Tanaka.

4. おとうとはわたしにプレゼントを くれました。
otouto wa watashi ni purezento wo kuremashita
Meaning: My younger brother gave present to me.

5. わたしはははにおかねを あげました。
watashi wa haha ni okane wo agemashita
Meaning: I gave money to my mother.
The function of Japanese particles
Japanese particles are small words that indicate relations of
words within a sentence. They follow other words such as
nouns, verbs, adjectives are parts of a sentence. Some but
not all can be compared to prepositions in English.

bakari
ばかり (許り) Translates to: "just, only, full of"
Colloquially: ばっかり bakkari, ばっか bakka
Noun Tōkyō wa hito bakari da.
東京は人ばかりだ。 Tokyo is just full of people.
Verbs (ta form) Tabeta bakari da.
食べたばかりだ。 I just ate.
Verb (te form) Kare wa tabete bakari iru
彼は食べてばかりいる。 He's always eating.
bakari ka
ばかりか (許りか) Translates to: "not only".
Accompanied by さ え sae ("but also") indicates something
unusual or unexpected.
Etymology: bakari + ka
Nouns Sofu bakari ka, sōsofu sae ikite iru.
祖父ばかりか、曽祖父さえ生きている。 Not only is
my grandfather living, but so is my great-grandfather.
bakashi
ばかし (許し) bakashi is another form of bakari.
dake
だけ (丈) Translates to: "only"; limit.
Dake functions as a noun.
Kanji form 丈 is less commonly used.
Nouns rōmaji dake no jisho
ローマ字だけの辞書 a rōmaji-only dictionary
Verbs (volitional) Netai dake nereba ii.
寝たいだけ寝ればいい。 You can sleep as much as you
want [to sleep].
da no
だの Translates to: "and, things like".
Etymology: da (copula) + no.
This particle is used far less frequently than to ka.
Often has negative connotations.
Nouns, adjectives, verbs Nattō da no, shīfūdo da no,
wasabi da no—nihonshoku ga nigate da.
納豆だの、シーフードだの、わさびだの—日本食が苦手
だ。 Natto, seafood, wasabi—Japanese food isn't my
thing.
de
で Etymology: Originally an alteration of ni te, later treated
as a conjugation of the copula da. de can be used as "at" or
"by means of". When serving as the continuative TE form of a
subordinate clause, de substitutes for da/desu, carries the
meaning "is, and so...", and takes on the tense of the final
verb of the sentence.
Nouns: instrument Jitensha de ikimashō.
自転車で行きましょう。 Let's go by bicycle.
Nouns: location Koko de yasumitai.
ここで休みたい。 I want to rest here.
Nouns: language Nihongo de tegami o kaita.
日本語で手紙を書いた。 I wrote the letter in Japanese.
TE form of copula: "is, and so..." kimi ga suki de yokatta
君 が 好き で よかった。 You are loved (and so) I am glad.
/ I am glad that I love you.
de mo
でも Translates to: "even; or; but, however; also in"
Etymology: de + mo
Nouns, particles: "even" Uchū kara de mo Banri-no-Chōjō
ga mieru.
宇宙からでも万里の長城が見える。 Even from space
you can see the Great Wall of China.
Noun: "or something" Ocha de mo, ikaga?
お茶でも、いかが？ Would you like tea or something?
Noun: "also in" Nihon de mo eigo o benkyō suru
日本でも英語を勉強する。 In Japan also, we study
English.
Beginning of phrase: "but, however, even so" De mo,
watashi wa sō omowanai
でも、私はそう思わない。 But I don't think so.
dokoro ka
どころか (所か) Translates to: "anything but, far from"
Etymology: dokoro (tokoro: place) + ka
Nouns Kare wa keisatsukan dokoro ka, hanzaisha da.
彼は警察官どころか、犯罪者だ。 He's anything but a
policeman; he's a criminal.
e
へ Translates to: "to, in"; direction
E is written with へ rather than え, reflecting old kana usage.
Nouns: direction Nihon e yōkoso!
日本へようこそ！ Welcome to Japan!
ga
が Functions as: identifier (identifies something
unspecified), conjunction ("but"). Not to be confused with
the particle は.
Ga (が or ヶ): Historical possessive used to connect nouns,
most often seen in place names as ヶ

Nouns: Subject Marker (answers a silent or asked question)

Neko ga esa o tabeta.
猫が餌を食べた。 The cat ate the catfood. [Answers:
"What ate the catfood?"]
Inu ga suki.
犬が好き。 I like dogs. [Answers: What do you like?]
Noun: noun connector wa ga kuni
我が国 my/our [collective] country
Fujimi ga Oka
富士見が丘 Fuji View Hill
Seki ga hara
関が原 Gateway Plains (site of the Battle of Sekigahara)
Phrases: conjunction (but...) Inu wa suki da ga, neko wa
kirai da.
犬は好きだが、猫は嫌いだ。 I like dogs but I hate cats.
hodo
ほど (程) Translates to: "as much as"; upper limit
Nouns Kare hodo nihongo ga umakunai.
彼ほど日本語がうまくない。 My Japanese isn't as good
as his.
Adjectives* Hayai hodo ii.
早いほどいい。 The sooner, the better.
Verb Aitsu o koroshitai hodo kirai da.
あいつを殺したいほど嫌いだ。 I hate him enough to
want to kill him.
ka
か Functions as: question denominator, alternative item
conjunction, quotation expressing doubt; "whether",
especially when used with dō ka ("or not").
Nouns, verbs: listing alternativesKore ka, sore ka, dotchika
erande yo.
これか、それか、どっちか選んでよ。 This or that,
choose one of them.
Noun, verbs: "whether (or not)" Iku ka [dō ka] wakaranai.
行くか（どうか）分からない。 I don't know [whether
or not / if] he'll go.
Adverbs (interrogative): uncertainty Dokoka de mita koto
ga aru.
どこかで見たことがある。 I think I've seen you
somewhere before. (You look familiar)
Phrases: question (formal) Wakarimasu ka?
分かりますか？ Do you understand? (formal)
Phrases: question, rhetorical Eigo nante wakarimasu ka!
英語なんて分かりますか! Why the heck would I
understand English? (formal)
Phrases: question, invitation Sate, dekake yō ka?
さて、出かけようか？ Right then, shall we leave?
Phrase: quotation expressing doubt Iku ka to omoimasu
ga...
行くかと思いますが。。。 I think he'll go (but I'm not
sure)...
kai
かい kai is a gentler and masculine variant of the
question marker ka.
ka na
かな Translates to: "I wonder" (Note: "Ka na" implies
having mostly made up one's mind. Drawing out the "na" [ka
naa] implies less certainty.)
Etymology: ka + na

Phrases Kare wa ayashii hito ka na.

彼は怪しい人かな。 I wonder if he's a suspicious person.
kara
から Translates to: "from, after, because"
Kara may be followed by no to link two nouns.
Nouns: "from, out of" Tōkyō kara kaetta.
東京から帰った。 He returned from Tokyo.
zutto mae kara no hanashi
ずっと前からの話 a conversation from way back
Verb (te form): "after" Owatte kara, kite kudasai.
終わってから、来てください。 Please come by after
finishing (after you've finished).
Adjectives, Verbs: "because" Niku o tabenai kara,
raamen wa dame da
肉を食べないから、ラーメンはだめだ。 Because he
doesn't eat meat, ramen is bad (a bad idea).
ka shira
かしら Ka shira is like ka na, but is used more by women.
See also Gender differences in spoken Japanese.
Etymology: ka + shira, the irrealis form (i.e. negative form
minus the -nai) of shiru "to know"

Phrases Kare wa ayashii hito ka shira.

彼は怪しい人かしら。 I wonder if he's a suspicious
person.
kedo
けど Translates to: "although, but"
Etymology: kedo is a shortened version of formal keredomo.
It also appears semi-abbreviated and semi-formally as
keredo or kedomo.
Adjectives, verbs Kanojo wa hen da kedo kirei da.
彼女は変だけどきれいだ。 She is strange but pretty
kiri
きり (切り) Translates to: "just, only"
Kiri is more rarely used than dake, functions as a noun and
may be followed by no.
Nouns futari kiri no o-mise
二人きりのお店 a shop with just two people [who work
there]
kke
っけ Translates to: "Similar to ka but in an attempt to
recall forgotten information."
Etymology: kke originates from the auxiliary verb of Old
Japanese "keri".
Nouns Nani wo iou to shitetan da kke
何を言おうとしてたんだっけ What were you trying to
say, again?
koro/goro
ごろ (頃) Translates to: "around, about, approximately"
Koro functions as a noun and may be followed by no.
Nouns San-ji goro ni aimashō.
三時ごろに会いましょう。 Let's meet around 3 o'clock.
koso
こそ Functions as: Emphasis marker.
There is no direct translation, but roughly analogous to
"precisely" or "exactly", as in examples below.

Phrases Kyō koso, yaru zo!

