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Is that autumn in the air, already? I don’t know about you, but I’m more than ready for it! 

Today, we’re going to explore 彼岸の中日 (ひがんのちゅうにち), or “the equinoctial day,” on which the Japanese acknowledge the arrival of autumn. On the Autumn Equinox, Japanese people express appreciation for their ancestors and indulge in a few seasonal celebrations as well. 

Let’s take a closer look!

1. What is the Autumnal Equinox?

Autumnal Equinox Day, or 秋分の日 (しゅうぶんのひ), normally falls on September 22 or 23. This is the day on which summer officially becomes autumn; in addition, the sun will rise in the true east and then set in the true west. 

The Autumn Equinox celebration in Japan began as a holiday called 皇霊祭 (Kōreisai), literally meaning “a royal court event held in the autumn.” This holiday began in 1878, and on this day, people would worship and pay respects to the deceased emperors and other members of the royal family. Over time, the Japanese began to celebrate the holiday in a less-religious manner, instead honoring the dead in general and praying for a successful harvest.

Today, the Autumn Equinox celebration maintains its non-religious status, and the Japanese honor their ancestors while celebrating the coming season.

→ Want to learn more? Here are The Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Japanese Society! Also keep your eye out for our upcoming Japanese Culture article. 

2. Autumn Equinox Rituals and Celebrations

墓参り (はかまいり), or “visiting a grave,” is the most important tradition for Autumnal Equinox Day. Japanese people, over the course of 彼岸 (ひがん), or the “equinoctial week,” pay their respects to deceased ancestors by cleaning the gravesite and giving offerings of food and flowers. Many people also burn an “incense stick,” or 線香 (せんこう), to show respect. 

There are two main reasons for the popularity of this tradition: 

1) It resembles the traditions of the older Kōreisai holiday we mentioned earlier. 

2) The Japanese believe that the deceased go to another world in the west, the direction that the sun sets for the Autumnal Equinox. 

The Autumnal Equinox is also a time of appreciation for the coming season. In fact, there’s a saying in Japan: “No heat or cold lasts over the Equinox.” This refers to the fact that the weather during autumn tends to be more mild and tolerable than the weather at any other point in the year—certainly a reason to celebrate after a long summer, and before the coming winter! 

→ Check out our free list of Must-Know Autumn Vocabulary and get ready for the new season. 😉

3. Autumnal Equinox Food

The Autumn Equinox Festival in Japan is the perfect time to sample some fall-time Japanese treats. Many people offer a traditional Japanese sweet called おはぎ, or “ohagi,” to their ancestors and enjoy some themselves. “Ohagi” comes from the word 萩 (hagi), meaning “Japanese clover,” which blooms around the time of the Autumnal Equinox. This dessert consists of cooked rice grains that have been crushed and covered in bean paste. 

One will also find a lot of 精進料理 (しょうじんりょうり), or “Buddhist cuisine,” available during this time. 

→ What’s Your Favorite Japanese Food? Check out our vocabulary list and let us know in the comments! 

4. Essential Japanese Vocabulary for the Autumnal Equinox

Let’s review some of the Japanese vocabulary from this article! 

• 花 (はな) — “flower”
• 先祖 (せんぞ) — “ancestor”
• 精進料理 (しょうじんりょうり) — “Buddhist cuisine”
• 秋分の日 (しゅうぶんのひ) — “Autumnal Equinox Day”
• おはぎ (おはぎ) — “ohagi”
• 線香 (せんこう) — “incense stick”
• 墓参り (はかまいり) — “visiting a grave”
• 彼岸明け (ひがんあけ) — “the last day of the equinoctial week”
• 彼岸の入り (ひがんのいり) — “the first day of the equinoctial week”
• 彼岸の中日 (ひがんのちゅうにち) — “the equinoctial day”
• 供え物 (そなえもの) — “offering”
• 彼岸 (ひがん) — “equinoctial week”
• 秋分点 (しゅうぶんてん) — “autumn equinox”

Remember that you can find each of these words, along with their pronunciation, on our Japanese Autumn Equinox vocabulary list! 

Final Thoughts

Due to the prominence of filial piety in Japan, one can see how important the Autumnal Equinox traditions are. But this holiday is just one drop in the ocean of Japanese culture! 

For more great content about Japanese culture and holidays, check out the following articles on JapanesePod101.com:

• The Rainy Season in Japan: Making the Most of Tsuyu
• Hanabi: The Japanese Fireworks Festival!
• Bunka no hi: Celebrating Culture Day in Japan
• Learn the Most Useful Compliments in Japanese
• Getting Angry in Japanese: 20+ Useful Japanese Angry Phrases

What are your favorite things about autumn? Do you have any special autumn celebrations in your country? Let us know in the comments.

Happy Autumn Equinox from the JapanesePod101.com family!

How many Japanese verbs do you know? When you know the 100 most common Japanese verbs and understand basic Japanese verb conjugation, you can express and understand Japanese much better!

Verbs are one of the most important parts of speech, and it’s said that verbs are the second most frequently used words (26%, next to nouns at 42%) among all other categories of words in daily Japanese conversations. 

It’s always a bit tiring to learn grammatical rules, such as the conjugation patterns of verbs. However, it’s easier than you think! Once you have the rules down and become used to using them, all you have to do is apply those rules to new Japanese verbs you learn.

Japanese verb conjugation has unique rules from those in English. But don’t worry! Some features are simpler—there’s no verb conjugation based on the speaker, such as singular vs. plural, gender, or the category of that person grammatically, called 人称 (ninshō). This means that in English, verbs change based on who’s speaking:

• I am
• She is
• You are

• I go
• He goes

However, Japanese verbs remain the same regardless of who the speaker is.
In this article, we’ll introduce the top 100 Japanese verbs for beginners, which are most frequently used. We’ll also give you some tips about Japanese verb conjugation, though we’ll have a more in-depth article on this topic later on. Let’s master Japanese verbs here at JapanesePod101!

Table of Contents

1. Verb Groups: Different Types of Japanese Verbs
2. Action Verbs: Physical
3. Action Verbs: Mental
4. Other Verbs
5. Japanese Auxiliary Verbs: 助動詞 (Jodōshi)
6. Verb Usage: How Japanese Verbs Work
7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Verb Groups: Different Types of Japanese Verbs

Japanese verbs always end with u or ru, and verbs are categorized into three groups: 

• Class 1: U-verb
• Class 2: Ru-verb
• Class 3: Irregular verb

As the conjugation system itself is very simple, memorizing the patterns and rules will help you learn how to use Japanese verbs properly.

Japanese verbs consist of two parts: a verb base (“stem”) and a suffix. A stem doesn’t change, and a suffix conjugates according to the forms. These forms include casual vs. polite and plain vs. negative.

Class 1: U-Verbs

書く (kaku)：write	Casual	Polite
Stem	kak
Basic Form	書-く kak-u	書-きます kak-imasu
Negative Form	書-かない kak-anai	書-きません kak-imasen

The verb 書く (kaku), meaning “write,” has the stem kak and the suffix u. As you can see from the Japanese verbs chart above, the suffix conjugates and changes according to the forms. 

However, you have to keep in mind that if a verb ends with u, it means that the last vowel is u. Therefore,  u-verbs can end with Hiragana:

• う(u)
• く (ku)
• す(su)
• つ (tsu)
• ぬ (nu)
• む (mu)
• る (ru) 

U-verb Examples

English	Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
meet	au	会う	あう
learn	manabu	学ぶ	まなぶ
push	osu	押す	おす
pull	hiku	引く	ひく

Class 2: Ru-Verbs

出る (deru) ：come out	Casual	Polite
Stem	de
Basic Form	出-る de-ru	出-ます de-masu
Negative Form	出-ない de-nai	出-ません de-masen

The verb 出る (deru), meaning “come out,” has the stem de and the suffix ru. The suffix conjugates and changes as it did above. It’s similar to u-verbs, but slightly different.

Ru-verb Examples

English	Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
teach	oshieru	教える	おしえる
exist (living things)	iru	いる	いる
sleep	neru	寝る	ねる
answer	kotaeru	答える	こたえる

Class 3: Irregular Verbs

Don’t worry too much! There are only two Japanese irregular verbs.

The stems of the verbs change according to the conjugating forms. There are only two verbs, so let’s memorize them!

• 来る (kuru)：come

来る (kuru) ：come	Casual	Polite
Stem	ku / ko / ki
Basic Form	来-る く-る ku-ru	来-ます き-ます ki-masu
Negative Form	来-ない こ-ない ko-nai	来-ません き-ません ki-masen

• する (suru)：do

する (suru) ：do	Casual	Polite
Stem	su / shi
Basic Form	す-る su-ru	し-ます shi-masu
Negative Form	し-ない shi-nai	し-ません shi-masen

The Japanese verb する (suru), meaning “do,” is a very handy word which can often turn a noun into a verb when it’s added next to the noun. 

For example:

• 勉強 (benkyō)   ＋　する (suru) 　= to study

studying                (do)  

• 参加 (sanka) 　＋　する (suru) 　= to participate

participation           (do)  

• 感謝 (kansha)   ＋　する (suru) 　= to thank/appreciate

  appreciation/gratitude      (do)  

Now that you have a better idea of how to conjugate different types of verbs, let’s move on to our Japanese verbs list! 

2. Action Verbs: Physical 

To start, here are the most common Japanese verbs of motion.

English	Japanese Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
see / look / watch	miru	見る	みる
hear / listen	kiku	聞く	きく
say	iu	言う	いう
walk	aruku	歩く	あるく
run	hashiru	走る	はしる
eat	taberu	食べる	たべる
drink	nomu	飲む	のむ
take	toru	取る	とる
use	tsukau	使う	つかう
move	ugoku	動く	うごく
hold / grab	tsukamu	掴む	つかむ
sit	suwaru	座る	すわる
stand	tatsu	立つ	たつ
wear	kiru	着る	きる
take off (clothes/shoes)	nugu	脱ぐ	ぬぐ
work	hataraku	働く	はたらく
wake up	okiru	起きる	おきる
go	iku	行く	いく
come	kuru	来る	くる
bend	mageru	曲げる	まげる
search	sagasu	探す	さがす
read	yomu	読む	よむ
play	asobu	遊ぶ	あそぶ
get on (vehicle)	noru	乗る	のる
get off (vehicle)	oriru	降りる	おりる
start	hajimeru	始める	はじめる
finish	oeru	終える	おえる
open	akeru	開ける	あける
close	shimeru	閉める	しめる
stop	tomeru	止める	とめる
put	oku	置く	おく
wait	matsu	待つ	まつ
rest	yasumu	休む	やすむ
learn	manabu	学ぶ	まなぶ
give	ataeru	与える	あたえる
visit	otozureru	訪れる	おとずれる
leave	saru	去る	さる
depart	shuppatsu suru	出発する	しゅっぱつする
arrive	tōchaku suru	到着する	とうちゃくする
sell	uru	売る	うる
buy	kau	買う	かう
live	ikiru	生きる	いきる
die	shinu	死ぬ	しぬ

3. Action Verbs: Mental 

These everyday Japanese verbs are essential for expressing actions that aren’t physical or immediately tangible. Take a look!

know	Japanese Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
know	shiru	知る	しる
think	kangaeru	考える	かんがえる
imagine	sōzō suru	想像する	そうぞうする
feel	kanjiru	感じる	かんじる
like	konomu	好む	このむ
dislike	kirau	嫌う	きらう
love	aisuru	愛する	あいする
hate	nikumu	憎む	にくむ
believe	shinjiru	信じる	しんじる
expect	kitai suru	期待する	きたいする
understand	rikai suru	理解する	りかいする
remember	omoidasu	思い出す	おもいだす
agree	dōi suru	同意する	どういする
laugh	warau	笑う	わらう
cry	naku	泣く	なく
get angry	okoru	怒る	おこる
feel sad	kanashimu	悲しむ	かなしむ
wish / hope	negau	願う	ねがう
get surprised	odoroku	驚く	おどろく
forget	wasureru	忘れる	わすれる
satisfy	manzoku suru	満足する	まんぞくする
doubt	utagau	疑う	うたがう
decide	kimeru	決める	きめる
notice	kizuku	気づく	きづく

To check your pronunciation of Japanese verbs with audio, see our page about the 25 Most Commonly Used Verbs.

