Language in Japan 2026: English, useful phrases, apps

Language in Japan 2026: English, useful phrases, apps

Japanese is the country’s only official language. English is spoken decently in major tourist areas, but becomes rare as soon as you move away from Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. Here’s how to manage without speaking a word of Japanese.

A language with three writing systems

Japanese combines three scripts: kanji (ideograms borrowed from Chinese, several thousand in common use), hiragana (a syllabary for grammar and native Japanese words), and katakana (a syllabary reserved for foreign-origin words, often useful for spotting a Western dish on a menu). This complexity explains why casually reading untranslated signage stays difficult for a non-literate traveler.

The real level of English in Japan

Contrary to a common assumption, spoken English in Japan stays fairly modest compared to other major Asian tourist destinations like Singapore or the Philippines, despite mandatory English classes from middle school onward. The level varies sharply by context:

• Good level: international hotels, major tourist sites, younger urban generations, airport staff
• Limited level: small restaurants, neighborhood shops, taxis, rural areas
• Nearly absent: older staff, deep countryside, small local stations

Transit signage, a real relief

Japanese stations, subways and road signs are very largely bilingual, with systematic transliteration into the Latin alphabet (rōmaji). It’s one of the most reassuring aspects of the country for a non-Japanese-speaking traveler: getting around by train or subway requires almost no knowledge of the language.

The apps that actually change everything

Google Translate (camera feature)

Real-time photo translation radically transforms the experience: point your phone at a menu, sign or supermarket label, and the translation overlays the image. Works offline with the Japanese pack downloaded ahead of time, a real asset when connectivity is spotty.

Yomiwa

An app specialized in Japanese, particularly effective for deciphering an isolated kanji (dictionary, definitions, pronunciation), a useful complement to Google Translate for the curious who want more than a bare functional translation.

Google Maps

Directions and place names consistently appear in the Latin alphabet, including for small streets and shops, a valuable aid for everyday urban navigation.

Essential everyday phrases

A handful of expressions cover most day-to-day interactions: greeting, thanking, apologizing, asking for a price or directions. See the table above for the exact rōmaji (Latin transcription) wording.

Sumimasen (“excuse me” or “sorry”) is probably the single most useful word of the trip: it works to get a waiter’s attention, apologize for bumping into someone on the subway, or introduce a question.

Getting by at a restaurant without speaking Japanese

Nearly all Japanese restaurants, even modest ones, make ordering easy for a non-Japanese-speaking customer:

• Window displays with highly realistic plastic food models (shokuhin sampuru)
• Photos on the menu, even at small places
• Touchscreen ordering kiosks with an English option, common in chains and stations
• Pointing remains a perfectly accepted and understood method

Tone of voice matters as much as language

An often underrated cultural detail: Japanese people generally speak quietly on transit and in public places. Adjusting your volume, regardless of the language used, noticeably helps with day-to-day social fit and avoids disapproving looks in a quiet subway car.

Other practical info Japan

• Visa : 90-day exemption for French and EU nationals
• Safety : one of the safest countries in the world
• Airports : Narita, Haneda, Kansai
• Budget : how much to plan per day

Page written by Marie L., Southeast Asia and Japan specialist, editor-in-chief of L’Heure du Voyage. 12 years of experience, regular stays in Tokyo since 2015. Updated: July 28, 2026. Verified by 2 experts.