今日こそ、やるぞ！ Today, I'm going to do it!
Kimi ga suki da kara koso kore dake ganbatte iru n da yo.
君が好きだからこそこれだけがんばっているんだよ。
It's precisely because I like you that I'm working this
hard.
Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
こっちこそ、よろしくお願いします。 Nice to meet you,
too. (Emphasizes this side or me too)
kurai/gurai
くらい・ぐらい (位) Translates to: "about, approximately"
Kurai functions as a noun and may be followed by no.
Nouns Juppun kurai kakaru
十分くらいかかる。 It takes about 10 minutes.
made
まで (迄) Translates to: "up to, until, as far as"
Indicates a time or place as a limit.
Nouns (specifically places or times) Kono densha wa,
Shimonoseki made ikimasu.
この電車は、下関まで行きます。 This train goes as far
as Shimonoseki.
Verb Kaeru made matte ru.
帰るまで待ってる。 I'll wait until you come home.
made ni
までに (迄に) Translates to: "by (a certain time)"
Etymology: made + ni

Nouns, verbs Ku-ji made ni kaeru.

九時までに帰る。 I'll come back by nine o'clock.
me
め (目) me (目 only): ordinal particle
me (め only): "Damn..."; abusive/pejorative
Classifier nouns: ordinal Amerika wa nikai me desu.
アメリカは二回目です。 This is my second time to
America.
Noun: abusive "damn..." Orokamono me!
愚か者め！ [You] damn fool!
mo
も（亦） Translates to: "also"
Mo always replaces wa and ga, but may follow other
particles.
Nouns, phrases Watashi ni mo kureta.
私にもくれた。 She gave some to me, too.
mono/mon
もの・もん Verb + mono ( 物 ) : creates a noun from the
verb (only applies to certain verbs)
もの/もん at the end of a sentence: casual feminine sentence
ender like の; もん is very feminine and a bit cheeky.
With verbs Nomimono
飲み物 Drink
Tabemono
食べ物 Food
Ikimono
生き物 Living thing
At the end of a sentence "Doushite konakatta no?" "Jugyō
ga attanda mono."
「どうしてこなかったの？」「授業があったんだもの。」
"Why didn't you come?" "I had class."
"Doushite konakatta no?" "Jugyō ga attanda mon."
「どうしてこなかったの？」「授業があったんだもん。」
"Why didn't you come?" "I had class, hah."
mono de
もので Similar meaning as ので.
mono ka/mon-ka
ものか/もんか Put at the end of sentences to strongly
decline. (More gently : もの/もんですか)
At the end of sentences Makeru-monka!
負けるもんか! I will not surrender!
Dare ga anna tokoro-ni nido to iku-mondesuka!
誰があんなところに二度と行くもんですか! Who would
dare to go to a place like that for a second time!?
mono nara
ものなら (物なら) if (I/we/etc.) could
mono o
ものを Used in phrases to show deplore feelings about not
doing something they should do.
Phrases "Sukida" to hito koto itte kure-sae shi-tara kekkon
deki-ta mono o...
"好きだ"と一言言ってくれさえしたら、結婚できたもの
を... If you had said "I like you", we would have gotten
married...
na and naa
な(and なる)・なあ・なぁ Na ( な only): used with a class
of adjectives which behave grammatically like nouns (see
na-adjectives). A more archaic form of this na is naru (なる),
which is used in the same way. If na follows a dictionary
form verb, it is a negative command ("Don't... "). However, if
used with a verb stem, it implies the opposite: "Do..." as a
short form of nasai ( な さ い ). It is also used to modify
general nouns before other particles which cannot directly
follow nouns (e.g. no de).
Etymology: The na used with nouns (including na-
adjectives) is a form of the copula. Na or naa at the end of a
sentence is a variant of ne, implying more reflection.
Verb (plain non-future) Suru-na
するな Don't do (something).
Verb (stem) Tabe-na
食べな (short form of 食べなさい) Do eat / Please eat.
Na-adjectives hen na hito
変な人 a strange person
Phrases Hen da na!
変だな！ How strange!
nado
など (等) Translates to: "for example, things like, such
as, etc., and so on"
Functions as a noun and may be followed by no.
Nouns Nattō ya kabuki nado wa Nihon dake ni aru.
納豆や歌舞伎などは日本だけにある。 Things like natto
and kabuki are only in Japan.
nanka/nante
なんか・なんて (何か・何て) Functions to: emphasize
disgust, contempt, or otherwise negative feelings of the
speaker.
Nante is slightly more formal than nanka.
Nouns Jogen nanka iranai.
助言なんかいらない。 I don't need any (damn) advice.
Verb[1] Oyogu nante dekinai.
泳ぐなんてできない。 I can't swim.
Adjectives[2] Ōkiku nanka nai kedo, kirei da.
大きくなんかないけど、きれいだ。 It's not big [or
anything], but it's clean.
nara
なら Translates to: "if"; conditional
Hypothetical (仮定形) or conditional form of the copula da.
Related to the more formal naraba.
Nouns, adjectives, verbs, phrases Atsui nara, eakon o
tsukete
暑いなら、エアコンを付けて。 If you're hot, turn on
the air conditioner.
ne
ね Translates to: "eh"; interjection, tag question
Similar to English "hey", "eh?", French "non?" and Spanish
"no?" Asks or shows agreement and reflection at phrase-end,
also used before sentences to catch listener's attention
(informal).
Phrases Kimi wa kashikoi yo ne.
君は賢いよね。 You're pretty smart, aren't you.
Kakkō ii desu ne.
格好いいですね。 That's pretty neat, eh?
Ne, ima nanji?
ね、いま何時？ Hey, what time is it?
ni
に Translates to: "to, in, at, by"; indirect object, direction;
following a na-adjective, it creates an adverb
Noun: location Gakkō ni iru.
学校にいる。 I'm at/in school.
Noun: direction Gakkō ni iku.
学校に行く。 I'm going to school.
Noun: indirect object Ore ni kaese.
俺に返せ。 Give it back to me.
Noun: passive agent Ka ni sasareta.
蚊にさされた。 I was bitten by a mosquito.
Noun, verbs (stem only): purpose, intent Eiga o mi ni iku.
映画を見に行く。 I'm going to see a movie.
Adjective: forms adverb teinei, teinei ni
丁寧、 丁寧に polite, politely
ni te
にて Formal version of de, functions in exactly the same
way.
Etymology: Case particle ni + conjunctive particle te (cf. te
form of Japanese verbs)

ni wa
には Translates to: "for; in, to; in order to";
Etymology: ni + wa (always written は)
The wa part is the topic particle.
Serves as emphasis for a negative ending.

Nouns: "for" Shichimi wa, watashi ni wa kara-sugiru.

七味は、私には辛すぎる。 Shichimi is too spicy for me.
(i.e., "you might like it, but I'm not touching it.")
Noun: "in, to" Kyōto ni wa hana ga aru.
京都には花がある。 There are flowers in Kyōto.
(Lit.: As for in Kyōto, there are flowers.)

Verb: "in order to" Mizu o mitsukeru ni wa

みずをみつけるには In order to find water
no
の Functions as: possession indicator, noun link, topic
marker (subordinate clauses), nominalization
When nominalizing whole phrases, the no may function
either as emphasis or as a question, depending on tone of
voice. Similar to English, a falling tone denotes a statement,
and a rising tone a question. Its use to mark statements
tends to be more typical of feminine speech. See also Gender
differences in spoken Japanese.

Nouns: possession ex. a sensei no kuruma

先生の車 the teacher's car
Noun: possession ex. b watashi no konpyuuta
私のコンピューター My computer
Noun: possession ex. c anata no shukudai
あなたの宿題 your homework
Noun: linking kuruma no Toyota
車のトヨタ Toyota the car [company]
Noun: subject marker in subordinate clauses (see also: ga)
Kare no tsukutta kēki wa oishikatta.
彼の作ったケーキはおいしかった。 The cake that he
made was tasty.
i-adjectives: nominalization Yasui no wa, kore.
安いのは、これ。 This is the cheap[er] one.
Verb: nominalization Taberu no ga daisuki.
食べるのが大好き。 I love eating.
Phrases: nominalization, question Mō, tabeta no?
もう、食べたの？ Have you eaten yet?
Kuruma na no?
車なの？ Is it a car?
Kare ni mō ageta no yo!
彼にもうあげたのよ！ I already gave it to him!
no de
ので Translates to: "because"
Etymology: no + de
Colloquially, no de is often shortened to n de.
Phrases[3] Tesuto ga aru no de, ikenai.
テストがあるので、行けない。 Because I have a test, I
can't go.
Gakkō na no de, kin'en da.
学校なので、禁煙だ。 Because this is a school it's no
smoking.
nomi
のみ Translates to: "only, just"
Nomi is more formal and far less common than dake. Unlike
dake, its only meaning is that of small quantity or singleness
of frequency.
Nouns Tō-ten de wa, Nihon en nomi go-riyō itadakemasu.
当店では、日本円のみご利用頂けます。 This store
accepts Japanese Yen only.
no ni
のに Translates to: "despite, although, even though;
would have; in order to"
Etymology: no + ni
Nouns and na-adjectives must be followed by na before
using this particle.
No ni has a stronger meaning than kedo when used to mean
"although", and conveys regret when used to mean "would
have".
Adjectives, verbs: "although" Benkyō shiten no ni, eigo ga
hanasenai.
勉強してんのに、英語が話せない。 Although I'm
studying, I can't speak English.
Adjectives (conditional), verbs (conditional): "would have"
Kaette kitara, yokatta no ni.
帰ってきたら、よかったのに。 It would have been
nice if you had come home.
Verb (plain form): "in order to" Hikkosu no ni torakku ga
hitsuyō da.
引っ越すのにトラックが必要だ。 (In order) to move,
you need a truck.
o
を Functions as: direct object
Translates to: "through, from, past (motion verbs only)"
This is unrelated to the honorific prefix o, written お or 御.
Nouns: direct object Neko ga esa o tabeta.
猫が餌を食べた。 The cat ate the food.
Noun: through, etc. (motion) Sora o tobu
空を飛ぶ fly through the sky
sa/saa
さ・さあ・さぁ Functions as: Masculine sentence/phrase
final particle, indicating explanation of obvious facts. It is
softer than yo.
Saa: Feminine sentence/phrase final particle, used like ne,
but often more frequently as extremely colloquial filler.
Phrases: masculine sa Kanojo ga inai kara, dansu niwa
ikanai sa.
彼女がいないから、ダンスには行かないさ。 I don't
have a girlfriend, so I'm not going to the dance.
Phrases: saa Kinō saa, gakkō de saa, sensei ni saa, chūi
sarete saa, chō mukatsuita.
昨日さあ、学校でさあ、先生にさあ、注意されてさあ、超
むかついた。 Like, yesterday, in, like, school, I, like, got
fussed at by, like, some teacher, and it totally made me sick.
sae
さえ Sae: "even"
Note the meaning overlaps with mo. Sae implies (usually)
positive emphasis that the evident extent of something is
greater than initially expected. Can be followed by mo for
additional emphasis. Contrast this with sura.