4. Other Verbs 

You’re almost done! There are just a few more Japanese language verbs you should know.

English	Japanese Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
appear	arawareru	現れる	あらわれる
remain	kieru	消える	きえる
remain	nokoru	残る	のこる
return	kaeru	帰る	かえる
check	kakunin suru	確認する	かくにんする
increase	fueru	増える	ふえる
decrease	heru	減る	へる
carry	hakobu	運ぶ	はこぶ
get dry	kawaku	乾く	かわく
get wet	nureru	濡れる	ぬれる
wash	arau	洗う	あらう
get dirty	yogoreru	汚れる	よごれる
indicate	shimesu	示す	しめす
enjoy	tanoshimu	楽しむ	たのしむ
fall	ochiru	落ちる	おちる
win	katsu	勝つ	かつ
lose	makeru	負ける	まける
break	kowasu	壊す	こわす
fix	naosu	直す	なおす
cross	wataru	渡る	わたる
change	kawaru	変わる	かわる
send	okuru	送る	おくる
receive	uketoru	受け取る	うけとる

5. Japanese Auxiliary Verbs: 助動詞 (Jodōshi)

The Japanese 助動詞 (Jodōshi), which translates as “auxiliary verb,” is a functional type of word with some variations. By adding an auxiliary verb, the meaning of the preceding word will be modified. 

For example:

• 感じる (kanjiru) : “feel”   +   させる (saseru) [causative verb]

           = 感じさせる (kanjisaseru) : “make (you) feel”

• 食べる (taberu) : “eat”   +   られる (rareru) [ability]

           = 食べられる (taberareru) : edible

Here are some of the Japanese auxiliary verbs:

Japanese Reading	Hiragana	Usage / Meaning / Example
(sa)seru	(ら)れる	Causation 食べさせる  tabesaseru to make (one) eat
(ra) reru	(ら)れる	Passive / Ability, etc. 食べられる taberareru   edible / being eaten
nai / nu / n	(よ)う	Negation 食べない tabenai 　 (I do) not eat
yō	(よ)う	Volition 食べよう tabeyō 　 I will eat / Let’s eat
tai / tagaru	たい / たがる	Desire 食べたい tabetai  I want to eat
yō da	ようだ	Similarity 食べるようだ taberu yō da 　 it looks like (she/he) eats
sō da	そうだ	Hearsay 食べるそうだ taberu sō da  they say that (she/he) eats
rashii	らしい	Hearsay / Behavior 食べるらしい taberu rashii they say that (she/he) may eat
da / desu・masu	だ / です・ます	Predication / Politeness (copula) 食べます tabemasu　 (I) eat

6. Verb Usage: How Japanese Verbs Work

Japanese language verb conjugation patterns differ for u-verbs, ru-verbs, and irregular verbs. 

Because many frequently used Japanese words are in this category, let’s take a look at an example for u-verbs.

The conjugation pattern for the verb 書く (kaku), meaning “write,” is as follows:

Conjugation	Kanji	Usage / Meaning
kakAnai	書かない	Negative Form
kakImasu	書きます	Polite Form
kaIta	書いた	Ta- Form
kakU	書く	Dictionary Form
kakU toki	書くとき	Attributive Form
kakEba	書けば	Conditional Form
kakE	書け	Imperative Form
kakO	書こう	Suggestion Form (“Let’s-“)

For more detail on the grammar of Japanese verbs and other conjugation patterns, please visit Verb Conjugation.

We also have other articles you may like to check out: Top 100 Japanese Adjectives, Top 100 Japanese Nouns, and Japanese Pronouns.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced the most common Japanese verbs and explained the basics of Japanese verb conjugation. Once you know the conjugation patterns, you’ll be able to more quickly expand your Japanese verbs vocabulary and take better command of the language.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for a variety of situations, you’ll find a lot of helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide an array of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. To get you started, here’s some more information on Japanese basics with audio: 

• 50 Most Common Nouns
• 50 Most Common Verbs
• 50 Most Common Adjectives

To learn how to converse with others in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases. If you want to learn Japanese kanji, you’ll also enjoy Basic Kanji for Verbs and Basic Kanji for Adjectives.

And there’s so much more! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any Japanese verbs you still want to know! We’d be glad to help, and look forward to hearing from you!

Pronouns are used to substitute nouns, such as people or things, in a sentence. Using pronouns allows you to avoid repetitive usage of a particular word in a sentence, which would sound awkward. Japanese pronouns are very different from those in English because Japanese pronouns can be omitted from a sentence when they’re implied through the context.

Unlike in English, there are many different variations of Japanese personal pronouns that translate as “I/me” and “you,” although only a few are commonly used. This expression of Japanese pronouns comes from Japanese culture, which puts importance on respect, seniority, and social order. 

Each Japanese pronoun variation denotes the different characteristics of the speaker. These include gender, age, social status, level of respect, and their relationship with the person they’re speaking to.
Ready to learn Japanese pronouns? In this Japanese pronoun guide, we introduce Japanese pronouns that will boost your language skills, and teach you how to use them. JapanesePod101 makes it simple and easy to understand!

Table of Contents

1. Japanese Personal Pronouns
2. Japanese Demonstrative Pronouns
3. Japanese Interrogative Pronouns
4. Japanese Indefinite Pronouns
5. Examples
6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Japanese Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Japanese are rich in expression, and there are dozens of first- and second-person pronouns. However, most of them aren’t commonly used so we’ll introduce frequently used Japanese personal pronouns here.

1. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Person Singular

1. How to Say “I”

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana	Level of Formality	Gender	Characteristics
watakushi	私	わたくし	very formal	both	Very formal and polite personal pronoun often used in very official occasions.
watashi	私	わたし	formal / informal	both	Used by both genders in formal occasions, such as at the workplace. This is the most commonly used word for “I,” but it’s often omitted in a sentence. In informal situations, this is typically used by women.
atashi	ー	あたし	informal	female	This is the casual version of watashi and it’s used by younger females in conversations. However, it can sound a bit childish and unsophisticated.
boku	僕	ぼく	informal	male	Used by males of all ages, but very often by kids and younger men. It gives an impression of  humbleness. This can also be used as a second-person pronoun toward little boys (English equivalent: “kid”).
ore	俺	おれ	very informal	male	Frequently used by men in informal settings, such as among family and friends. It sounds very masculine. This can be very rude when it’s used in formal occasions or in front of respectable/senior people.

2. How to Say “You”

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana	Level of Formality	Gender	Characteristics
anata	貴方	あなた	formal / informal	both	This is almost equivalent to the English word “you.” However, it’s not often used as the subject in a sentence, and it’s often omitted. It’s more common to use a person’s name with a Japanese honorific, such as 様 (sama) or さん (san), to express “you” in formal contexts. In addition, wives often call their husbands by this Japanese pronoun. When used this way, it’s comparable to the English words “dear” or “darling.” Kanji is rarely used.
kimi	君	きみ	informal	both	Often used to call subordinates and peers in informal settings. It can also be affectionate and polite when used by a boyfriend/husband to call his girlfriend/wife. It’s impolite and inappropriate when used with respectable/senior people or strangers. The Kanji 君 can also be read as kun when it’s added next to a male’s name as a casual and affectionate honorific word.
omae	お前	おまえ	very informal	both / male	Often used by men. It expresses that the speaker has a superior status or age, and it’s very rude to use this toward senior people and in formal settings. It’s also used among close friends to call peers. In addition, husbands frequently call their wives by this pronoun, which is comparable to the female use of anata.
anta	ー	あんた	very informal	both	It’s a short version of anata, but it sounds very impolite and implies a sense of contempt. It can also be used between people in a very close relationship. It’s very rude and inappropriate to use toward  senior people and in formal settings.
kisama	貴様	きさま	very rude and hostile	both	The historical origin of this word was very formal, but it’s used today as a very rude way to call another person. It has a sense of extreme hostility from the speaker. You’ll often hear this in  時代劇 (jidaigeki) (samurai warrior) drama shows.

3. How to Say “He” and “She”

Does Japanese have gendered pronouns? Sort of. Here’s what we mean:

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana	Level of Formality
kare	彼	かれ	formal / informal
kanojo	彼女	かのじょ	formal / informal

The Japanese pronouns for the third person are above. However, they’re not used like they are in English.

Native Japanese people prefer to use the person’s name, or to describe them as あの人 (ano hito), meaning “that person,” which makes it unnecessary to indicate gender.

In informal settings, 彼 (kare) means “boyfriend” and 彼女 (kanojo) means “girlfriend.”

2. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Person Plural

In order to make Japanese personal pronouns plural, a suffix is added to them.
The suffix can be ～達 (-tachi ), ～方 (-gata), or ～ら (-ra), depending on which word comes in front.

Meaning	Suffix	Reading	Level of Formality
We	-tachi	watashi-tachi	neutral / formal
You [plural]	-tachi	anata-tachi	neutral / formal
You [plural]	-gata	anata-gata	formal
They [he, plural]	-ra	kare-ra	neutral / formal
They [she, plural]	-ra	kanojo-ra	neutral / formal

The suffix 達 (-tachi) can be added to most of the nouns that refer to people and animals. For example, 動物達(dōbutsu-tachi) means “animals.”

3. Possessive Forms

To make Japanese possessive pronouns, add the suffix の (〜no) to the pronouns.

Meaning	Reading
mine	watashi no
yours	anata no
his	kare no
hers	kanojo no
ours	watashi-tachi no
theirs	kare-ra no

4. Reflective or Intensive Forms

To make Japanese reflexive pronouns or intensive forms, add the suffix 自身 (〜jishin) to the pronouns.

Meaning	Reading
myself	watashi jishin
yourself	anata jishin
himself	kare jishin
herself	kanojo jishin
ourselves	watashi-tachi jishin
themselves	kare-ra jishin

To hear how to pronounce Japanese pronouns, visit Most Useful Pronouns.

2. Japanese Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Japanese are typically written in Hiragana. Further, Japanese demonstrative pronouns are easy to remember as they’re categorized in groups depending on their degree of distance from the speaker or listener.

Words that:

• begin with こ (ko-) indicate something close to the speaker. 
• begin with そ (so-) indicate some distance from the speaker or something close to the listener.
• begin with あ (a-) indicate far distance.

Meaning	Reading	Hiragana	Notes
this	kore	これ	near speaker
it	sore	それ	near listener
that	are	あれ	distant from both speaker and listener
these	kore-ra	これら	near speaker
those	sore-ra / are-ra	それら/ あれら	near listener / distant from both speaker and listener
here	koko	ここ	near speaker
there	soko	そこ	near listener
over there	asoko	あそこ	distant from both speaker and listener

3. Japanese Interrogative Pronouns

Similar to demonstrative pronouns, most of the Japanese interrogative pronouns begin with ど (do-) or だ (da-).

Meaning	Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
what	nani	何	なに
which	dono / dore	ー	どの/どれ
who	dare	誰	だれ
whom	dare ni	誰に	誰に
whose	dare no	誰の	だれの
when	itsu	ー	いつ
why	naze	ー	なぜ

Keep in mind that “whose” is a possessive form of “who,” and the rules of the Japanese possessive forms also apply:

誰 (dare) meaning “who” + の (〜no) = 誰の (dare no) meaning “whose.”

4. Japanese Indefinite Pronouns

In the Japanese language, “everyone/everybody” and “anyone/anybody” are both translated as 誰でも (dare demo) in some contexts.

In a negative sentence using indefinite pronouns such as “no one/nobody,” “nowhere,” and “nothing,” a negative form is typically: も…ない (...mo…nai …).

