Japanese Travel Phrase Videos

Survival 手水舎 ▶

Everyone Stops at This Stone Basin Before the Shrine. Nobody Tells You What to Do.

chouzuya · the purification basin at the entrance to a shrine

cultural-explainer #japaneseculture

Intermediate 食べ歩きはご遠慮ください ▶

That Sign Is Not Saying Please Be Careful. Japanese Has a Way of Saying No Without the Word No.

tabearuki wa go-enryo kudasai · Please refrain from eating while walking.

cultural-explainer #japaneseculture

Intermediate 期間限定 ▶

It Is Thirty Five Degrees Outside and the Konbini Shelf Just Turned Into Autumn.

kikan gentei · limited time only

cultural-explainer #japaneseculture

Intermediate 一生懸命 ▶

They Just Lost. Now They Are on Their Knees Filling Their Bags With Dirt.

isshoukenmei · with everything you have

cultural-explainer #japaneseculture

Survival 打ち水 ▶

It Is 36 Degrees and She Just Threw a Bucket of Water at the Pavement. She Is Not Cleaning.

uchimizu · sprinkling water to cool the street

Cultural Shock #japaneseculture

Survival 相席 ▶

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

aiseki · sharing a table with a stranger

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Intermediate お盆 ▶

Every Train in Japan Is Packed in Mid-August. The Country Is Going Home to See the Dead.

obon · Obon, the summer season honoring ancestors

cultural-explainer #japaneseculture

Survival たまや〜！ ▶

At Japanese Fireworks, the Whole Crowd Shouts a Long-Gone Shop's Name

tamaya~! · Tamaya! (the fireworks cheer)

culture-curiosity #japaneseculture

Survival お疲れさまです ▶

Japanese People Say This 10 Times a Day. English Has No Word for It.

otsukaresama desu · Thanks for your effort, good work

culture-key-phrase #japaneseculture

Beginner ちょっと苦手です ▶

Handed Natto in Japan? 'I Don't Like It' Is the Wrong Answer.

chotto nigate desu · It's not really my thing

politeness-nuance #japaneseculture

Beginner 一緒に踊ってもいいですか？ ▶

There's a Drum Tower and a Circle of Dancers. You're Allowed to Join.

issho ni odotte mo ii desu ka? · Can I dance with you?

situational-phrase #japaneseculture

Intermediate また今度 ▶

When a Japanese Friend Says 'Next Time', They Often Mean No

mata kondo · Next time (a polite no)

cultural-nuance #japaneseculture

Survival おじゃまします ▶

The First Thing to Say When You Step Into a Japanese Home

ojama shimasu · Thanks for having me (excuse me for intruding)

etiquette-phrase #japaneseculture

Survival いってきます ▶

Japanese People Don't Say 'Bye' When They Leave. They Say This.

ittekimasu · I'm heading out (and coming back)

etiquette-phrase #japaneseculture

Intermediate 土用の丑の日 ▶

One Day Every July, All of Japan Eats Eel on Purpose. Here's Why.

doyou no ushi no hi · midsummer 'eel day'

culture-explainer #japaneseculture

Beginner ▶

Made a Friend in Japan? This Is How You Swap Contacts (Not Instagram)

LINE kōkan shimasen ka? · Want to swap LINE?

Everyday Connection #japaneseculture

Beginner ▶

Say This Before a Japanese Friend's Big Day (It's Not Good Luck)

ganbatte · you've got this / do your best

Everyday Connection #japaneseculture

Beginner ▶

Meeting a Japanese Person? Skip Konnichiwa. Say This.

Hajimemashite. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. · Nice to meet you, I look forward to getting to know you.

social-greeting #japaneseculture

Survival ▶

Why Leaving a Tip in Japan Backfires

otsuri wa ii desu · Keep the change / the change is fine

Etiquette Wedge #japaneseculture

Survival ▶

If a Japanese Staffer Says THIS Word, Freeze

dame desu · No - not allowed.

Common Mistake #japaneseculture

Survival ▶

The One Word That Makes You Instantly Polite in Japan

dōzo · Here you go. / Go ahead.

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Beginner ▶

Japanese Train Etiquette — The One Rule Tourists Always Forget

denwa wa dame desu ka? · are phone calls not allowed?