Nouns Kanji sae kakeru.

漢字さえ書ける。 He can even write kanji.
de sae
でさえ Translates to: "even"
Etymology: de + sae
De sae replaces wa and ga, like de mo above.
Nouns Sonna koto wa saru de sae dekiru.
そんなことは猿でさえできる。 Even a monkey can do
that.
sae...ba/ra
さえ…ば・ら Function: sae followed by a verb in the
conditional means "if only".
Nouns Kore sae nomeba, futsukayoi ga naoru yo.
これさえ飲めば、二日酔いが直るよ。 If you would just
drink this, your hangover would get better.
shi
し Translates to: "and what's more" (conjunction)
Adjectives, verbs Kirei da shi, hiroi shi, ii ne, kono apaato!
きれいだし、広いし、いいね、このアパート。 It's
clean, it's spacious; this apartment is nice, isn't it!
shika
しか Translates to: "only, just"
Shika must be followed by a negative verb.
Shika may be compounded as dakeshika, kirishika, and
nomishika (plus the negative verb) to stress an extremely
limited quantity or frequency.
Nouns Ichi en dama shika nai.
一円玉しかない。 I have just a one-yen coin.
Verb Yūbin-kyoku ni iku shika nai.
郵便局に行くしかない。 The only thing [to do] is to go to
the post office.
sura
すら Translates to: "even"
Note the meaning overlaps with mo. Sura implies (usually)
negative emphasis that the evident extent of something is
less than initially expected. Contrast this with sae.

Nouns Kanji sura kakenai.

漢字すら書けない。 He can't even write kanji.
to
と Translates to: "and" (conjunction); "with" or "as with"
(preposition); "if"; quotation.
Nouns: conjunction sore to kore
それとこれ that and this
Nouns: conjunction sore to kore to
それ と これ と that or this
Verbs: transition/state change taiyōkei dasshutsu e to
chikazuite itta
太陽系 脱出 へ と 近づいて 行った｡ They were getting
close to the point of leaving the Solar System.
Noun: preposition Boku to ikitai?
僕と行きたい？ Do you want to go with me?
Verb, adjectives: "if" Benkyō suru to wakaru.
勉強すると分かる。 If you study, you'll understand.
Any phrase: quotation Umi made! to sakenda.
「海まで！」と叫んだ。 "To the sea!" he cried.
to ka
とか Functions as: A listing particle used like nado. Often
used with the question word nani (what) in the form
nantoka ("something or other").
Etymology: to + ka
Nouns Kani to ka, hotate to ka, zenbu tabeta yo.
蟹とか、帆立とか、全部食べたよ。 We had crab,
scallops, [other stuff,] we ate them all.
to mo
とも (共) Tomo (共): "both, all of the"
To mo (no kanji): "even if, even though; at the ...-est;
whether; [emphasis]"
If following a noun and used with a negative verb, meaning
changes to "none".

Etymology: to + mo

Counted nouns Watashi wa, aitsura ga futari tomo kirai

da.
私は、あいつらが、二人とも嫌いだ。 I hate the both of
those guys.
Zannen nagara, sono kuruma wa san dai tomo irimasen.
残念ながら、その車は三台とも要りません。
Unfortunately, we need none of those three cars.
Volitional verbs Dō shiyō to mo amari susumanai.
どうしようともあまり進まない。 No matter how we try
[to do something], we don't make much progress.
Adverbial (continuative) form of i-adjectives Sukunaku to
mo go-jū mairu aruite kita.
少なくとも五十マイル歩いてきた。 We walked at
least fifty miles [to get here].
Osoku to mo itte miyō yo.
遅くともいってみようよ。 Even if it's late, let's go and
check it out.
Verb (paired with same verb in negative) Kau to mo
kawanai to mo hakkiri shite imasen.
買うとも買わないともはっきりしていません。 It isn't
clear whether they're going to buy or not.
Verb, adjectives
This use is similar to the English expression, "as if
[something] wouldn't [phrase]."
Waratte ii to mo.
笑っていいとも。[4] It's okay to laugh.
Ikimasen to mo.
行きませんとも。 As if I would go.
tte
って Written as って in hiragana, this is another form of
to. It is a shortened version of toiu ( と い う ), the present
progressive form of the verb iu (言う), "to say"; it functions
as a type of verbal quotation mark. It is sometimes used for a
direct quote, sometimes for an indirect quote, and
sometimes simply to emphasize a word or concept.
tte is casual, and (because it can be a direct quote) the
politeness level of the quoted material does not necessarily
reflect on the speaker. If you wish to be assuredly formal,
use to iimasu instead of tte.
Any phrase Sugu kimasu tte
すぐ来ますって。 Could be, "He said he'll come soon"
(more politely) or, "He said, 'I'll come soon.'" (less so).
Arabiago tte, muzukashikunai?
アラビア語って難しくない？ "Arabic─isn't it difficult?"
(Emphasizing a word; used instead of というものは or　は)
tteba
ってば Functions as:'strong emphasis marker, especially
when the speaker has grown impatient.
Etymology: te + ba
Any phrase: quotation kōhī datteba !
コーヒーだってば！ I said "coffee"!
wa
は は wa is a topic marker. It is written with the hiragana
は ha, rather than the hiragana わ , wa. Not to be confused
with the particle が.
wa
わ わ wa is used at the end of the sentence to establish an
emotional connection. It is used by both genders when it is
pronounced with a falling intonation especially in dialects of
Kansai, Nagoya and elsewhere, but with a rising intonation,
it is generally used by females. This also conveys a certain
deference to the speaker's wishes and emotions.
ya
や Ya is used to make incomplete lists of things (usually
nouns). To make an exhaustive list, the particle to is used
instead.
Watashi no suki na tabemono wa okashi ya pan ya mikan
nado desu
私の好きな食べ物はお菓子やパンやミカンなどです。
"I like snacks, bread and tangerines."
yara
やら Denotes either uncertainty or listing.
yo
よ Yo comes at the end of the sentence, and is used to
make assertions. Compare zo and ze below.
Yo is also sometimes used after nouns, and functions as a
vocative marker. This is especially used in older speech,
poetry, and songs.

Kaeru yo!
帰るよ！ "I'm going home!"
Saraba, tomo yo
さらば友よ。 "Farewell, oh friend!"
yori
より Yori can mean "from", and is also used to make
comparisons. Yori is usually written より in hiragana.
Kono densha-wa, Kashiwa-yori saki wa kaku eki-ni
tomarimasu
この電車は柏より先は各駅に止まります。 "This train
will stop at every station after Kashiwa".
Dare-yori-mo kanemochi-ni naritai
誰よりも金持ちになりたい。 "I want to become richer
than anyone (else)".
ze
ぜ ze indicates assertion. Used mostly by men, it is never
considered polite. Compare yo and zo.
zo
ぞ zo indicates assertion. Used mainly by men, it is
considered somewhat less forceful and more positive than
ze. Compare yo and ze above.
zutsu
ずつ Zutsu denotes an equal or gradual distribution of
quantity like "at a time" in "one at a time", "by" in "one by
one", or "each" in "one each". It usually follows counted
nouns, and is written with hiragana as ずつ.
Noun: counted Chokorēto-o ni-ko-zutsu tabemashita
チョコレートを二個ずつ食べました。 Either "I ate two
pieces of chocolate on each (countable) times." or "Each one
ate (=shared) two pieces of chocolate (from larger
amount)."