Meaning	Reading	Kanji	Hiragana
everyone / everybody	minna / dare demo	皆/誰でも	みんな/だれでも
everywhere	doko demo / doko ni mo	ー	どこでも/どこにも
everything	subete / zenbu	全て/全部	すべて/ぜんぶ
someone / somebody	dare ka	誰か	だれか
somewhere	doko ka	ー	どこか
something	nani ka	何か	なにか
no one / nobody	dare mo…nai	誰も…ない	だれも…ない
nowhere	doko ni mo…nai	ー	どこにも…ない
nothing	nani mo…nai	何も…ない	なにも…ない
anyone / anybody	dare demo	誰でも	だれでも
anywhere	doko demo / doko ni mo	ー	どこでも/どこにも
anything	nan demo	何でも	なんでも

5. Examples

Now that we’ve come to the end of this Japanese pronouns list, here are some example sentences using Japanese pronouns.

1. Personal Pronouns

• あなたと私は東京出身で、彼と彼女は大阪出身です。

Anata to watashi wa Tōkyō shusshin de, kare to kanojo wa Ōsaka shusshin desu. 

You and I are from Tokyo, and he and she are from Osaka.

• 年上の人に向かって「お前」や「貴様」と呼ぶことはとても失礼です。

Toshiue no hito ni mukatte “omae” ya “kisama” to yobu koto wa totemo shitsurei desu.

It is very rude to call an elder person omae and kisama.

• 私達は明日、君の誕生日会へ行きます。

Watashi-tachi wa ashita, kimi no tanjōbi kai e ikimasu.

We will go to your birthday party tomorrow.

2. Demonstrative Pronouns

• それをここに持ってきてください。

Sore o koko ni motte kite kudasai. 

Please bring it here.

• これらの本はあそこの棚へ戻してください。

Kore-ra no hon wa asoko no tana e modoshite kudasai. 

Please put these books back on the shelf over there.

• 彼らはここからあなたの家へ出発しました。

Kare-ra wa koko kara anata no ie e shuppatsu shimashita.

They departed to your home from here.

3. Interrogative Pronouns

• 私はなぜあそこに行かなければならないか分かりません。

Watashi wa naze aoko ni ikanakereba naranai ka wakarimasen. 

I don’t understand why I have to go there.

• 誰に向かって話しているのですか。

Dare ni mukatte hanashite iru no desu ka.

To whom are you talking?

• あそこのあの靴は誰のですか。

Asoko no ano kutsu wa dare no desu ka.

Whose shoes are those there?

4. Indefinite Pronouns

• 彼女はどこかに全てを置いてきました。

Kanojo wa doko ka ni subete o oite kimashita. 

She left everything somewhere.

• 誰もあのような変な服を持っていないでしょう。

Dare mo ano yō na hen na fuku o motte inai deshō.

No one would have strange clothes like that.

• 誰かが彼にここで何でも食べていいと伝えました。

Dare ka ga kare ni koko de nan demo tabete ii to tsutaemashita.

Somebody told him that he could eat anything here.

 To learn more useful Japanese vocabulary, check out our 100 Adjectives and 100 Nouns articles.

6. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced you to a variety of common pronouns in Japanese. By now, you should have an enhanced vocabulary and have a better idea of how to use Japanese pronouns. This is something that will definitely improve your overall Japanese language skills! 

Did you learn something new from this article? Do you want to know more about Japanese grammar? Let us know in the comments section below!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for any situation, you’ll find more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons to help you improve your Japanese language skills. 

To get you started, here’s some more information about the basics of Japanese, with audio:

• 50 Most Common Nouns,
• 50 Most Common Verbs
• 50 Most Common Adjectives

To learn how to converse in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases. Basic Kanji for Verbs and Basic Kanji for Adjectives are also useful if you want to learn Japanese kanji.

And there’s so much more! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

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“I live in Tokyo.”

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I want to open a bank account.

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When learning a new language, the grammatical part is inevitable. Even if you have a large vocabulary and can communicate well enough with native speakers of that language (which is a great way to practice at first!), you need to know the correct word order and sentence structure to continue improving. 

Japanese grammar is totally different from English grammar. However, once you get used to the Japanese sentence structure, it will be much easier for you to make sentences. This is because the Japanese language word order is more flexible than that of English.
In this article, we’ll introduce the basics of Japanese word order, which will help you better understand Japanese sentence structure as a whole. Brush up on your Japanese here at JapanesePod101.com!

Table of Contents

1. Overview of Word Order in Japanese
2. The Basic Word Order of Japanese
3. Word Order with Postpositional Phrases
4. Word Order with Modifiers
5. Asking Questions
6. Let’s Practice Making a Sentence in Japanese!
7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Overview of Word Order in Japanese

1. Japanese is SOV

Japanese is an SOV language, which means that the basic word order in a sentence is S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb). English, on the other hand, is an SVO language with the order of  S (subject) – V (verb) – O (object).

　　　　　(S)    (O)      (V)

Japanese: 私は本を読みます。(Watashi wa hon o yomimasu.)

               (S) (V)     (O)

English: “I read the book.”

2. Variable/Flexible Sentence Structure

The Japanese sentence structure is flexible:

[1] The subject can be omitted when it’s clear from the context/situation. 

[2] The subject and object(s) can be placed in a variable order.

[1]

 (S)    (O)        (V)

(私は)本を読みます。 [(Watashi wa) hon o yomimasu.] = “I read the book.”

The subject 私は (watashi wa) can be omitted.

[2] 

                   (S) (V)     (O)

English: “I read the book.”

In English, the subject can’t be omitted and the verb comes before the object.

　　　　　　    (S)      (O)       (V)

Japanese: (私は) 本を読みます。 [(Watashi wa) hon o  yomimasu.]

In Japanese, the subject can be omitted and the verb is always at the end of a sentence. The basic word order in Japanese is variable in that the subject can also appear after the object, and the order of the objects (if there are multiple) is flexible.

The postpositional particles are used in a Japanese sentence to modify words.

3. The Distinguishable Features of Word Order in Japanese Sentences

Compared to English, one of the distinguishable features of word order in Japanese is that Japanese has a 述語 (Jyutsugo), grammatically translated as “predicate.”

The predicate is one of the two main parts of a sentence stating something about the subject. While an English predicate can appear in the middle of a sentence, a Japanese 述語 (Jyutsugo) is always placed at the end of a sentence. This applies to both the casual form and the polite form.

Japanese: 私は本を読みます。(Watashi wa hon o yomimasu.) >> 読みます(yomimasu) is the predicate.

English: “I read the book.” >> “read the book” is the predicate.

2. The Basic Word Order of Japanese

1. SOV in Japanese

As we saw in the previous section, the basic sentence structure of Japanese is S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb).

Japanese parts of speech are usually followed by 助詞 (Joshi), or “particles,” that modify the word in front.

The subject is the person or thing that’s being discussed or described in a sentence, and the Japanese subject is usually followed by は (wa) or が (ga), which are 格助詞 (Kaku-Joshi) meaning “case markers” or 係助詞 (Kakari-Joshi) meaning “binding particles.”

The object is usually a noun or pronoun that is acted upon by the subject. A Japanese object is followed by a particle, such as を (o) or に (ni), which are 格助詞 (Kaku-Joshi).
The verb conveys an action (eat, write, move, etc.), an occurrence (happen, change), or a state of being (be, seem, exist). Japanese verbs either end the sentence, or are followed by 丁寧体 (Teinei-tai) such as です (desu) or ます (masu) in the polite form.

Word Order	SVO :  English (subject)-(verb)-(object)
Example	“I read the book.”
	“I am a musician.”
	“The book is about music.”

SOV : Japanese (subject)-(object)-(verb)	Literal translation following the word order
私は本を読みます。 Watashi wa hon o yomimasu.	I / the book / read.
私は音楽家です。 Watashi wa ongakuka desu.	I / a musician / am.
その本は音楽についてです。 Sono hon wa ongaku ni tsuite desu.	The book  / the music / about / is.

2. Flexible Word Order

As we mentioned earlier, in Japanese grammar, word order is pretty flexible. Look at the diagram of the Japanese sentence structure in 1. 2. [2] above; the word order of the subject and object(s) is flexible. Even though the subject usually appears at the beginning of a sentence, the subject can also be placed in the middle or even be omitted.

Let’s take a look at the example. 

S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb)

• (私は)明日図書館で友達と本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) ashita   toshokan de   tomodachi to   hon o   yomimasu.      

(I)       (tomorrow) (at the library) (with a friend) (the book) (read).

“I will read the book with a friend at the library tomorrow.”

The subject and object(s) can be placed in a variable order.

For example, the sentence above can also be in the following orders:

(私は)図書館で明日友達と本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) toshokan de  ashita   tomodachi to   hon o  yomimasu. 

(私は)友達と図書館で明日本を読みます。

(Watashi wa) tomodachi to  toshokan de  ashita   hon o yomimasu.　

明日図書館で(私は)友達と本を読みます。

Ashita  toshokan de (watashi wa)  tomodachi to  hon o  yomimasu. 

3. Word Order with Postpositional Phrases

While English uses prepositions (such as “at,” “on,” and “for”) to express a relationship to another word, Japanese uses postpositional particles, or 助詞 (Joshi). These particles come after the modified noun, verb, adjective, or at the end of a sentence. 

There are several types of particles, categorized by function. However, we’ll only introduce the most essential particle: 格助詞 (Kaku-Joshi) or “case maker.”  

When there are multiple objects, their order is flexible and variable as mentioned in the previous section.

Meaning/Function	Reading	Hiragana	Example
Nominative case	-ga	ーが	彼女が一番です。 Kanojo ga ichi-ban desu.　 “She is number one.”
Location	-de	ーで	ここで食べます。 Koko de tabemasu. 　 “(I) eat here.”
Destination	-e	ーへ	彼は図書館へいきます。 Kare wa toshokan e ikimasu.  “He goes to the library.”
Dative case / Time	-ni	ーに	Dative: 彼は子供に本をあげました。 Kare wa kodomo ni hon o agemashita.  “He gave the kid a book.” Time: 私は5時に出発します。 Watashi wa go-ji ni shuppatsu shimasu.  “I depart at five o’clock.”
Origin	-kara	ーから	駅は家から徒歩5分です。 Eki wa ie kara toho go-fun desu. “The station is a five-minute walk from home.”
Co-participant	-to	ーと	彼女は彼と歌います。 Kanojo wa kare to utaimasu.  “She sings with him.”
Objective case	-o	ーを	私は本を読みます。 Watashi wa hon o yomimasu.  “I read the book.”
Possessive case	-no	ーの	これは私のカバンです。 Kore wa watashi no kaban desu.  “This is my bag.”
End point	-made	ーまで	彼は駅まで歩きました。 Kare wa eki made arukimashita.  “He walked to the station.”
Starting point / Comparative	-yori	ーより	Starting point: 会議は9時より行われます。 Kaigi wa ku-ji yori okonawaremasu.  “The meeting will be held at nine o’clock.” Comparative: これはあれより安いです。 Kore wa are yori yasui desu.  “This is cheaper than that.”

彼は駅まで歩きました。(Kare wa eki made arukimashita.), “He walked to the station.”

4. Word Order with Modifiers

With the basic Japanese word order rules in mind, let’s see how it works with modifiers to make more complex sentences.

A modifier is a word—such as an adjective, pronoun, or adverb—that expresses something about the word that follows it. Adjectives and pronouns modify nouns; adverbs modify verbs. 

Here’s the Japanese word order with modifiers by function.

1. With Adjectives

In Japanese word order, adjectives come in front of nouns to describe them.

• 赤いりんご (akai ringo), “red apple”
• 分厚い本 (buatsui  hon), “thick book”

In a sentence with a subject and verb, the format is: S (subject) – O (object) – V (verb).

• 彼は赤いりんごを食べました。(Kare wa akai ringo o tabemashita.), “He ate a red apple.”
• 私は分厚い本を読みます。(Watashi wa buatsui  hon o yomimasu.), “I read the thick book.”