Etiquette & Culture #japaneseculture

Beginner ▶

I'm Studying Japanese

nihongo o benkyō shite imasu · i'm studying japanese

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

The Word You Say Leaving a Japanese Restaurant (Not Arigatō)

gochisōsama deshita · thanks for the meal

Everyday Connection #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

Stop Saying Sayōnara — Japanese People Rarely Do

jaa ne · See you / bye (casual)

Cultural Shock #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

The Summer Outfit Locals Wear to Festivals (and What to Say)

yukata · summer cotton kimono

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

Why Japanese People Keep Saying This While You Talk

sō desu ka · oh, I see / is that so (the 'I'm listening' sound)

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

The Japanese Shoe Rule Tourists Break the Most

kutsu o nugimasu · I take my shoes off

Cultural Shock #japaneseculture

Intermediate ▶

How to Actually Pray at a Japanese Shrine

nirei nihakushu ichirei · two bows, two claps, one bow (how to pray at a shrine)

Cultural Wedge #japaneseculture

Learn Japan in 30-second reels

Everyone Stops at This Stone Basin Before the Shrine. Nobody Tells You What to Do.

That Sign Is Not Saying Please Be Careful. Japanese Has a Way of Saying No Without the Word No.

It Is Thirty Five Degrees Outside and the Konbini Shelf Just Turned Into Autumn.

They Just Lost. Now They Are on Their Knees Filling Their Bags With Dirt.

It Is 36 Degrees and She Just Threw a Bucket of Water at the Pavement. She Is Not Cleaning.

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

Every Train in Japan Is Packed in Mid-August. The Country Is Going Home to See the Dead.

At Japanese Fireworks, the Whole Crowd Shouts a Long-Gone Shop's Name

Japanese People Say This 10 Times a Day. English Has No Word for It.

Handed Natto in Japan? 'I Don't Like It' Is the Wrong Answer.

There's a Drum Tower and a Circle of Dancers. You're Allowed to Join.

When a Japanese Friend Says 'Next Time', They Often Mean No

The First Thing to Say When You Step Into a Japanese Home

Japanese People Don't Say 'Bye' When They Leave. They Say This.

One Day Every July, All of Japan Eats Eel on Purpose. Here's Why.

Made a Friend in Japan? This Is How You Swap Contacts (Not Instagram)

Say This Before a Japanese Friend's Big Day (It's Not Good Luck)

Meeting a Japanese Person? Skip Konnichiwa. Say This.

Why Leaving a Tip in Japan Backfires

If a Japanese Staffer Says THIS Word, Freeze

The One Word That Makes You Instantly Polite in Japan

Japanese Train Etiquette — The One Rule Tourists Always Forget

I'm Studying Japanese

The Word You Say Leaving a Japanese Restaurant (Not Arigatō)

Stop Saying Sayōnara — Japanese People Rarely Do

The Summer Outfit Locals Wear to Festivals (and What to Say)

Why Japanese People Keep Saying This While You Talk

The Japanese Shoe Rule Tourists Break the Most

How to Actually Pray at a Japanese Shrine

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All videos

Everyone Stops at This Stone Basin Before the Shrine. Nobody Tells You What to Do.

That Sign Is Not Saying Please Be Careful. Japanese Has a Way of Saying No Without the Word No.

It Is Thirty Five Degrees Outside and the Konbini Shelf Just Turned Into Autumn.

They Just Lost. Now They Are on Their Knees Filling Their Bags With Dirt.

It Is 36 Degrees and She Just Threw a Bucket of Water at the Pavement. She Is Not Cleaning.

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

Every Train in Japan Is Packed in Mid-August. The Country Is Going Home to See the Dead.

At Japanese Fireworks, the Whole Crowd Shouts a Long-Gone Shop's Name

Japanese People Say This 10 Times a Day. English Has No Word for It.

Handed Natto in Japan? 'I Don't Like It' Is the Wrong Answer.

There's a Drum Tower and a Circle of Dancers. You're Allowed to Join.

When a Japanese Friend Says 'Next Time', They Often Mean No

The First Thing to Say When You Step Into a Japanese Home

Japanese People Don't Say 'Bye' When They Leave. They Say This.

One Day Every July, All of Japan Eats Eel on Purpose. Here's Why.

Made a Friend in Japan? This Is How You Swap Contacts (Not Instagram)

Say This Before a Japanese Friend's Big Day (It's Not Good Luck)

Meeting a Japanese Person? Skip Konnichiwa. Say This.

Why Leaving a Tip in Japan Backfires

If a Japanese Staffer Says THIS Word, Freeze

The One Word That Makes You Instantly Polite in Japan

Japanese Train Etiquette — The One Rule Tourists Always Forget

I'm Studying Japanese

The Word You Say Leaving a Japanese Restaurant (Not Arigatō)

Stop Saying Sayōnara — Japanese People Rarely Do

The Summer Outfit Locals Wear to Festivals (and What to Say)

Why Japanese People Keep Saying This While You Talk

The Japanese Shoe Rule Tourists Break the Most

How to Actually Pray at a Japanese Shrine

Get the free phrasebook