List of 188 Japanese particles

No Particle Meaning / usage
1 は (wa) Indicantes the topic of a sentence
2 か (ka) At the end of a sentence indicating a question
3 が (ga) Indicates the subject of a sentence
4 に (ni) Indicates a location
5 の (no) Indicates possession
6 は (wa) Indicates a contrast between 2 items
7 に (ni) Indicates time or frequency
8 へ (e) Indicates direction
9 を (wo/o) Indicates the direct object of a verb
10 と (to) Used to connect and list up multiple items
11 や (ya) Used to connect and partially list up multiple
items
12 など (nado) Used with や (ya) to partially list up
multiple items
13 も (mo) means “too”, “either”, “also”
14 も (mo) both…and…, neither…nor…
15 に (ni) Indicates the indirect object of a verb
16 に (ni) Indicates the surface of a object where some
action takes place
17 で (de) Indicates the location of an action
18 と (to) Together with
19 の (no) Indicates an apposition
20 から (kara) Indicates a starting point in time or place
21 より (yori) Indicates a starting point in time or place
but more formal than kara (20)
22 まで (made) Indicates a limit on time, space or
quantity
23 くらい (kurai) Indicates an approximate amount
24 ほど (hodo) Indicates an approximate amount
25 ばかり(bakari) Indicates an approximate amount
26 で (de) Indicates a means or material
27 か (ka) Indicates a choice or alternative
28 を (wo/o) Indicates a point of departure
29 を (wo/o) Indicates a route of a movement/motion
30 に (ni) Indicates a point of arrival
31 に (ni) Indicates an entering motion
32 に (ni) Used together with a verb to express a
purpose
33 と (to) Used when quoting someone
34 と いう (to iu) Indicates the name of something
35 とか (toka) “something like”
36 で (de) Indicates a limit or scope
37 と (to) Indicates a comparison
38 より (yori) Indicates a comparison
39 より (yori) Indicates superlative
40 くらい (kurai) Indicates a comparison
41 ほど (hodo) Indicates a comparison in a negative
sentence
42 か (ka) someone, something
43 も (mo) “nothing”, nobody”, nowhere” if used with an
interrogative word
44 に (ni) Used with a verb to indicate a change or choice
45 をする (wo/o suru) Expresses an occupation or
position
46 でも (demo) Indicates emphasis
47 でも (demo) Together with an interrogative word it
means “anything”, “anyone”, any time”
48 で (de) Indicates a cause or a reason
49 から (kara) Indicates a source such as a giver, a cause
or material
50 に (ni) Indicates a person who gives something or
who provides a service
51 は (wa) + が (ga) Indicates the relation between an
object / subjects and a verb or adjective
52 が (ga) Connects two sentences with the meaning
“but…”
53 を (wo/o) Used with an verb expressing emotions, it
indicates the cause of this emotion
54 で (de) Indicates a state / condition of something
55 で (de) Limits numbers
56 だけ (dake) Indicates a limit on things or amounts
57 だけ (dake) Indicates a limit on an action or state
58 で (de) Indicates the time of completion or expiration
of something
59 でも (demo) Following a noun, means “or something
like this”
60 も (mo) Emphasizes in a positive or negative way
61 でも (demo) Indicates two or more items as an
example of a larger list
62 ばかり (bakari) Indicates that an item, state or action
is a single one
63 ばかり (bakari) Indicates an action was just
completed
64 ところ (tokoro) Indicates that an action takes place,
just took place or is about to take place
65 が (ga) Indicates the subject of subordinate clause
when it is different from the subject of the main clause
66 から (kara) conjunction meaning “after” or “since”
67 ながら (nagara) Indicates that an action is happening
simultaneously
68 が (ga) Indicates the subject of a relative clause
69 の (no) Indicates the subject of a relative clause
70 から (kara) Used as a conjunction and indicates a
cause or reason
71 ので (node) Indicates a strong reason
72 の (no) Indicates a modified pronoun
73 の (no) Used to nominalize verbs & sentences
74 なら (nara) Used as a conjunction and indicates a
supposition or condition
75 なら (nara) Indicates a topics and is used as an
alternative to wa (No.1)
76 と (to) Indicates a condition that results in an
inevitable outcome
77 ば (ba) Used as a conjunction to express a probable
results
78 ばいい (ba) “all you have to do…”
79 ば (ba) Used to enumerate two or more actions or
states
80 たら (tara) Used as a conjunction, indicates a
supposition or condition
81 たら (tara) Used as a conjunction to indicate that one
action takes place before the action described in the main
sentence
82 ところ (tokoro) Used as a conjunction to indicate a
condition that brings about a discovery
83 ても (temo) a conjunction meaning “even if”
84 ても (temo) Used with a set of contrasting verbs and
adjectives
85 ても (temo) Together with an interrogative word it
means “no matter what/where/who”
86 ては (tewa) Indicates a condition which will bring a
negative conclusion
87 のみ (nomi) Indicates a limit (similar to だけ　dake)
88 まで (made) “even”, used to emphasize
89 さえ (sae) “even”, used to emphasize
90 さえ (sae) “if only” or “as long as”
91 のに (noni) “although”, “in spite of the fact that”
92 ながら (nagara) “although”, “though”, “but”
93 とか (toka) Indicates that a list of two ore more
things or actions is not exhaustive
94 たり (tari) List of two or more actions in no
particular sequence
95 たり (tari) Indicates actions or states that alternate
96 のに (noni) Indicates a purpose or function
97 のです (no desu) Asks for an explanation or reason
98 きり (kiri) Indicates a limit to an amount
99 きり (kiri) Indicates the last time a certain incident
occured
100 とも (tomo) Used with numbers and counters to mean
“both” or “all”
101 ながら (nagara) Used with numbers and counters to
mean “both” or “all”
102 しか (shika) Used with a negative verb to indicate
limits on conditions or quantities meaning “only”
103 しかない (shika nai) used with a verb meaning “to
have no choice but to”
104 し (shi) Used as a conjunction, indicating two or more
actions or states
105 し (shi) Used as a conjunction indicating a reason
106 とも (tomo) Indicates inclusion
107 に (ni) Indicates the one acting or the one acted upon
108 か (ka) Indicates uncertainty about something
109 か (ka) Indicates uncertainty about a state or reason
110 だの (dano) Indicates two or more items or actions of
a longer list (similar to toka とか)
111 だの (dano) Indicates a pair of opposite actions or
states
112 など (nado) “something to the effect”
113 やら (yara) Indicates two or more items of a longer
list
114 やら (yara) Indicates uncertainty
115 ても (temo) Indicates an approximate limit with the
meaning of “at the most”
116 とも (tomo) Indicates an approximate maximum or
minimum
117 は (wa) Indicates that a number is the higher or lowest
limit
118 と (to) Emphasizes a number in a negative sentence
119 など (nado) Indicates examples
120 くらい (kurai) Expresses an extent of an action or
condition similar to ぐらい gurai
121 ほど (hodo) Indicates the extend of an action or
condition
122 ほど (hodo) “the more… the more…”
123 だけ (dake) “as… as…”
124 だけ (dake) “the more… the more…”
125 と (to) “about to do something”, “trying to do
something”
126 と (to) “even if…”, “whether… or not”
127 なり (nari) “either…”, “whether…or”
128 なり (nari) “anything”, “anyone”, “any time”
129 こそ (koso) Emphasizes the word preceding it
130 こそ (koso) Emphasizes a reason or a cause
131 ては (tewa) Expresses repetition of an action
132 に (ni) Joins two or more nouns to indicate a list of
items
133 に (ni) Connects two or more items to indicate a
matching or a contrast
134 にしては (ni shite wa) Indicates a generally agreed
upon standard
135 にとって (ni totte) Indicates an effect or value of a
person or thing
136 について (ni tsuite) “about”, “concerning” something
or someone
137 とも…とも (tomo… tomo) “can’t say whether… or…”
138 が (ga) “even if”, “whether… or not”
139 は (wa) Emphasizes contrasting elements
140 として (toshite) Indicates status, capacity or function
141 として (toshite) Provides emphasis in a negative
sentence
142 ばかりでなく(bakari de naku) “not only… but also”
143 だけ (dake) used to express “not only…but also”
144 のみ (nomi) used to express “not only…but also”
145 なり (nari) “as soon as”
146 がはやいか (ga hayai ka) “as soon as”
147 やいなや (ya ina ya) “as soon as”
148 かないうちに (ka nai uchi ni) “no sooner had”,
“hardly had”
149 ばかり (bakari) Indicates the only action left to do
150 ばかりに (bakari ni) Emphasizes a reason or cause
151 すら (sura) Emphasizes in the meaning of “even”
152 など (nado) Expresses a humble attitude towards an
item
153 とも (tomo) “no matter what”, “even if”
154 ともあろうひと (tomo aroo hito) To express that
someone did something not to be expected
155 どころか (dokoro ka) “far from”, “not to mention”
156 だけに (dake ni) Indicates a cause or reason
157 までもない (made mo nai) “there is no need to…”
158 ものの (mono no) “but” or “although”
159 ところで (tokoro de) “even if”
160 けれども (keredomo) Connects 2 sentences meaning
“but” or “although”
161 けれども (keredomo) Indicates a preliminary remark
162 が (ga) Used to soften a statement or refusal
163 けれども (keredomo) Indicates a desire
164 ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to confirm a
statement
165 ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to soften a request or
suggestion
166 ね (ne) At the end of a sentence to indicate a reason or
cause
167 ねえ (nee) At the end of a sentence to indicate
emotion
168 よ (yo) At the end of a sentence to state a strong
conviction
169 よ (yo) At the end of a sentence to articulate a request
or suggestion
170 かしら (kashira) At the end of a sentence to express
uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by
women
171 かな (kana) At the end of a sentence to express
uncertainty, a request or a question and mainly used by men
172 な (na) At the end of a sentence and used by men to
confirm a statement
173 な (na) At the end of a sentence to express a
prohibition, used by men
174 なあ (naa) At the end of a sentence to express
emotion, used by men
175 なあ (naa) At the end of a sentence to express a
desire
176 の (no) At the end of a sentence to express a question
or soften a command, used by women
177 わ (wa) At the end of a sentence to soften a statement,
used by women
178 さ (sa) At the end of a sentence to indicate slight
emphasis, used by men
179 こと (koto) At the end of a sentence to indicate
emotion, used by women
180 こと (koto) At the end of a sentence to express a
suggestion or invitation, used by women
181 もの (mono) At the end of a sentence to express a
reason or excuse
182 とも (tomo) At the end of a sentence to express an
assertion
183 ものか (monoka) At the end of a sentence to express a
negative determination, used by men
184 や (ya) At the end of a sentence to soften a statement,
request or suggestion, used by men
185 たら (tara) At the end of a sentence to indicate a
suggestion or proposal
186 やら (yara) At the end of a sentence to indicate a
rhetorical question with a negative implication
187 ぜ (ze) At the end of a sentence to add for to sentence,
used by men
188 ぞ (zo) At the end of a sentence to add force to a
sentence or to express a question to oneself
◎FAMILY MEMBERS
Basic Family Words
In Japanese—unlike in English—the terms for family relationships can differ according
to whether you are talking about your own family to someone else or the other person's family.
For ease of reference, the family term is listed in English in the first column. The second column
lists term you would use when talking about your own family.