To learn more about Japanese adjectives, please visit our page on the Most Common Adjectives.

2. With Possessive Pronouns

Japanese possessive pronouns—such as 私の (watashi no) meaning “my” and 彼の (kare no) meaning “his”—come in front of nouns. The Japanese possessive case is の (-no) which is the postpositional particle marked after a person or thing.

• 私の車 (Watashi no kuruma), “my car”
• 彼女の家 (Kanojo no ie), “her house”

In a sentence with a subject and verb:

• 彼は私の車を使いました。(Kare wa watashi no kuruma o tsukaimashita.), “He used my car.”
• 私は彼女の家へ行きました。(Watashi wa kanojo no ie e ikimashita.), “I went to her house.”

3. With Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Japanese adverbs come in front of the words they modify.

• 静かに話します (shizuka ni hanashimasu), “speak quietly”
• ひどく疲れました (hidoku tsukaremashita), “terribly tired”

In a sentence with a subject and verb: 

• 彼女は静かに話します。(Kanojo wa shizuka ni  hanashimasu.), “She speaks quietly.”
• 彼女はとても静かに話します。(Kanojo wa totemo shizuka ni  hanashimasu.), “She speaks very quietly.”
• 私はひどく疲れました。(Watashi wa hidoku  tsukaremashita.), “I got terribly tired.”

For more about Japanese adverbs, please check out our page on Must-Know Adverbs and Phrases for Connecting Thoughts.

4. With Numerals

When numerals modify a noun, they come before that noun. When numerals are used as an object, they come before verbs. 

•  一冊の本 (Issatsu no hon), “one book”
• 二つのりんご (Futatsu no ringo), “two apples”
• 5匹います (Go-hiki  imasu), “there are five (kinds of animals)”

In a sentence with a subject and verb: 

• 私は１冊の本を読みます。(Watashi wa issatsu no hon o yomimasu.), “I read one book.”
• 木から落ちたのは二つのりんごです。(Ki kara ochita no wa futatsu no ringo desu.), “What fell from a tree are two apples.”
• 動物園にパンダが5頭います。(Dōbutsuen ni panda ga go-tō imasu.), “There are five pandas in the zoo.”

There’s a great variety of Japanese counter words which are used when talking about things, actions, or events. 

For more about the basics of Japanese numbers, please visit Numbers and Kanji for Numbers and Counters.

Dōbutsuen ni panda ga go-tō imasu. (“There are five pandas in the zoo.”)

5. Asking Questions

Making an interrogative sentence in Japanese is surprisingly easy! It doesn’t involve changing the word order or adding an auxiliary verb to form a question, like in English (e.g. You swim. >> Do you swim?).

In Japanese, you only have to add か (ka), a question marker, to the end of a sentence and pronounce it with a rising intonation. 

Polite / Basic Sentence

• 私は本を読みます。(Watashi wa hon o yomimasu.), “I read the book.”

　　　Question: 私は本を読みますか。 (Watashi wa hon o yomimasu ka.), “Do I read the book?”

• これは100円です。(Kore wa hyaku-en desu.), “This is 100 yen.”

          Question: これは100円ですか。 (Kore wa hyaku-en desu ka.), “Is this 100 yen?”

• 彼女は肉を食べません。(Kanojo wa niku o tabemasen.), “She doesn’t eat meat.”

          Question: 彼女は肉を食べませんか。(Kanojo wa niku o tabemasen ka.), “Doesn’t she eat meat?”

Casual Sentence

In casual and colloquial speech, just change the pronunciation to have a rising intonation at the end of a sentence, without adding か (ka). 

• 今日は寒い。(Kyō wa samui.), “Today is cold.”

　　　Question: 今日は寒い? (Kyō wa samui?), “Is today cold?”

• 私に小包が届いた。(Watashi ni kozutsumi ga todoita.), “The parcel was delivered to me.”

          Question: 私に小包が届いた？ (Watashi ni kozutsumi ga todoita?), “Was the parcel delivered to me?”

• （あなたは）犬が好き。[(Anata wa) inu ga suki.], “You like dogs.”

          Question:（あなたは）犬が好き？ [(Anata wa) inu ga suki?], “Do you like dogs?”

6. Let’s Practice Making a Sentence in Japanese! 

Learning by doing is the best way to master! Now, let’s practice making a Japanese sentence, step by step, with the Japanese word order rules you’ve learned today. If you don’t remember anything, feel free to review the sections above! 

Try to translate the following sentences in Japanese.

1. “You went to the library.”  : _________________

2. “You went to the library in the morning.”  : _________________

3. “You went to the library in the morning at eight o’clock.” : _________________

4. “Did you go to the library in the morning?” : _________________

5. “She ate sushi today.”  : _________________

6. “She ate sushi with Mariko today.”  : _________________

7. “She ate sushi with Mariko for lunch today.”  : _________________

8. “Did she eat sushi with Mariko for lunch today?” :_________________

If you don’t know certain vocabulary words, please check out our lists for the 50 Most Common Verbs and our School Vocabulary.

“Library” in Japanese is 図書館 (toshokan).

[Answers]

1. “You went to the library.” 

　 あなたは図書館へ行きました。(Anata wa toshokan e ikimashita.)

2. “You went to the library in the morning.” 

　あなたは朝図書館へ行きました。(Anata wa asa toshokan e ikimashita.)

3. “You went to the library in the morning at eight o’clock.” 

   あなたは朝8時に図書館へ行きました。(Anata wa asa hachi-ji ni toshokan e ikimashita.)

4. “Did you go to the library in the morning?” 

　あなたは朝図書館へ行きましたか。(Anata wa asa toshokan e ikimashita ka.)　

5. “She ate sushi today.”  

     彼女は今日寿司を食べました。(Kanojo wa kyō sushi o tabemashita.)

6. “She ate sushi with Mariko today.” 

     彼女は今日まりこと寿司を食べました。(Kanojo wa kyō Mariko to sushi o tabemashita.)

7. “She ate sushi with Mariko for lunch today.” 

     彼女は今日お昼ご飯にまりこと寿司を食べました。(Kanojo wa kyō o-hirugohan ni Mariko to sushi o tabemashita.)

8. “Did she eat sushi with Mariko for lunch today?” :

    彼女は今日まりこと寿司を食べましたか。(Kanojo wa kyō Mariko to sushi o tabemashita ka.)

*The word order of objects can vary when there are many in a sentence.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced you to Japanese word order. Now you understand how the Japanese sentence structure works. At first, you might feel confused about the flexibility of Japanese word order, but you’ll find it’s actually a lot easier to make complex sentences once you get used to it!   

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and practice other useful Japanese phrases for any situation, you’ll find a lot more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons to help you improve your Japanese language skills. Here’s some more information about the basics of Japanese with audio: Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners and Most Useful Pronouns.

And there’s so much more we can offer you! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Before you go, let us know in the comments if you still have questions about Japanese word order. We’d be glad to help.

Telling time is one of the most essential aspects of everyday life. Learning how to tell time in Japanese will help you improve your basic Japanese language skills. Whether you’re checking the time for transportation or making an appointment, knowing how to say time in Japanese will help you when visiting Japan.

Telling time in Japanese is quite simple and easy to understand. Unlike in English, when expressing time in Japanese, the words which indicate the hour and minute are always added next to the numbers (e.g. 3:12 or three twelve = 時 (3ji) 分 (12fun). Thus, even without context or a sentence, you’ll easily understand that these phrases indicate time in Japanese.

In this article, we introduce the basic vocabulary and phrases for telling time in Japanese. Let’s get started! 

Table of Contents

1. How to Ask for the Time
2. Telling Time in Japanese: Hours
3. Telling Time in Japanese: Minutes
4. The Hours Divided into Minutes
5. General Time Reference of the Day
6. Adverbs of Time in Japanese
7. Time Proverbs and Sayings
8. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. How to Ask for the Time

Here’s a list of the most typical phrases for asking about time in Japanese.

1- What time is it now? 

Japanese: 今何時ですか。

Reading: Ima nan-ji desu ka. 

• すみません、今何時ですか。

Sumimasen, ima nan-ji desu ka. 

Excuse me, what time is it now?

2- Do you know the time now? 

Japanese: 今何時かわかりますか。

Reading: Ima nan-ji ka wakarimasu ka. 

• ちょっといいですか、今何時かわかりますか。

Chotto ii desu ka, ima nan-ji ka wakarimasu ka.

Can I talk to you a bit? Do you know the time now?

3- What time is the [e.g. meeting]? 

Japanese: [会議] は何時ですか。

Reading: [Kaigi] wa nan-ji desu ka.

• 田中さん、到着は何時ですか。

Tanaka-san, tōchaku wa nan-ji desu ka.

Mr. (Ms.) Tanaka, what time is the arrival?

4- What time do we meet up? 

Japanese: 何時に集合ですか。

Reading: Nan-ji ni shūgō desu ka.

• すみません、7月10日は何時に集合ですか。

Sumimasen, shichi-gatsu tōka wa nan-ji ni shūgō desu ka.

Excuse me, what time do we meet up on July 10?

To learn dates in Japanese, please visit our Reading Dates in Japanese article.

Japanese people are famous for being on time.

2. Telling Time in Japanese: Hours

When speaking, the twelve-hour clock is more commonly used; when written, either the twelve-hour clock or the twenty-four-hour clock is used for telling time in Japanese.

When using the twelve-hour clock, add 午前 (gozen) meaning “a.m.” or 午後 (gogo) meaning “p.m.” to clarify.

1- The Twelve-Hour Clock in Japanese

Add 時 (ji), meaning “hour” or “o’clock,” after the Japanese numbers. Keep in mind that Arabic numbers are commonly used.

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Reading
0 o’clock	零時	れいじ	rei-ji
1 o’clock	一時	いちじ	ichi-ji
2 o’clock	二時	にじ	ni-ji
3 o’clock	三時	さんじ	san-ji
4 o’clock	四時	よじ	yo-ji
5 o’clock	五時	ごじ	go-ji
6 o’clock	六時	ろくじ	roku-ji
7 o’clock	七時	しちじ	shichi-ji
8 o’clock	八時	はちじ	hachi-ji
9 o’clock	九時	くじ	ku-ji
10 o’clock	十時	じゅうじ	jū-ji
11 o’clock	十一時	じゅういちじ	jū ichi-ji
12 o’clock	十二時	じゅうにじ	jū ni-ji

Please visit our Japanese Numbers article and Numbers page on JapanesePod101 to learn how to read numbers in Japanese.

2- Examples

• 昼食の時間は午後１時です。

Chūshoku no jikan wa gogo ichi-ji desu. 

Lunch time is at one o’clock p.m.

• 会議は10時からですか。

Kaigi wa jū-ji kara desu ka.   

Is the meeting at ten o’clock?

• 明日の朝7時に来てください。

Ashita no asa shichi-ji ni kite kudasai.

Please come at seven o’clock tomorrow morning.

Toki wa kane nari (Time is money).

3. Telling Time in Japanese: Minutes

1- Minutes in Japanese

Unlike in English, 分  (fun) or (pun) meaning “minute” is always added after the numbers when telling minutes in Japanese. 

• “Minute(s)” in Japanese is 分 and it’s pronounced either fun or pun depending on which number comes before 分.

• Minutes are usually written with Arabic numbers rather than Kanji.

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Reading
1 minute	一分	いっぷん	ippun
2 minutes	二分	にふん	ni-fun
3 minutes	三分	さんぷん	san-pun
4 minutes	四分	よんふん	yon-fun
5 minutes	五分	ごふん	go-fun
6 minutes	六分	ろっぷん	roppun
7 minutes	七分	ななふん	nana-fun
8 minutes	八分	はっぷん	happun
9 minutes	九分	きゅうふん	kyū-fun
10 minutes	十分	じゅっぷん	juppun
20 minutes	二十分	にじゅっぷん	ni-juppun
30 minutes	三十分	さんじゅっぷん	san-juppun
40 minutes	四十分	よんじゅっぷん	yon-juppun
50 minutes	五十分	ごじゅっぷん	go-juppun

2- Examples

• 地震は朝9時24分に起きました。

Jishin wa asa ku-ji ni-jū yon-fun ni okimashita. 

