How do you say "sharing a table with a stranger" in Japanese?

Name: A Stranger Just Sat Down at Your Table in Tokyo. The Staff Put Them There.
Uploaded: 2026-07-28T02:00:00Z
Duration: 58 s
Description: Learn to say 相席 (aiseki) — sharing a table with a stranger. A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

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A Stranger Just Sat Down at Your Table in Tokyo. The Staff Put Them There.

To say sharing a table with a stranger in Japanese, say 相席 (aiseki).

You are halfway through your ramen when a total stranger is seated opposite you. Nobody is being rude.

相席 aiseki sharing a table with a stranger

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In this video

相席でもよろしいでしょうか。 aiseki demo yoroshii deshō ka. Would sharing a table be alright?
はい、どうぞ。 hai, dōzo. Yes, please, go ahead.

Kanji in this phrase

相席: あいせき

Why this phrase

At an old school lunch counter with a queue outside, staff will sometimes ask to seat another customer at your table rather than leave chairs empty. The word is 相席. It has become much rarer since covid, but when it happens the answer is two words, and nobody expects you to talk after that.