English Word Talking about your family Talking about another's family
father chichi otousan
父 お父さん
mother haha okaasan
母 お母さん
older brother ani oniisan
兄 お兄さん
older sister ane oneesan
姉 お姉さん
younger brother otouto otoutosan
弟 弟さん
younger sister imouto imoutosan
妹 妹さん
grandfather sofu ojiisan
祖父 おじいさん
grandmother sobo obaasan
祖母 おばあさん
uncle oji ojisan
叔父/伯父 おじさん
aunt oba obasan
叔母/伯母 おばさん
husband otto goshujin
夫 ご主人
wife tsuma okusan
妻 奥さん
son musuko musukosan
息子 息子さん
daughter musume ojousan
娘 お嬢さん
General Family Terms
Some family words in Japanese are the same whether you are talking about your family or
another person's family. These are general terms such as "family," "parents," and "siblings."

Useful Family English

 Words Translation
kazoku family
家族
ryoushin parents
両親
kyoudai sibling
兄弟
kodomo child
子供
itoko cousin
いとこ
shinseki relatives
親戚

II. DESTINATION
The directional 「へ」 particle
Vocabulary
日本 【に・ほん】 – Japan
行く 【い・く】 (u-verb) – to go
家 【1) うち; 2) いえ】 – 1) one’s own home; 2) house
帰る 【かえ・る】 (u-verb) – to go home
部屋 【へ・や】 – room
来る 【く・る】 (exception) – to come
医者 【い・しゃ】 – doctor
なる (u-verb) – to become
勝ち 【か・ち】 – victory
向かう 【むか・う】 (u-verb) – to face; to go towards
While 「 へ 」 is normally pronounced /he/, when it is being used as a particle, it is always
pronounced /e/ （え）. The primary difference between the 「に」 and 「へ」 particle is that
「に」 goes to a target as the final, intended destination (both physical or abstract). The 「へ」
particle, on the other hand, is used to express the fact that one is setting out towards the direction
of the target. As a result, it is only used with directional motion verbs. It also does not guarantee
whether the target is the final intended destination, only that one is heading towards that
direction. In other words, the 「に」 particle sticks to the destination while the 「へ」 particle
is fuzzy about where one is ultimately headed. For example, if we choose to replace 「に」 with
「へ」 in the first three examples of the previous section, the nuance changes slightly.

Examples
ボブは日本へ行った。
Bob headed towards Japan.
家へ帰らない。
Not go home toward house.
部屋へくる。
Come towards room.
Note that we cannot use the 「へ」 particle with verbs that have no physical direction. For
example, the following is incorrect.
 GREETINGS IN JAPAN(NIHONGO)
Japanese Greetings
Japanese greetings are called 挨拶 (aisatsu), and they’re one of the first things
you should study when learning Japanese, right after learning hiragana and
katakana.

The word aisatsu consists of two kanji: 挨 (push open) and 拶 (imminent). So, a
greeting ( 挨 拶 ) is when you begin to push open an imminent relationship. Kanji
Sharks might want to learn these kanji, but you’re not going to see them much
outside of this word.

1. Ohayou gozaimasu
(kanji: お早うございます, hiragana: おはようございます)
This greeting is how you would say “good morning” in Japanese. The kanji 早 used
here means “morning.” The greeting also reflects a common tendency in Japanese
expressions, phrases, and verbs. Basically, the longer the phrase, the more formal it is.
There are often several different levels of formality.

2. Hajimemashite
(kanji: 始めまして, hiragana: はじめまして)
This greeting in Japanese means “How do you do?” or “Nice to meet you.” Use it
when you’re meeting someone for the first time.
The phrase comes from a respectful conjugation of the verb “hajimeru” (kanji: 始める),
which means “to begin” or “to start.” In this case, you’re starting a new relationship with
someone, so whether it be a potential friend, colleague, or acquaintance, be sure to start
off well!

3. Konnichi wa
(hiragana: こんにちは, kanji: 今日は)
This is probably the most well-known Japanese greeting. It translates to “good day” or
“hello” in English.Literally, the kanji for “kon” ( 今 ) means “this,” and the kanji for
“nichi” ( 日 ) means “day.” “Wa” ( は ) is a grammatical particle that marks the main
subject of a sentence – in this case, “today.”

4. Konban wa
(kanji: 今晩は, hiragana: こんばんは)
“Konban wa” means “good evening,” and you can use this greeting in Japanese to say
“hello” at night. The structure is the same as that of “konnichi wa,” the only difference is
the use of 晩 (ban) for “evening” in place of 日 (nichi) for “day.”

5. Tadaima
(kanji: 只今; 唯今, hiragana: ただいま)
Use this greeting when you get home and want to announce your presence! It literally
means, “I’ve returned.” It can also be translated as “I’m home.”

6. Oyasumi nasai
(hiragana: おやすみなさい)
Say this to your family or roommates when you’re going to bed. Don’t use it when
you’re leaving a friend’s house for the night, though. It’s an approximate equivalent to
“good night” in English.
 7. Moshi-Moshi
(kanji: 申し申し, hiragana: もしもし)
Use this to say “hello” when you answer the telephone. It’s the humble form of
“imasu” (kanji: 言います, hiragana: いいます), which is one of the Japanese verbs that
means “to say.”

8. Irasshaimase
(kanji: いらっしゃいませ)
You may not have the opportunity to use this greeting in Japanese very often, but you
might hear it when you visit a restaurant or shop. You could hear a business owner or
employee use this phrase to welcome customers to their store. The greeting consists of
the honorific imperative form of the verb “irrassharu” ( い ら っ し ゃ る ) meaning “to
come.”

9. Ittekimasu & itterasshai

The Japanese have greetings specific for when someone leaves the house or office,
which may be a new concept to English-speakers. The person who leaves says,
ittekimasu, literally “I’ll go and come back,” whereas the person staying says itterasshai,
literally “please go and come back.” These are used daily but only at the home or office
or somewhere the people are based, since it only makes sense when they will go and
come back.

 Goodbye.
Sayounara(さようなら) as you may already know, means “Goodbye” in Japanese. What you
may not know is that　さようなら　has the connotation of saying goodbye for a long time. So
it’s not usually something you would say to a classmate or coworker at the end of the day (unless
you plan on not seeing them for a long, long time).
The closest word, in English, is probably ‘farewell.’
 If you’re talking to a friend, and you expect to see them again fairly soon, you can just
say: (じゃあ、また)
Jaa, mata.- See you later. (literally: “then, later”)

 If you’re in a formal situation, maybe saying bye to your boss or teacher, then you can
say: (失礼します) Shitsureeshimasu.
10. Hisashiburi (Long time, no see)

11. o-genki desu ka? (Are you fine?; It is often translated into "how are you", but it's not used to
the people whom you meet every day like English "how are you?", but to the people whom
you meet after a long time. Ohayoo, konnichiwa and atsui desu ne etc. are used to the people
whom you meet every day.)

12. atsui desu ne (It's hot, isn't it?; These expressions on weather are used as daily greetings, like
English "How are you?").

13. samui desu ne (It's cold, isn't it?)

14. ii tenki desu ne (It is a fine day, isn't it?)

15. gomennasai (I'm sorry; Casual expression of apology)

16. sumimasen (Excuse me, Sorry; In daily conversation, suimasen is overwhelming often used
and it is also used as a light apology. The polite form is Sumimasen.)