The earthquake occurred at 9:24 in the morning.

• 次の電車は3時47分に来ます。

Tsugi no densha wa san-ji yon-jū nana-fun ni kimasu.     

The next train comes at 3:47.

• 今の時間は午後6時18分です。

Ima no jikan wa gogo roku-ji jū happun desu.

The current time is 6:18 p.m.

It is jū-ji jū ippun (10:11) in Japanese.

4. The Hours Divided into Minutes

Telling time with minutes in Japanese is quite simple and there are no special terms or phrases to express certain groups of minutes, except for 半 (han) meaning “half.” On the other hand, English has more specific expressions, such as “quarter,” “XX past two (XX minutes after two o’clock),” and “XX to seven (XX minutes before seven o’clock).” 

• To express “thirty minutes past XX o’clock” in Japanese, just add 半 (han), meaning “half,” after “number + 時 (ji).”

• There’s no particular word for “quarter” when telling time in Japanese. It‘s simply “fifteen minutes”: 15分 (jū go-fun).

• “Five past six,” or 6:05, is 6時5分 (roku-ji go-fun) in Japanese.

• “Ten to seven” is 7時10分前 (shichi-ji juppun mae) in Japanese, which literally means “Ten minutes before seven o’clock.”

 Examples

• 飛行機は朝8時半に出発します。

Hikōki wa asa hachi-ji han ni shuppatsu shimasu. 

The airplane departs at 8:30 in the morning.

• 明日の会議は3時15分前に来てください。

Ashita no kaigi wa san-ji jū go-fun mae ni kite kudasai.     

Please come to tomorrow’s meeting fifteen minutes before three o’clock.

• 今の時間は9時10分前です。

Ima no jikan wa ku-ji juppun mae desu.

The current time is ten minutes before nine o’clock.

• あの学校は朝6時半に開きます。

Ano gakkō wa asa roku-ji han ni akimasu.

That school opens at 6:30 in the morning.

5. General Time Reference of the Day

What if you want to give a nonspecific or approximate time in Japanese? Here’s some basic vocabulary for describing time in Japanese based on the general time of day.

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Reading
AM	午前	ごぜん	gozen
PM	午後	ごご	gogo
morning	朝	あさ	asa
early morning	早朝	そうちょう	sōchō
sunrise	日の出	ひので	hinode
noon	正午	しょうご	shōgo
midday	日中	にっちゅう	nicchū
early evening	夕方	ゆうがた	yūgata
sunset	日没	にちぼつ	nichibotsu
evening / night	夜	よる	yoru
midnight	深夜	しんや	shin’ya

The sunset time in summer is around seven o’clock p.m. in Japan.

 Examples

• 夏の日の出は早朝の4時半です。

Natsu no hinode wa sōchō no yo-ji han desu. 

The sunrise in summer is at 4:30 in the early morning.

• 明日の夜8時に夕食を食べましょう。

Ashita no yoru hachi-ji ni yūshoku o tabemashō.     

Let’s have dinner at eight o’clock tomorrow evening.

• 私の飛行機は深夜12時3分に出発します。

Watashi no hikōki wa shin’ya jū ni-ji san-pun ni shuppatsu shimasu.

My flight departs at 12:03, at midnight.

• 私は今日正午から夕方まで忙しいです。

Watashi wa kyō shōgo kara yūgata made isogashii desu.

I’m busy from noon to early evening today.

6. Adverbs of Time in Japanese

You can create more-detailed and specific time-related expression by using time adverbs. Japanese adverbs of time include:

English	Kanji	Hiragana	Reading
right now	今すぐ	いますぐ	ima sugu
before	前	まえ	mae
after	後	あと/ご	ato/go
soon	ー	もうすぐ	mō sugu
soon	ー	ほとんど	hotondo
around	頃	ころ/ごろ	koro/goro
about	約	やく	yaku
currently	現在	げんざい	genzai
meanwhile	その間に	そのあいだに	sono aida ni
at the same time	同時に	どうじに	dōji ni
at the same time	ー	いつでも	itsu demo
as soon as possible	出来るだけ早く	できるだけはやく	dekirudake hayaku
in a while	間もなく/しばらく	まもなく/しばらく	mamonaku/shibaraku
for a long time	長い間	ながいあいだ	nagai aida

 Examples

• 今すぐ来きてください。会議は15分後に始まります。

Ima sugu kite kudasai. Kaigi wa jū go-fun go ni hajimarimasu.      

Please come right now. The meeting is starting after fifteen minutes.

• 同時に、別のパーティーが午後7時半から始まります。

Dōji ni, betsu no pātī ga gogo shichi-ji han kara hajimarimasu.     

At the same time, another party will start at 7:30 p.m.

• 私は午前8時から長い間待っています。出来るだけ早くここへ来てください。

Watashi wa gozen hachi-ji kara nagai aida matte imasu. Dekirudake hayaku koko e kite kudasai.

I have been waiting for a long time, since 8 o’clock a.m. Come here as soon as possible.

• 今は午後2時58分で、もうすぐ3時になります。まもなく電車が来ます。

Ima wa gogo ni-ji go-jū happun de, mō sugu san-ji ni narimasu. Mamonaku densha ga kimasu.

It is 2:58 p.m. and it’s going to be 3:00 soon. The train comes in a while.

Japanese trains are very punctual.

7. Time Proverbs and Sayings

When talking about time in Japanese culture, there are many ことわざ (kotowaza) and 慣用句 (kan’yōku), or “proverbs” and “sayings” regarding time in Japanese. Here are some of the most famous proverbs.

• Time is money.

Japanese: 時は金なり

Reading: Toki wa kane nari

Meaning: It literally translates to “time is money,” and it means that time is as precious as money.

遅れないように! 「時は金なり」ですよ。

Okurenai yō ni! “Toki wa kane nari” desu yo.

Don’t be late! Time is money.

• Time flies.

Japanese: 光陰矢のごとし

Reading: Kōin ya no gotoshi

Meaning: It literally translates to “time is like an arrow,” meaning that time flies fast, like an arrow. The word 光陰 (Kōin) comes from  漢文 (Kanbun), an old Chinese word which denotes “light and shade,” meaning “time.” Thus, time goes by with days and nights.

前回会った時から既に5年経ちました。「光陰矢のごとし」ですね。

Zenkai atta toki kara sude ni go-nen tachimashita. “Kōin ya no gotoshi” desu ne.

Five years have already passed since we last met. Time flies, doesn’t it?

• Time and tide wait for no man.

Japanese: 歳月人を待たず

Reading: Saigetsu hito o matazu

Meaning: It literally translates to “years and months do not wait for man,” meaning that time goes by constantly without heeding one’s circumstances. It indicates that people shouldn’t waste time and should instead make each day count.

やるべき事ややりたい事は今すぐやりましょう。「歳月人を待たず」ですよ！

Yarubeki koto ya yaritai koto wa ima sugu yarimashō. ”Saigetsu hito o matazu” desu yo!

Do right now what you should do and what you want to do. It’s “time and tide wait for no man!”

• Each day is like a thousand years.

Japanese: 一日千秋

Reading: Ichijitsu senshū 

Meaning: It literally translates to “one day is like a thousand autumns.” It means that one can hardly wait for something because it feels very far in the future, as if one day is like a thousand years (autumn comes a thousand times). 秋 (aki/shū) means “autumn,” but it also can mean “time” as a metaphor. It’s said that autumn is the time for harvest, and ancient people realized that a year had passed when autumn came.

彼女は来月行く予定のコンサートを一日千秋の思いで待っています。

Kanojo wa raigetsu iku yotei no konsāto o ichijitsu senshū no omoi de matte imasu.

She’s waiting for the concert she’s going to next month with the feeling that each day is like a thousand years.

8. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced how to tell time in Japanese, including the basic vocabulary and phrases, such as the different units of time in Japanese. Now you can ask for the time and tell time in Japanese whenever you make an appointment or check times for your travels.

I hope you’ll enjoy meeting friends and getting around in Japan; make sure you’re on time when meeting them! 

Are there any time-related words in Japanese you still want to know? Let us know in the comments! 

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases, you’ll find a lot of helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. Here’s some more information about numbers and time in Japanese with audio: Talking about Time, Numbers, and Kanji for Numbers and Counters.

 To learn how to make conversation in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases. Phrases You Need at the Bus or Train Station and Trains are also useful if you plan on getting around Japan with public transportation.

There’s so much more! Be a fast learner and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Knowing how to ask for directions in Japanese is very helpful when it comes to getting around in Japan. In particular, finding the right address can be a bit confusing, because smaller streets in Japan aren’t named and addresses are expressed with the name of a small area and numbers.

Along with knowing how to ask directions in Japanese, understanding the directions you were told is even more important. This ensures that you can reach the destination with the information given. (You don’t want to mistake “right” in Japanese for left!)

But don’t worry! Japanese people are kind in general, and they’ll stop to listen and help you when you ask them for directions in Japanese.

Here’s some useful vocabulary and phrases for giving and asking for directions in Japanese. Master directions in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com and find your way to exciting destinations!


Table of Contents

1. On the Map: Cardinal Directions in Japanese
2. On the Road
3. Giving Directions in Japanese Using Landmarks
4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions in Japanese
5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions in Japanese
6. Other Useful Phrases for Asking Directions with Map/Phone
7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. On the Map: Cardinal Directions in Japanese

Let’s master the basic compass directions in Japanese for reading the map.

1- Basic Vocabulary

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana	English
kita	北	きた	north
minami	南	みなみ	south
nishi	西	にし	west
higashi	東	ひがし	east
hokusei	北西	ほくせい	northwest
hokutō	北東	ほくとう	northeast
nantō	南東	なんとう	southeast
nansei	南西	なんせい	southwest
chizu	地図	ちず	map
genzaichi	現在地	げんざいち	current location

2- Examples

• 皇居は現在地から北東へ５kmの場所にあります。
  Kōkyo wa genzaichi kara hokutō e go-kiromētoru no basho ni arimasu.
  The Imperial Palace is located 5km northeast from the current location.


• 日本の地理は、北の北海道、東の関東、西の関西、南の九州が特徴です。
  Nihon no chiri wa, kita no Hokkaidō, higashi no Kantō, nishi no Kansai, minami no Kyūshū ga tokuchō desu.
  The geography of Japan is characterized by Hokkaidō of the North, Kantō of the East, Kansai of the West, and Kyūshū of the south.


• 横浜は、東京の南に位置しています。
  Yokohama wa Tōkyō no minami ni ichi shite imasu.　
  Yokohama is located in the south of Tokyo.

The Japanese map shows the major roads with names, but small streets don’t have names. It’s useful to know the word kita, meaning “north” in Japanese, for reading the map.

2. On the Road

Knowing how to say directions in Japanese for the road, such as right and left in Japanese, is very useful. The vocabulary below is essential for giving and receiving driving directions in Japanese!

1- Basic Vocabulary

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana	English
mae	前	まえ	front
ushiro	後ろ	うしろ	back
hidari	左	ひだり	left
migi	右	みぎ	right
tōi	遠い	とおい	far
chikai	近い	ちかい	close
koko	ー	ここ	here
asoko	ー	あそこ	there
massugu	ー	まっすぐ	straight
tonari	隣	となり	next
watatta	渡った	わたった	across
kōsaten	交差点	こうさてん	intersection
kado o magaru	角を曲がる	かどをまがる	turn the corner

2- Examples

• 東京タワーは東京プリンスホテルの隣にあります。次の角を右に曲がって、まっすぐ進んでください。
  Tōkyō Tawā wa Tōkyō Prince Hotel no tonari ni arimasu. Tsugi no kado o migi ni magatte, massugu susunde kudasai.
  Tokyo Tower is located next to Tokyo Prince Hotel. Please turn right at the next corner and go straight.


• 明治神宮は原宿駅から200mくらいの場所で、近いです。
  Meiji Jingū wa Harajuku Eki kara ni-hyaku-mētoru kurai no basho de, chikai desu.
  Meiji Jingū is located around 200m away from Harajuku Station and it is close.


• 都庁のビルは、新宿中央公園から交差点を渡った場所にあります。
  Tochō no biru wa, Shinjuku Chūō Kōen kara kōsaten o watatta basho ni arimasu.　
  The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is located across the intersection from Shinjuku Central Park.


• あそこの交差点を左に曲がって道をまっすぐ行くと、前に駅が見えます。
  Asoko no kōsaten o hidari ni magatte michi o massugu iku to, mae ni eki ga miemasu.　
  When you turn left at the intersection there, go straight on the street; you will see the station in front.

When you’re at an intersection or on a road, migi, meaning “right” in Japanese, and hidari, meaning “left” in Japanese, are essential words to use for giving/asking directions.

3. Giving Directions in Japanese Using Landmarks

A landmark is an object or feature of a landscape or city that’s easily seen and recognized from a distance. Know the basic vocabulary for landmarks will help you understand when you’re getting directions in Japanese.

1- In the City: Basic Vocabulary

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana / Katakana	English
kūkō	空港	くうこう	airport
chikatetsu no ek	地下鉄の駅	ちかてつのえき	subway station
machi no chūshinchi	街の中心地	まちのちゅうしんち	center of the city
kōen	公園	こうえん	park
hoteru	ー	ホテル	hotel
byōin	病院	びょういん	hospital
ginkō	銀行	ぎんこう	bank

Examples

• 地下鉄の駅は、この道をまっすぐ進むと、銀行の隣にあります。
  Chikatetsu no eki wa, kono michi o massugu susumu to, ginkō no tonari ni arimasu.
  The subway station is located next to the bank when you go straight on this road.


• この街の中心地は駅の近くで、あそこの病院を右に曲がって500mくらいの場所にあります。
  Kono machi no chūshinchi wa eki no chikaku de, asoko no byōin o migi ni magatte go-hyaku-mētoru kurai no basho ni arimasu.
  The center of this city is located near the station, and it’s 500m away after you turn right at the hospital there.


• この交差点を左に曲がると、地下鉄の駅があります。
  Kono kōsaten o hidari ni magaru to, chikatetsu no eki ga arimasu.　
  When you turn left at this intersection, the subway station is there.

2- On the Road: Basic Vocabulary

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana / Katakana	English
shingō	信号	しんごう	traffic light
ōdanhodō	横断歩道	おうだんほどう	crosswalk
kado	角	かど	corner
tatemono / biru	建物 / ビル	たてもの / ビル	building
kōban / keisatsusho	交番 / 警察署	こうばん / けいさつしょ	police station
eki	駅	えき	train station
basutei	バス停	バスてい	bus stop
hashi	橋	はし	bridge

A 交番 こうばん (kōban) is a small police station in a community, and is the smallest unit of the police structure in Japan. On the other hand, a 警察署 けいさつしょ (keisatsusho) is a large police station which is usually the headquarters of the police station in a city or area.

Examples

• 駅は、あの横断歩道を渡って右にある高い建物の後ろにあります。
  Eki wa, ano ōdanhodō o watatte migi ni aru takai tatemono no ushiro ni arimasu.
  The train station is located at the back of the tall building on the right after crossing that crosswalk.


• この道をまっすぐ進むと、左に交番が見えます。交番の角を右に曲がるとバス停があります。
  Kono michi o massugu susumu to, hidari ni kōban ga miemasu. Kōban no kado o migi ni magaru to basutei ga arimasu.
  When you go straight on this street, you will see the police station on your left. There is the bus stop after you turn right at the corner of the police station.


• あの橋を渡って見える大きい建物は横浜ホテルです。
  Ano hashi o watatte mieru ōkii tatemono wa Yokohama Hotel desu.
  The big building you see across that bridge is Yokohama Hotel.

Tokyo Tower is one of the most famous landmarks in Tokyo.

3- In a Structure/Building: Basic Vocabulary

Reading	Kanji	Hiragana / Katakana	English
iriguchi	入口	いりぐち	entrance
deguchi	出口	でぐち	exit
keshōshitsu / toire	化粧室 / トイレ	けしょうしつ / トイレ	restroom
kaidan	階段	階段	stairs
erebētā	ー	エレベーター	elevator
mon	門	もん	gate
chūshajō	駐車場	ちゅうしゃじょう	parking lot

Examples

• 地下鉄の駅の入口は、この階段を降りた右側にあります。
  Chikatetsu no eki no iriguchi wa, kono kaidan o orita migigawa ni arimasu.
  The entrance of the subway station is located at the right side after going down the stairs.


• トイレはこのビルの3階にあります。あのエレベーターで3階に行けます。
  Toire wa kono biru no san-kai ni arimasu. Ano erebētā de san-kai ni ikemasu.
  There is a toilet on the third floor in this building. You can go to the third floor with that elevator.


• あの駐車場の門の隣に出口があります。
  Anochūshajō no mon no tonari ni deguchi ga arimasu.
  There is an exit next to that gate in the parking lot.

There are many exit gates in the large stations in Japan’s larger cities.

4. Must-Know Phrases for Asking for Directions in Japanese

Here’s a list of useful phrases and examples for how to ask for directions in Japanese.

1- Polite Phrases to Begin Your Question

すみません (sumimasen) — Excuse me

すみません、この駅の入口はどこですか。
Sumimasen, kono eki no iriguchi wa doko desu ka. 　
Excuse me, where is the entrance to this station?

ちょっといいですか。(Chotto ii desu ka.) — Can I talk to you? / May I ask a bit?

ちょっといいですか。渋谷駅はどこですか。
Chotto ii desu ka. Shibuya Eki wa doko desu ka.
Can I talk to you a bit? Where is Shibuya station?

助けてもらえますか。(Tasukete moraemasu ka.) — Will you help me?

助けてもらえますか。空港までの行き方を教えてくれませんか。
Tasukete moraemasu ka. Kūkō made no ikikata o oshiete kuremasen ka.
Will you help me? Can you show me the way to go to the airport?

2- Example Phrases Using “Where is…?”

…はどこですか。(… wa doko desu ka.) — Where is …?

• すみません、トイレはどこですか。
  Sumimasen, toire wa doko desu ka.
  Excuse me, where is the toilet?


• ちょっといいですか。代々木公園はどこですか。
  Chotto ii desu ka. Yoyogi Kōen wa doko desu ka.
  Can I talk to you? Where is Yoyogi Park?


• すみません、お台場はどこですか。
  Sumimasen, Odaiba wa doko desu ka.
  Excuse me, where is Odaiba?

3- Example Phrases Using “How do I get to…?”

…にはどうやって行けばいいですか。 (… ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.) — How do I get to…? 　

• 浅草にはどうやって行けばいいですか。
  Asakusa ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.
  How do I get to Asakusa?


• 皇居方面の出口にはどうやって行けばいいですか。
  Kōkyo hōmen no deguchi ni wa dō yatte ikeba ii desu ka.
  How do I get to the exit toward the Imperial Palace?

4- Example Phrases Using “How far is …?” / “Is … far from here?”

…はどの位遠いですか。 (…wa dono kurai tōi desu ka.) — How far is …?

…はここから遠いですか。(…wa koko kara tōi desu ka.) — Is … far from here?

• 東京タワーはどの位遠いですか。
  Tōkyō Tawā wa dono kurai tōi desu ka.
  How far is Tokyo Tower?


• 駅はここから遠いですか。
  Eki wa koko kara tōi desu ka.
  Is the train station far from here?

5- Example Courtesy Phrases to Thank People

ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) — Thank you.

• ありがとうございます、とても助かりました。
  Arigatō gozaimasu, totemo tasukarimashita.
  Thank you, it helped me a lot.

分かりました、ありがとうございます。(wakarimashita, arigatō gozaimasu.) — I see, thank you.　

• 駅への行き方分かりました、ありがとうございます。
  Eki e no ikikata wakarimashita, arigatō gozaimasu.
  I see how to get to the station, thank you.

親切にありがとうございました (shinsetsu ni arigatō gozaimashita.) — Thank you for your kindness.

• 建物の入り口まで連れて来てくれて、親切にありがとうございました。
  Tatemono no iriguchi made tsurete kite kurete, shinsetsu ni arigatō gozaimashita.
  Thank you for your kindness by taking me to the entrance of the building.

For more about saying thank you in Japanese, check out Common Ways to Say Thank You.

To learn greetings in Japanese, visit Japanese Greetings.

Japanese people are very kind in general to show you the way to your destination.

5. Must-Know Phrases for Giving Directions in Japanese

Here’s a list of useful phrases and examples for giving directions in Japanese. You’ll also find taxi directions in Japanese that you can use as needed.

1- go straight

Japanese: まっすぐ進みます
Reading: massugu susumi masu

• 地下鉄の駅へはこの道をまっすぐ進みます。
  Chikatetsu no eki e wa kono michi o massugu susumimasu.
  Go straight on this road to the subway station.

2- go back

Japanese: 戻ります
Reading: modorimasu

• 新宿駅へはこの道を、あの信号まで戻ります。
  Shinjuku Eki e wa kono michi o, ano shingō made modorimasu.
  Go back on this road until that traffic light to Shinjuku Station.

3- turn left/right

Japanese: 左 / 右へ曲がります
Reading: hidari / migi e magarimasu

• あの信号を左へ曲がります。
  Ano shingō o hidari e magarimasu.
  Turn left at that traffic light.

4- turn left / right at corner / intersection

Japanese: 角 / 交差点を左 / 右へ曲がります
Reading: kado / kōsaten o hidari / migi e magarimasu

• あの高いビルがある交差点を右へ曲がります。
  Ano takai biru ga aru kōsaten o migi e magarimasu.
  Turn right at the intersection where that tall building is.

5- on … floor

Japanese: …階
Reading: …kai

• トイレは５階にあります。
  Toire wa go-kai ni arimasu.
  The toilet is on the fifth floor.

6- go upstairs / downstairs

Japanese: 階段を上がります / 下がります
Reading: kaidan o agarimasu / sagarimasu

• トイレへはこの階段を上がります。
  Toire e wa kono kaidan o agarimasu.
  Go upstairs to the toilet.

7- (to a driver) keep going

Japanese: このまま行ってください
Reading: kono mama itte kudasai

• この道をこのまま行ってください。
  Kono michi o kono mama itte kudasai.
  Keep going on this road.

8- (to a driver) stop here

Japanese: ここで止まってください
Reading: koko de tomatte kudasai

• ホテルはここです。ここで止まってください。
  Hoteru wa koko desu. Koko de tomatte kudasai.
  The hotel is here. Please stop here.

9- (to a driver) hurry up

Japanese: 急いでください
Reading: isoide kudasai

• 時間があまりないので急いでください。
  Jikan ga amari nai node isoide kudasai.
  Please hurry up because there’s not much time.

10- (to a driver) slow down

Japanese: 速度を落としてください
Reading: sokudo o otoshite kudasai

• 急いでないので速度を落としてください。
  Isoide nai node sokudo o otoshite kudasai.
  Please slow down because I’m not in a hurry.

11- (to a driver) short-cut

Japanese: 近道
Reading: chikamichi

• 駅への近道を知っていますか。
  Eki e no chikamichi o shitte imasu ka.
  Do you know the short-cut to the station?

12- You won’t miss it (you will see it immediately)

Japanese: すぐに分かります
Reading: sugu ni wakarimasu

• 駅はあの銀行の裏です。すぐに分かりますよ。
  Eki wa ano ginkō no ura desu. Sugu ni wakarimasu yo.
  The station is behind that bank. You won’t miss it.