17. o-saki ni doozo (Go ahead)

18. ki o tsukete (lit. "be careful", To the person who will go to travel like "Have a nice trip" in
English.)

19. omedetoo gozaimasu (Congratulations)

20. ki ni shinaide (Don't mention it)

21. doozo o-hairi kudasai (Please come in)

22. doozo o-kake kudasai(Please have a seat)

23. Ganbatte! (Good Luck!, do your best, try hard)

JAPANESE COMMON PHRASES
Hai. Yes.
はい。

Iie. No.
いいえ。

O-negai shimasu. Please.

おねがいします。

Arigatō. Thank you.

ありがとう。

Dōitashimashite. You're welcome.

どういたしまして。

Sumimasen. Excuse me.

すみません。

Gomennasai. I am sorry.
ごめんなさい。

Ohayō gozaimasu. Good morning.

おはようございます。

Konbanwa. Good evening.

こんばんは。

O-yasumi nasai. Good night.

おやすみなさい。

Japanese Phrases for Meeting and Greeting

Eigo o hanasemasu ka. Do you speak English?
えいごをはなせますか。
Koko ni eigo o hanaseru hito wa imasu ka. Does anyone here speak English?
ここに　えいごおはなせるひとはいますか。

Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi shika hanasemasen. I only speak a little Japanese.

わたしは　にほんごがすこししか　はなせません。

O-namae wa nan desu ka. What is your name?

おなまえはなんですか。

Watashi no namae wa Kaori desu. My name is Kaorii.

わたしのなまえは　かおりです。

O-genki desu ka. How are you?

おげんきですか。

Genki desu. I'm fine. Thank you.

げんきです。

Oaidekite ureshī desu. I am very glad to meet you.

おあいできて　うれしいです。

Wakarimasen. I don't understand.

わかりません。

Nante iimashita ka. What did you say?

なんていいましたか。

Motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai. Can you speak more slowly?

もっと　ゆっくりはなしてください。

Yoku wakarimasu. I understand you perfectly.

よくわかります。

Chotto literally means “a little,” but it’s used to soften the expression in Chotto sumimasen.
Mochiron. (of course)

Ā, sō desu ka. (Oh, I see.)

Hontoni Oishii-desu - It’s delicious

This phrase will be of great help if you are a big time foodie! If you like some cuisine or any
kind of delicacy in Japan and you want to compliment it then feel free to express your liking for
it. The literal meaning of this phrase is ‘it’s delicious’! Quite a useful one, isn’t it?

Who? (誰ですか) - dare desuka

What? 何ですか - nan desuka
Why? なぜ/何故ですか - naze desuka
How many? いくつですか.- ikutsu desuka
Which? どちらですか - dochira desuka
Where? どこ/何処ですか - doko desuka
When? いつですか - itsu desuka
 A. Flag of Japan
The national flag of Japan is officially named
the Nisshoki, which means the sun-mark flag.
This name refers to its appearance, which is a
crimson circle set on a white background.
It is a rectangular white banner bearing a
crimson-red disc at its center.
It embodies the country's sobriquet: Land of the Rising Sun.
Meaning of the Colors and Symbols of the Flag of Japan
The Japanese flag represents the sun, which has important religious and mythological
significance in the country.
Local beliefs suggest that Amaterasu, the sun goddess, is a direct ancestor of the
Emperors of Japan. This relation between the sun goddess and the Emperor give legitimacy to
those in power.

In fact, the Emperor is often referred to as the Son of the Sun, and the country is often
referred to as the Land of the Rising Sun.

B. Land of Japan

It is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies off the eastern coast
of the Asian continent and stretches from the Sea of
Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the
Philippine Sea in the south.

Japan is an archipelago comprised of four major

island and 6,800 smaller islands. Covering about
145,856 square miles (378,000 square kilometers),

The islands of Japan make up less than 15 percent

of Japan's total territory. Most of its territory is in the
sea. In addition to the 200 nautical miles (370
kilometers) of ocean that Japan can also claims around
the main islands according to the 1982 United Nations
Convention of the Law of the Sea it can also claim 200
nautical miles around far flung Japanese islands that
extend from near Taiwan and China to far out in the
Pacific Ocean.

MAIN ISLANDS OF JAPAN

 Japan's "mainland" consists of four
primary islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and
Shikoku. In total, the country of Japan includes
6,852 islands, many of which are very small and
uninhabited.
When trying to remember where the major
islands are located, you can think of the
archipelago of Japan as a lowercase letter j.
•Hokkaido is the j's dot.
•Honshu is the long body of the j.
•Shikoku and Kyushu make up the j's sweeping
curve.

The Island of Honshu

Honshu is the largest island and the core of

Japan. It is also the seventh largest island in the world.
On the island of Honshu, you will find
the majority of the Japanese population and
most of its major cities, including the capital of
Tokyo. Because it is the center of Japan,
Honshu is connected to the other primary
islands via undersea tunnels and bridges.

Roughly the size of the state of Minnesota,

Honshu is a mountainous island and home to many of
the country's active volcanoes. Its most famous peak is
Mt. Fuji.
Major cities: Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka-Kyoto, Nagoya, Sendai, Yokohama, Niigata

Key mountains: Mount Fuji (Japan's highest point at 12,388 feet [3,776 m]), Mount Kita, Mount
Hotaka, Hilda Mountains, Ou Mountains, Chugoku Range

Other key geographic features: Lake Biwa (Japan's largest lake), Mutsu Bay, Inawashiro Lake,
Tokyo Bay

The Island of Hokkaido

Hokkaido is the northernmost and second
largest of the main Japanese islands. It is
separated from Honshu by the Tsugaru Strait.
Sapporo is the largest city on Hokkaido and also
serves as the island's capital.
 The climate of Hokkaido is distinctly northern. It is known for its mountainous
landscape, a number of volcanoes, and natural beauty. It is a popular destination for skiers and
outdoor adventure enthusiasts and is home to many national parks, including Shiretoko National
Park.
During the winter, drift ice from the Okhotsk Sea creeps toward the northern coast, which
is a sight to behold in late January. The island is also known for its many festivals, including the
popular Winter Festival.
Major cities: Sapporo, Hakodate, Obihiro, Asahikawa, Obihiro, Kitami, Shari, Abashiri,
Wakkanai
Key mountains: Mount Asahi (highest point on the island at 7,516 feet [2,291 m]), Mount
Hakuun, Mount Akadake, Mount Tokachi (active volcano), Daisetsu-zan Mountains
Other key geographic features:Sounkyo Gorge, Lake Kussharo, Lake Shikotsu

The Island of Kyushu

The third largest of Japan's big islands,
Kyushu is to the southwest of Honshu. This island
is known for its semitropical climate, hot springs,
and volcanoes, and the largest city on the island is
Fukuoka

Kyushu is known as the "Land of Fire"

because of its chain of active volcanoes, which
include Mount Kuju and Mount Aso.

Major cities: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima

Key mountains: Mount Aso (active volcano), Mount Kuju, Mount Tsurumi, Mount Kirishima,
Sakura-jima, Ibusuki

Other key geographic features: Kumagawa River (largest on Kyushu), Ebino Plateau, multiple
small islands
The Island of Shikoku

Shikoku is the smallest of the four

islands and is located to the east of Kyushu
and southeast of Honshu. It is a picturesque
and cultural island, boasting many Buddhist
temples and the homes of famous haiku
poets.
Also a mountainous island, Shikoku's
mountains are small in comparison to others
in Japan, as none of the island's peaks is
higher than 6,000 feet (1,828 m). There are
no volcanoes on Shikoku.
 Shikoku is home to a Buddhist pilgrimage that is known worldwide. Visitors can walk
around the island visiting each of the 88 temples
along the way. It is one of the oldest pilgrimages in
the world.
Major cities: Matsuyama, Kochi
Key mountains: Mount Sasagamine, Mount Higashi-
Akaishi, Mount Miune, Mount Tsurugi
Other key geographic features: Inland Sea, Hiuchi-
nada Sea, Bingonada Sea, Iyo-nada Sea.
D. SEASONS OF JAPAN
Japan has four distinct seasons: March to May is
spring; June to August is summer; September to
November is autumn; and December to February is
winter.
Each season has very different temperatures and
climates. Moreover Japan is geography stretches from
and north to south, with the north island of Hokkaido in a
subarctic zone and the southern island of Okinawa being
subtropical, and the rest of the area falling into a
temperate zone.
In the center of the main island a mountain range runs
north to south. The eastern side, which faces the Pacific, tends to have a lot of rain, while the
western side facing the Japan Sea has a lot of snow in the
winter.

1. Spring Season

It is the time for "Hanami", cherry blossom viewing

events which are held in many different spots all over the country. The best time to see cherry
blossoms in Tokyo is usually from the end of March to the beginning of April.

2. Rainy Season
From the end of May to mid-July is the “rainy season” called "Tsuyu". Even when it is
not raining, the humidity gets high as the temperature rises. The rainy season starts early in
southern part of Japan and gradually shifts northward, which takes about a month. However,
Hokkaido does not experience Tsuyu. When the rainy season ends, the real hot summer begins.