13- You will see xxx on the right / left side

Japanese: XXXは右 / 左に見えます
Reading: XXX wa migi / hidari ni miemasu　

• この道をまっすぐ行くと、駅が左に見えます。
  Kono michi o massugu iku to, eki ga hidari ni miemasu.
  When you go straight on this road, you will see the station on the left side.

The door of a Japanese taxi opens automatically for you.

6. Other Useful Phrases for Asking Directions with Map/Phone

Even if you’re using your phone to search for directions, it’s often confusing and difficult to figure it out in a foreign country. Here’s a list of useful phrases for asking directions in Japanese using a map or phone.

1- Can you indicate … on this map?

Japanese: …をこの地図で示してください。
Reading: …o kono chizu de shimeshite kudasai

• 西新宿２丁目の２をこの地図で示してください。
  Nishi-Shinjuku ni-chō-me no ni o kono chizu de shimeshite kudasai.
  Can you indicate 2-2 Nishi-Shinjuku, please?

2- Please type the name of XXX on my phone / Google Maps

Japanese: 私の電話 / グーグルマップにXXXの名前を打ってください。
Reading: watashi no denwa / Gūguru Mappu ni XXX no namae o utte kudasai.

• グーグルマップに両国国技館の名前を打ってください。
  Gūguru Mappu ni Ryōgoku Kokugikan (Kokugikan 国技館) no namae o utte kudasai.
  Please type the name of the Ryōgoku Sumo Hall on Google Maps.

3- Can you find XXX on Google Maps, please?

Japanese: XXXをグーグルマップで探してくれませんか。
Reading: XXX o Gūguru Mappu de sagashite kuremasen ka.

• この住所をグーグルマップで探してくれませんか。
  Kono jūsho o Gūguru Mappu de sagashite kuremasen ka.
  Can you find this address on Google Maps, please?

It’s useful to use a smartphone to search for locations, but it’s sometimes difficult to search for things in foreign languages.

7. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

In this article, we introduced the vocabulary and phrases for giving and asking directions in Japanese, including the basic cardinal directions for reading the map. When you ask Chikatetsu no eki wa doko desu ka. (“Where is the subway station?”), you should now be able to understand someone’s reply while giving directions in Japanese: Chikatetsu no eki e wa kono michi o massugu susumimasu. (“Go straight on this road to the subway station”).

I hope you enjoy getting around in Japan smoothly after learning directions in Japanese here!

Are there any phrases or direction vocabulary in Japanese you still want to know? Leave your comments and let us know; we look forward to hearing from you!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other useful Japanese phrases for various situations, you’ll find a lot more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, here’s some more information about directions in Japanese with audio: Direction Words, Kanji for Direction and Position, and Position / Direction.

To learn how to make conversations in Japanese, check out Top 15 Questions You Should Know for Conversations and Top 10 Conversational Phrases. Survival Words & Phrases for Your Next Trip to Japan, Traveling, and Top 30 Travel Phrases You Should Know are also useful if plan on traveling to Japan.

There’s still so much more! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Japanese fireworks are arguably the best part of summer. After a long and trying rainy season (tsuyu), people are just itching to get out and enjoy themselves!

Did you know there’s a firework display called the Niagara? These fireworks are arranged in a row, set off at the same time, and are specially designed to look like a huge wave or waterfall.

In this article, you’ll learn all about the fireworks festival in Japan: what to expect, how these festivals got started, and some relevant vocabulary you can use to impress your Japanese friends.

Let’s get started.

1. What is the Hanabi Festival in Japan?

Every year during the summer, usually in July and August, the Japanese celebrate the Hanabi festival. Hanabi is Japanese for “fireworks,” but it literally means “fire flower.” The Japanese consider Hanabi to be the 夏の風物詩 (なつの ふうぶつし), or “epitome of summer.”

→ Before you continue, you may like to see this list of Summer Activities in Japan!

A History of Fireworks in Japanese Culture

It’s believed that Japan had its first taste of fireworks in the 1600s when the shogunate founder, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was given fireworks as a gift from someone representing King James I. He greatly enjoyed them, and over time, the Edo lords began using the fireworks for their entertainment by setting them off above the Sumida River.

It was at the Sumida River that one of the first public fireworks displays in Japan took place in 1733. During this time, the fireworks were used for both entertainment and to ward off evil spirits. Many Japanese during this era had taken ill or died from disease, so watching the Hanabi in Japan was both a means of easing one’s mind and of mourning.

Today, there tends to be a greater focus on the creative aspect of fireworks, and once you see the amazing fireworks in Japan, you’ll see that the Japanese take this creativity very seriously.

2. What to Expect During Hanabi

How to Prepare

Because Hanabi takes place during the hottest months of summer, you’ll definitely want to wear cool summer clothes. Alternatively, you can purchase a 浴衣 (ゆかた), or yukata, which is a summertime kimono designed to keep you cool. You should also ensure that you have something to sit on, like a blanket or groundsheet.

The Fireworks

Japanese fireworks are known for their clever, fascinating designs. There’s no better time to see them than during the Hanabi festival. Japanese pyrotechnicians really put their heart and soul into these things! There are fireworks that are shaped like hearts, faces, cartoon characters, and other objects or elements.

Some of the best fireworks festivals in Japan are:

• Nagaoka Fireworks
• Osaka Tenjin Fireworks
• 隅田川花火大会 (すみだがわはなびたいかい) – Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival

Of course, there are many more all summer long!

Another important note: If you really want to fit in while watching the fireworks, be sure to say 玉屋 (たまや), or “tama-ya,” and 鍵屋 (かぎや), or “kagi-ya,” as the fireworks burst. Everyone around you will be doing this, so why not join in the fun?

We highly recommend that you try something from a 屋台 (やたい), or “food stall,” while you’re out.

→ Take a look at our list of the top Japanese Foods and let us know which one is your favorite!

Tips for the Festival

Before you visit Japan for the Hanabi festival, keep in mind that it’s going to be crowded.

This means that if you want a good seat or view, you’ll need to arrive super-early. Many Japanese people show up to the fireworks location several hours before they actually begin. The same goes for tickets: If you need a ticket to attend a specific firework show, be sure to purchase it in advance. You normally can’t buy a ticket on the day of the show.

In addition, you’ll need to book a hotel room as soon as possible. If you wait until the last minute to take this step for your trip, you may find all of the hotels booked!

And big crowds mean long lines! Definitely use the bathroom before arriving at the firework viewing area. Otherwise, you’ll end up waiting a really long time to use the bathrooms there.

Finally, don’t leave immediately after the firework show. If you do, you’ll be squished between all the other people leaving; the trains will be full, and the roads will be jammed with traffic. It’s better to wait a little while and enjoy the other amenities before leaving.

3. Why Do We Say Tama-ya?

During the Edo period, there were two men credited with bringing fireworks to Japan. These two firework-makers’ names were Tamaya and Kagiya, and the Japanese shouted their names while watching the Hanabi.

Today, there’s less meaning in shouting the names, and it’s mostly done to make the show more exciting.

4. Vocabulary for the Japanese Fireworks Festival

Here’s a quick list of some of the vocabulary words and phrases from this article.

• 夏 (なつ) — “summer”
• 甚平 (じんべい) — “jinbei”
• 花火大会 (はなびたいかい) — “fireworks festival”
• 浴衣 (ゆかた) — “yukata”
• 屋台 (やたい) — “food stall”
• 玉屋 (たまや) — “tama-ya”
• 夏の風物詩 (なつの ふうぶつし) — “epitome of summer”
• 隅田川花火大会 (すみだがわはなびたいかい) — “Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival”
• 打上花火 (うちあげはなび) — “sky rocket”
• 花火師 (はなびし) — “pyrotechnician”
• 鍵屋 (かぎや) — “kagi-ya”
• 火薬 (かやく) — “gunpowder”
• 仕掛花火 (しかけ はなび) — “exhibition”

To hear the pronunciation of each word and phrase, visit our Japanese Fireworks Festival vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

The Hanabi festival in Japan really is one of the most beautiful and exciting occasions all year long. There’s something about the coolness of the rivers, the company of fellow onlookers, and watching the brilliant Hanabi with a drink in your hand.

What are your favorite things about summer? Are there any special summertime events in your country? Let us know your experiences with them in the comments!

To learn more about fun things that happen in Japan throughout the year, and to pick up some new phrases you can start using today, check out these free articles on JapanesePod101.com:

• Bunka No Hi: Celebrating Culture Day in Japan
• Tanabata: The Star Festival in Japan – Vega and Altair’s Love Story
• How to Celebrate the Obon Festival in Japan
• Taiiku No Hi: Health and Sports Day in Japan
• Japanese Travel Phrases for an Enjoyable Trip to Japan

Stay safe out there, and happy Japanese learning!

Expanding one’s vocabulary is one of the most essential elements in improving one’s language skills. Learning Japanese nouns will help you boost your knowledge of the Japanese language because nouns occupy the majority of the language’s words. Knowing the top 100 Japanese nouns is the first step to enhance your Japanese vocabulary.

Japanese nouns are used to name a person, place, thing, or idea. Contrary to English, Japanese nouns don’t accompany any articles, such as “a” and “the.” In addition, there are no certain rules for indicating, in a precise sense, whether a noun is singular or plural. For example, there’s the word 達(たち) [tachi], which indicates a plural form of people or creatures when it’s put next to a noun (e.g. 動物 + 達 = 動物達：animals).

In most cases, however, Japanese nouns don’t have anything added to indicate the difference between singular and plural. In order to show that a certain noun in Japanese is plural, add another word such as たくさんの (takusan no), or “many,” and 二つの (futatsu no), or “two” in the sentence.

In this article, we introduce the 100 most common Japanese nouns. Let’s master the basic Japanese nouns in everyday life here at JapanesePod101! Here are the top Japanese nouns by category.



Table of Contents

1. Japanese Nouns: Appliances
2. Japanese Nouns: Technology
3. Japanese Nouns: Transportation
4. Japanese Nouns: Food & Restaurants
5. Japanese Nouns: School Essentials
6. Japanese Nouns: Occupations
7. Japanese Nouns: Family Members
8. Japanese Nouns: Body Parts
9. Japanese Nouns: Time
10. 10. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Japanese Nouns: Appliances

Before studying this basic Japanese nouns list, keep in mind that some of the imported words from other languages become Japanese words, or 和製英語 (wasei eigo), with a similar sound written in Katakana. For example, “television” is テレビ (terebi) in Japanese.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
1	refrigerator	冷蔵庫	れいぞうこ	reizōko
2	freezer	冷凍庫	れいとうこ	reitōko
3	microwave	電子レンジ	でんしれんじ	denshi renji
4	air conditioner	冷房機/クーラー	れいぼうき/クーラー	reibōki / kūrā
5	heater	暖房機	だんぼうき	danbōki
6	laundry machine	洗濯機	せんたくき	sentakuki
7	hair dryer	ー	ドライヤー	doraiyā
8	TV	ー	テレビ	terebi

Examples

冷凍庫から氷と、冷蔵庫から飲み物を出してください。
Reitōko kara kōri to, reizōko kara nomimono o dashite kudasai.
Please take out ice from the freezer and drinks from the refrigerator.

お風呂の後はドライヤーで髪を乾かします。
O-furo no ato wa doraiyā de kami o kawakashimasu.
After taking a bath, I dry my hair with a hair dryer.

私はテレビを見ることが好きです。
Watashi wa terebi o miru koto ga suki desu.
I like watching TV.

電子レンジと洗濯機が壊れたので困っています。
Denshi renji to sentakuki ga kowareta node komatte imasu.
I’m upset because the microwave and laundry machine broke.

You can also check our more useful Japanese nouns for home appliances with Japanese pronunciations at our Home Appliances vocabulary list!

Air conditioner in Japanese is also called クーラー (kūrā), which comes from the word “cooler.”