3. Winter
By the end of December, it is very cold, and it is not uncommon to fall below freezing from
January to the beginning of March. In areas such as Hokuriku, Tohoku and Hokkaido, there will
be a lot of snow, and there are even years when it snows heavily in Tokyo. Especially in Tohoku
and Hokuriku area, the snow often piles up to a few meters high. There is not much snow on the
Pacific side, which usually has continuous sunny, cold days.

4. Autumn

Autumn in Japan has a comfortable climate,

roughly the same as spring. The heat breaks, the
humidity goes down, and the air feels cool and dry.
Just as the cherry blossoms attract crowds in the
spring, many tourists gather in Nara prefecture,
Kyoto prefecture, and Nikko city to enjoy the
beautiful tints of autumn.

In Tokyo, November is the time when the leaves of

deciduous trees turn to red and yellow, painting the
mountains and streets beautiful colors. Autumn is also a
time when many cultural events are happening.
A. Traditional Artist

Hokusai is best known as author of

the woodblock print series Thirty-
six Views of Mount Fuji (富嶽三十
六 景 Fugaku Sanjūroku-kei, c.
1831) which includes the
internationally iconic print, The
Great Wave of Kanagawa.

Hokusai created the Thirty-Six

Views both as a response to a
domestic travel boom and as part of
a personal obsession with Mount Fuji.
SESSHU TOYO
Sesshu is known as the greatest
exponent of sumi-e (ink wash
painting), which was founded by his
master Tensho Shubun. Like Tensho,
Sesshu Toyo was also influenced by
Chinese Song Dynasty painting but he
transformed it and gave it Japanese
character, like, he used greater contrast
between light and shadow, thicker
lines and a flatter effect of space.

“Landscapes of the Four

Seasons”
Kanō Eitoku
A Japanese painter who lived during the Azuchi–
Momoyama period of Japanese history and one of the most
prominent patriarchs of the Kanō school of Japanese painting.

“Chinese Guardian Lions”

TOMIOKA TESSAI
Tessai started his artistic career
as a practitioner of bunjinga, or “literati painting” and was
the last prominent artist of the movement.

“Mt.Penglai”

HASEGAWA TOHAKU
Founder of the Hasegawa school of Japanese
paintings, Tohaku earlier studied under the prestigious
Kano school but later developed his own style. He was also influenced by the
works of the great master Sesshu Toyo, so much so that he called himself his
fifth successor. 

“Pine Tree and Flowering Plants”

KITAGAWA UTAMARO
One of the most famous artists of ukiyo-e (a genre of
woodblock prints and paintings) of all time, Utamaro is known
all over Japan for making the finest and most evocative portraits
of sensuous female beauties, or bijin-ga, in all of ukiyo-e. He,
more than anyone else, captured the subtle aspects of personality
and transient moods of women in his works.

“Flowers Of Edo”
TENSHO SHUBUN
 He is considered the founder of the sumi-e painting (ink
wash painting) and promoted it till it became the national style
of the period. He was tutor to many renowned artists including
the great Sesshu Toyo and Kano Masanobu, the founder of Kano
school of painting. Shubun’s most famous painting is Reading in
a Bamboo Grove, which is now designated as a National
Treasure in Japan.

“Reading In A Bamboo Grove”
 B. Arts and Crafts

Japan’s relationship with arts and crafts is linked to an awareness and deep appreciation
of the environment, with the island nation boasting some of the most stunning scenery from
subtropical paradises to winter wonderlands, all bordered by the sea. As a result, the arts and
crafts of Japan have reflected this natural beauty for centuries in woodblock prints, paintings,
ceramics, and textiles.
At the heart of much Japanese arts and crafts is the aesthetic of wabi-sabi, the idea that
beauty sits within imperfections. As in nature, imperfections add to the character of wabi-sabi
arts and crafts, making the objects both beautiful and one-of-a-kind.

 Japanese Architecture

Japan has an interesting variety of buildings

that exhibit different architectural forms from humble
farm houses to grand imperial palaces. Architectural
styles have evolved from pre-historic to modern
times. 
Efforts have been made to preserve some
monumental buildings including temples, shrines,
palaces and castles, of which many are very old and
require periodic renovations. 

 Kimono
The kimono ( 着 物 ) is a traditional
Japanese dress. In modern day, it is worn only
sparingly or during special occasions such
as weddings, tea ceremonies, formal traditional
events and funerals. An appropriate style and color
of kimono is to be worn depending on the occasion
and the person's age and marital status. In recent
years, kimono rental services for tourists have
become very popular.

 Kokeshi Doll (こけし)
Kokeshi is traditional wooden dolls from Tohoku
area (northern Japan), which started to be made
during Edo perod. There are many types of dolls sold
in Japan but original ones are wooden and painted
red. If you wish to purchase wooden sculpture crafts
in Japan, Thoku area is the best.
 Shodo
The Japanese calligraphy (Shodo) is one of the
most popular fine arts of Japan. Calligraphical
works are appreciated not less than products of
painting. But this kind of the fine arts possesses
also philosophical sense. In the simplest
understanding the calligraphy is an art to write
beautifully. The master creates a work of art by bamboo brush and inks on the rice paper. It
transfers harmony and beauty.
The parity of simple and graceful is embodied in calligraphical works as one of main
principles of Japanese aesthetics wabi sabi.

 Manga
These are comics or graphic novels created
in Japan or by creators in the Japanese language,
conforming to a style developed in Japan in the
late 19th century. They have a long and complex
pre-history in earlier Japanese art.

 Ukiyo-e
These are Japanese woodblock prints
which flourished during the Edo Period (1603-
1867). They originated as popular culture in Edo
(present day Tokyo) and depicted
popular geisha, sumo wrestlers and kabuki
actors from the world of entertainment. Ukiyo-e,
literally "paintings of the floating world", were
so named because their subjects were associated
with impermanence and detachment from
ordinary life.
 Origami
Origami (折り紙) is the art of folding paper into
different shapes without using glue or scissors.
Common folding objects include animals, flowers,
balloons, planes and boats.

 Ikebana
It is the common term used for Japanese
flower arrangement. The art is also referred to as
kado ("the way of flowers"). Different schools of
ikebana exist today with a variance in style. Some
schools advocate that flowers should be arranged in
a way that they look as if they were in the wild;
others pay attention to precision of shape, line and
form, going as far as to prescribe rules that dictate
the angles that the branches should make.

 Bonseki
This is the ancient Japanese art of creating
miniature landscapes on black trays using white
sand, pebbles, and small rocks.
 Japanese Fans
The Japanese folding fan known as Sensu,
vary widely in quality and often feature
original art. These are considered as
cultural item that are used in ritual dance
and festivals.

 Maki-e
A Japanese lacquer sprinkled with gold
or silver powder as a decoration using
a makizutsu or a kebo brush. The oldest
Maki-e in existence now is the ornamentation
on the sheath of the Kara-tachi sword with
gilded silver fittings and inlay in Togidashi
technique held by Shōsōin in Nara, Japan. 
C. SPORTS
Japan can be considered fairly athletic in that there is a lot of interest with different
sports. Soccer and baseball are arguably the most popular sports in Japan, and one of the most
widely watched. However there are so many more sports and activities, many of them traditional
to Japan that are still practiced even today. There are also many modern spins on traditional
sports as well as sports that have been influenced by others.

 SUMO
One of the most famous and well-known of the Japanese sports is sumo. Sumo is essentially
a wrestling sport, but the rules are a bit different from
western style wrestling. Usually the match begins
when both wrestlers put both hands on the ground,
and ends when one player is pushed out of the ring or
any part of their body other than the soles of their
feet touches the ground.

The match also will end if any sumo wrestler

loses the loincloth around their body, mawashi, as the
wrestler becomes disqualified when that
happens. Although many people tend to look at sumo
as fascinating but comical, there is actually a very
serious element to sumo wrestling, and it is highly
esteemed and respected.

 KENDO

Kendo, "the way of the sword", is another traditional sport in Japan. Essentially similar
to fencing, kendo has its influences in sword
practices of the samurai. Kendo came from
kenjutsu which is a type of sword-based training
and fighting that came from samurais. Kendo is a
martial art that typically uses wooden/bamboo
swords, not real metal swords. Two opponents
wearing protective armor and black hakamas will
"duel" against each other using various sword
techniques.
 JUDO
Judo, "the gentle way", is another martial
art that has also become globally known due to
its presence in the Olympics. Judo is a form of
wrestling that runs on the principle of self-
defense. In judo, an opponent's force is used as
directive for each move. By redirecting an
opponent’s force, their strength can be used
against them to defeat the opponent.
However, many of the same moves of jiu-
jitsu are still applied to judo but there is more of a
focus on throwing moves and ground fighting
techniques. One of the goals of judo is to unbalance the opponent. 

 YABUSAME
Yabusame uses the Japanese art of archery and
does it on horseback. Being able to shoot a bow
and arrow on horseback was done in samurai
battles, and was a highly esteemed skill to have.
During the time of samurai battles, samurais would
aim to hit their target while going full speed on
their horse. In modern times. The aim of yabusame
as a sport and martial art is usually to be able hit
targets while moving.
Demonstrations are held in shrines and temples,
and sometimes during festivals.
 AIKIDO
Aikido is yet another martial art sport
in Japan that works with defensive maneuvers
that is closely linked with philosophy and
principles. The concept is similar to judo, with
the aim being to redirect an opponent’s, but the
philosophy tends to be different. Aikido also
has its origins in jiu-jitsu but focuses more on a
peaceful approach of harmlessly redirecting
attacks.
Aikido is purely defensive and is not
supposed to have any attack maneuvers, other
than moves done for distraction. Aikido
perhaps has the most non-violent philosophy compared to judo.

 KARATE
The last on our list of some traditional Japanese sports is karate. Karate is yet another martial
art on our list, and also one of the best known out of the martial arts. Karate uses striking
maneuvers of the hands and feet. 
Karate originated in Okinawa and has its origins in Chinese martial arts. Karate now is a
global phenomenon, and many are familiar with it or have at one point taken classes. Karate has
evolved a bit from the original one of Okinawa, and has some noticeable differences.
 Like with mant Japanese martial arts, there is a strong philosophy behind the art. Karate also
has different levels that you graduate from as you move higher in the ranks. Karate continues to
be popular, and is still practiced today.

D. Traditional
Food
Japanese food is one of the most popular cuisines in the world and for good reason.
Based on “rules of five,” traditional Japanese cooking, or washoku, emphasizes variety and
balance. This is achieved through the use of five colors (black, white, red, yellow, and
green), five cooking techniques (raw food, grilling, steaming, boiling, and frying), and five
flavors (sweet, spicy, salty, sour, and bitter).
These principles can be found even in a single meal of one soup and three sides paired
with rice, 一汁三菜 (ichiju-ju, san-sai). With its aesthetic of beautifully presented food and
the use of fresh, high-quality seasonal ingredients, it’s no wonder that Japan’s cuisine is so
delicious and so highly prized by people around the world.
 Sushi
Sushi is, without doubt, one of the most
famous foods to come from Japan. A dish that
was born in ancient times, sushi originated
from the process of preserving fish in
fermented rice. Today it’s made with
vinegared rice and fresh fish, presented in a
number of ways and shapes.

 Tempura
Tempura is a dish of battered and fried fish, seafood, or
vegetables. Special care is given to the way the
ingredients are cut as well as to the temperature of the
batter (ice cold) and oil (very hot) for deep-frying, so
that every piece is a bite of crisply fried perfection. In
the Kanto region around Tokyo, tempura is eaten with a
dipping sauce, while in the Kansai region
around Kyoto and Osaka it’s dipped in flavored salt.
 Yakitori
Yakitori is a dish of bite-sized cuts of chicken grilled
on a skewer. It makes use of every part of the chicken —
including heart, liver, and even chicken comb — to
avoid wastefulness, an important element of Japanese
food culture. Unlike other traditional Japanese
foods, yakitori has only been eaten since around the mid-
17th century, as eating meat was largely taboo in Japan
for several centuries.
 Kaiseki
The ultimate in Japanese fine dining, kaiseki is a
tasting course comprised of small, seasonally themed
dishes crafted with the utmost precision and attention
to detail. Kaiseki was born from the traditional tea
ceremony, where small morsels of food were offered
alongside the bitter green tea, and over time these
offerings evolved into a multi-course haute cuisine
meal.
 Tsukemono pickles
Tsukemono are traditional pickles that have been eaten
in Japan since prehistoric times. Made with a wide
variety of ingredients, including vegetables like daikon
radish and eggplant and fruits like ume plum,
tsukemono not only add visual appeal to a meal with
their bright colors but are also an extremely healthy
food.

 Udon
Udon is a dense and chewy noodle made from
wheat flour. It’s one of the most popular foods in
Japan due to its delicious taste, inexpensive price
point, and versatility — udon can be eaten hot or
cold and customized with any number of toppings.
There are three famous regional varieties
of udon noodle: sanuki udon from Kagawa
prefecture in southwest Japan, kishimen from
Nagoya in central Japan, and inaniwa udon from
Akita in northern Japan.
 Gyoza
Gyoza (餃子, gyōza) are dumplings filled with
ground meat and vegetables and wrapped in a thin
dough. Also known as pot stickers, gyoza originated in
China (where they are called jiaozi), but have become a
very popular dish in Japan. The typical gyoza filling
consists of ground pork, nira chives, green onion, cabbage,
ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil, but some creative
gyoza shops have also come up with a range of other
fillings.

 Soba
Soba is another type of noodle dish that has been eaten
in Japan for centuries. Made from buckwheat flour, soba
has a long thin shape and firm texture and is very healthy.
Like udon noodles, soba can be served in a hot broth or
chilled with a dipping sauce, making it a delicious and
healthy option any time of year.
 Sashimi
Centuries before
Japanese people were eating sushi, they first enjoyed
raw fish without the rice. While the name “sashimi”
refers to any thinly sliced raw food, including raw beef
(gyuu-sashi), chicken (tori-zashi), and even horse
(basashi), fish and seafood are the most popular
varieties.
 Miso soup
Miso soup may seem deceptively simple, but it’s an
essential Japanese food that’s served with any traditional
meal. The soup is made from dashistock – either fish or kelp
stock – combined with miso bean paste to bring a
savory umami element to any meal. Tofu and sliced green
onions, as well as ingredients like fish, clams, and pork, can
be added and may vary by the season.
 Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a one-pot dish of beef, vegetables, and tofu cooked with a sweet soy sauce broth
in a shallow cast iron pot. It became highly popular after the centuries-long ban on eating meat
was lifted during the Meiji period, and is the perfect way to enjoy Japan’s incredibly rich and
tender wagyu beef.

 Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake
containing a variety of ingredients. The name is
derived from the word okonomi, meaning "how you
like" or "what you like", and yaki meaning
"cooked". Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with
the Kansai or Hiroshima areas of Japan, but is
widely available throughout the country.
 E. CUSTOMS OF JAPAN

Bowing
In Japan, people greet by bowing to one
another. A bow can range from a small nod of
the head to a deep bend at the waist. A deeper,
longer bow indicates sincere respect while a
small nod is more casual and informal.
Additionally, bowing with your palms together at
chest level is not customary in Japan.
If the greeting takes place on tatami
floor (a type of mat), people get on their knees to
bow. Bowing is not only used to greet, but also to thank, apologize, make a request, or ask
someone a favor.
Most Japanese do not expect foreigners to know the proper bowing etiquette. A
combination of a bow and shaking hands is usually expected from foreigners.
Gift-giving
Gift giving is a conventional part of Japanese
culture. Different types of gifts are given on depending on
the occasion. How the present is wrapped is essential. If
not nicely packed, the present should at least given in a
bag, preferably in a bag by the shop the gift was
purchased at. Gifts in sets of four are usually avoided
because it is considered an unlucky number in Japanese
superstition.
To clarify, the Japanese word for “four” is
pronounced the same as the word "death”. When handing
over a present, both the gift giver and recipient use both hands.
Table Manners
The most important table etiquette in Japan is saying
customary phrases before and after a meal. It is
traditional for Japanese people to say "itadaki-masu"
(meaning “I humbly receive” or “let’s eat”) before a
meal and "gochisou-sama" after a meal.

These phrases not only mean thanks for the food, but
also indicate the beginning and the ending of a meal. If
you are eating with Japanese people, try to say these
phrases as it is impolite if you don’t.
It is mannerly to lift small bowls of rice or soup
when you eat to prevent dropping food. If you do not
receive a soup spoon, it is acceptable to sip soup out of
the bowl and eat the solid food with chopsticks.

It is usual in Japan to make some slurping noises while eating noodles, such as ramen and soba.
It is believed to taste better when making slurping noises.
Shoes
 Shoes are never worn in someone's home or
on Japanese tatami flooring (mats). It is expected to
take off your shoes in a restaurant, hotel, hot
spring resort etc. There will always be a place to
put your shoes. In addition, you will be given
slippers to wear. There are often different slippers
for the bathroom. You should never wear the
normal slippers into the bathroom (if bathroom
slippers are provided) and vice versa.
Names
How do you use "-san," "-kun" and "-chan"
for Japanese people’s names?

The suffix "-san " is a title of respect added to a name. It can be used with both male and female
names, as well as with either surnames or given names. It can also be attached to the name of
titles and occupations.

"-kun" is used to address men who are younger or the same age as the speaker. Usually in
schools or companies, a male might address female inferiors by "-kun”. It can also be attached to
both surnames and given names. It is less polite than "-san" and isn’t used between women or
when addressing one's superiors.

"-chan" is often attached to children's names when calling them by their given names. It can also
be used regarding kinship terms in a childish language.
Miscellaneous Tips
The Japanese don't have loud public
conversations on their mobile phones. People
never speak on the phone in the train or in a
shop. Most people refrain from speaking on the
phone in the train or in a shop, and keep their
phone on vibrate.

When going out for drinks, it's considered rude to drink

before cheers (kampai!).
Since Japan isn't an English speaking country, speak slowly and be patient when speaking
English. It is recommended to learning a few basic words of Japanese.

It is strictly stand left pass right on Tokyo escalators. Due to the Japanese tradition of having two
opposite standards for everything, Osaka is stand right pass left.