2. Japanese Nouns: Technology

Most important Japanese nouns regarding technology originated from other countries and were imported to Japan. Expressed in Katakana, these imported words have Japanese pronunciation that resembles the original English words.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
9	computer	ー	コンピューター	conpyūtā
10	laptop	ー	ノートパソコン	nōto pasokon
11	tablet	ー	タブレット	taburetto
12	cellphone	携帯電話	けいたいでんわ	keitai denwa
13	headphone	ー	ヘッドホン	heddohon
14	charger	充電器	じゅうでんき	jyūdenki
15	wifi	ー	ワイファイ	waifai
16	app	ー	アプリ	apuri
17	website	ー	ウェブサイト	webusaito
18	file	ー	ファイル	fairu
19	account	ー	アカウント	akaunto
20	password	ー	パスワード	pasuwādo

Examples

私はタブレットよりもノートパソコンの方が好きです。
Watshi wa taburetto yori mo nōto pasokon no hō ga suki desu.
I like laptops more than tablets.

ワイファイのパスワードは何ですか。
Waifai no pasuwādo wa nan desu ka.
What is the wifi password?

あなたの携帯電話の充電器を使ってもいいですか。
Anata no keitai denwa jyūdenki o tsukatte mo ii desu ka.
Can I use your mobile phone charger?

Our vocabulary list about the Top 20 Words You’ll Need for the Internet is also useful to learn Japanese nouns related to technology.

3. Japanese Nouns: Transportation

Transportation is an essential part of daily life. Some of the most useful Japanese nouns are vocabulary words related to transportation. This is especially true for those who travel in Japan, who may need to ask how to get around.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
21	airplane	飛行機	ひこうき	hikōki
22	train	電車	でんしゃ	densha
23	subway	地下鉄	ちかてつ	chikatetsu
24	bus	–	バス	basu
25	taxi	–	タクシー	takushī
26	bicycle	自転車	じてんしゃ	jitensha
27	station	駅	えき	eki
28	bus stop	バス停	ばすてい	basutei
29	airport	空港	くうこう	kūkō
30	traffic light	信号	しんごう	shingō
31	intersection	交差点	こうさてん	kōsaten
32	road	道/道路	みち/どうろ	michi/dōro

Example

一番近いバス停はどこですか。
Ichi-ban chikai basutei wa doko desu ka.
Where is the nearest bus stop?

私の町には地下鉄はありません。
Watashi no machi ni wa chikatetsu wa arimasen.
There is no subway in my town.

信号のある交差点を左に曲がります。
Shingō no aru kōsaten o hidari ni magarimasu.
Turn left at the intersection which has a traffic light.

Public transportation is well-developed in Japan, especially in the large cities. Shinkansen is very famous for its super-fast speed and is popular among foreign tourists.

4. Japanese Nouns: Food & Restaurants

Whenever you go out to eat at restaurants, you look at a menu and order what you want to eat and drink. Knowing Japanese nouns and vocabulary related to restaurants makes your dining-out experience much smoother. Japan has a variety of foods and a wide range of ingredients are used in the Japanese food culture. If can’t eat certain things due to your religion, an allergy, or a discipline such as vegetarianism, you have to ask a staff member if your preferred meal is available. Here’s a common Japanese nouns list to help you do so!

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
33	menu	ー	メニュー	menyū
34	waiter/waitress	店員	てんいん	ten’in
35	bill	会計	かいけい	kaikei
36	fork	ー	フォーク	fōku
37	knife	ー	ナイフ	naifu
38	spoon	ー	スプーン	supūn
39	chopsticks	箸箸	はし	hashi
40	water	水	みず	mizu
41	vegetables	野菜	やさい	yasai
42	beef	牛肉	ぎゅうにく	gyūniku
43	pork	豚肉	ぶたにく	butaniku
44	chicken	鶏肉	とりにく	toriniku

Examples

ベジタリアンのメニューはありますか。
Bejitarian no menyū wa arimasu ka. 　
Do you have a vegetarian menu?

お箸の使い方を教えてください。
O-hashi no tsukaikata o oshiete kudasai.
Please teach me how to use chopsticks.

私は豚肉を食べられません。
Watashi wa butaniku o taberaremasen.
I can’t eat pork.

For more about Japanese nouns related to food and restaurants, see our Food – Utensils & Tableware and Restaurant vocabulary lists.

Japan has great food culture where you can find tasty food from low-end and high-end restaurants.

5. Japanese Nouns: School Essentials

The Japanese school system consists of elementary school, middle school, high school, and higher education such as universities and vocational schools. Compulsory education is six years of elementary school and three years of middle school, and both are free. Here are the most common nouns in Japanese related to school.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
45	elementary school	小学校	しょうがっこう	shōgakkō
46	middle school	中学校	ちゅうがっこう	shōgakkō
47	high school	高校	こうこう	kōkō
48	college/university	大学	だいがく	daigaku
49	student	生徒/学生	せいと/がくせい	seito/gakusei
50	teacher	先生/教師	せんせい/きょうし	sensei/kyōshi
51	major	専攻	せんこう	senkō
52	degree	学位	がくい	gakui
53	exam	試験	しけん	shiken
54	homework	宿題	しゅくだい	shukudai

Examples

あなたの専攻は何ですか。
Anata no senkō wa nan desu ka.
What is your major?

彼女は小学校の先生です。
Kanojo wa shōgakkō no sensei desu.
She is a teacher at an elementary school.

私は宿題を終えた後に遊びに行きます。
Watashi wa shukudai o oeta ato ni asobi ni ikimasu.
I will go and play after finishing my homework.

6. Japanese Nouns: Occupations

To engage in certain occupations, one must pass the related national examinations. The most difficult occupations to attain in Japan are said to be a doctor, lawyer, and accountant, in terms of how difficult the national examinations are.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
55	doctor	医師	いし	ishi
56	nurse	看護師	かんごし	kangoshi
57	lawyer	弁護士	べんごし	bengoshi
58	chef	料理人	りょうりにん	ryōrinin
59	businessperson	実業家	じつぎょうか	jitsugyōka
60	police officer	警察官	けいさつかん	keisatsukan
61	firefighter	消防士	しょうぼうし	shōbōshi
62	engineer	技術者	ぎじゅつしゃ	gijutsusha
63	civil servant	公務員	こうむいん	kōmuin
64	accountant	会計士	かいけいし	kaikeishi

Examples

消防士になるのは難しいですか。
Shōbōshi ni naru no wa muzukashii desu ka. 　
Is it difficult to become a firefighter?

私は警察官になりたいです。
Watashi wa keisatsukan ni naritai desu.
I want to become a police officer.

公務員の職業は安定しているので人気です。
Kōmuin no shokugyō wa antei shite iru node ninki desu.
The occupation of civil servant is popular because it is stable.

To hear how to pronounce the words on this Japanese list of nouns, see our Jobs / Work vocabulary list.

Some people take many years to pass the national examination to be a lawyer or accountant in Japan.

7. Japanese Nouns: Family Members

It’s useful to know Japanese nouns and vocabulary related to family members when you introduce yourself and describe your family to someone.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
65	family	家族	かぞく	kazoku
66	mother	母/お母さん	はは/おかあさん	haha/o-kā-san
67	father	父/お父さん	ちち/おとうさん	chichi/o-tō-san
68	parent	親	おや	oya
69	daughter	娘	むすめ	musume
70	son	息子	むすこ	musuko
71	grandma	祖母	そぼ	sobo
72	grandpa	祖父	そふ	sofu

Examples

私の母は看護師です。
Watashi no haha wa kangoshi desu.
My mother is a nurse.

私の家族は5人家族です。
Watashi no kazoku wa go-nin kazoku desu.
My family has five family members.

彼女の息子は6歳です。
Kanojo no musuko wa roku-sai desu.
Her son is six years old.

Compared to English, Japanese has more words to describe family members according to age and style, and also uses both formal and informal forms. For more details on this, please visit our Japanese Family article and our Must-Know Terms for Family Members vocabulary list.

8. Japanese Nouns: Body Parts

Knowing the Japanese nouns for the parts of the body is very useful, especially when it comes to health (e.g. seeing a doctor at a hospital or working out at the gym).

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
73	body	体	からだ	karada
74	head	頭	あたま	atama
75	shoulder	肩	かた	kata
76	arm	腕	うで	ude
77	leg	足	あし	ashi
78	chest	胸	むね	mune
79	abdomen	腹	はら	hara
80	face	顔	かお	kao
81	eye	目	め	me
82	nose	鼻	はな	hana
83	mouth	口	くち	kuchi
84	ear	耳	みみ	mimi

Examples

風邪を引いたので頭が痛いです。
Kaze o hiita node atama ga itai desu. 　
I have a headache because I caught a cold.

体を動かす運動は健康に良いです。
Karada o ugokasu undō wa kenkō ni ii desu.
Exercise that moves your body is good for health.

彼女は可愛い大きな目を持っています。
Kanojo wa kawaii ōkina me o motte imasu.
She has cute big eyes.

For more Japanese nouns of body parts, and to check their Japanese pronunciation, visit our Body Parts vocabulary list.

Many Japanese people are keen on diet and health.

9. Japanese Nouns: Time

Expressing the time is essential for everyday life. Learning the Japanese nouns for time is always useful for things such as scheduling plans, making an appointment, or just checking the time and date. Here’s our Japanese nouns list for words related to time.

	English	Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Reading
85	today	今日	きょう	kyō
86	yesterday	昨日	きのう	kinō
87	tomorrow	明日	あした	kinō
88	Monday	月曜日	げつようび	getsu-yōbi
89	Tuesday	火曜日	かようび	ka-yōbi
90	Wednesday	水曜日	すいようび	sui-yōbi
91	Thursday	木曜日	もくようび	moku-yōbi
92	Friday	金曜日	きんようび	kin-yōbi
93	Saturday	土曜日	どようび	do-yōbi
94	Saturday	日曜日	にちようび	nichi-yōbi
95	day	日	にち/ひ	nichi/hi
96	week	週	しゅう	shū
97	month	月	つき/げつ	tsuki/getsu
98	year (as unit)	年	とし/ねん	toshi/nen
99	hour	時間	じかん	jikan
100	minute	分	ふん	fun

Examples

明日は金曜日です。
Ashita wa kin-yōbi desu.
Tomorrow is Friday.

結果を出すまで2年と5ヶ月かかりました。
Kekka o dasu made ni-nen to go-kagetsu kakarimashita.
It took two years and five months to achieve the result.

私は今日３時間歩きました。
Watashi wa kyō san-jikan arukimashita.
I walked three hours today.

There are various expressions regarding dates in Japanese. Visit our article on Japanese Dates to learn more Japanese nouns of time and date, and how to use that information in real life!

10. Conclusion: How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

We’ve now introduced the 100 most useful Japanese nouns. I hope this article helps you improve your Japanese vocabulary and skills!

Did you learn any new words today? Are there any Japanese nouns you still want to know? Let us know in the comments; we look forward to hearing from you!

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language and other Japanese nouns, you’ll find a lot more useful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills.

To learn about Japanese nouns and more vocabulary, check out Top 25 Japanese Nouns and Japanese Core 100 Word List. Our vocabulary lists about School, School Subjects, and Body – Describing the Body are also useful; you can learn more about the topics and practice your Japanese pronunciation with audio.

There’s so much more, too! Learn faster and enjoy studying Japanese at JapanesePod101.com!

Rain, rain, go away…

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty depressed when it’s rainy or overcast—and more so with each day that the weather remains gloomy. Imagine that kind of weather for several weeks straight!

Each year, various regions of Japan experience a several-week period of much rainfall and cloud cover called the rainy season, or tsuyu. In this article, you’ll learn all about this rainy season, Japan’s most notable features during this time, what you can do during a rainy season visit, and some useful vocabulary.

Let’s get started.

1. What is the Rainy Season in Japan?

梅雨 (Tsuyu) is the rainy season in Japan, and it literally translates to “plum rain.” This is in reference to when the rainy season generally takes place: mid-summer, around the time that the plums begin to ripen.

During the rainy season, Japan experiences several weeks of 大雨 (おおあめ), or “heavy rain.” This is caused by a 梅雨前線 (ばいうぜんせん), or “rain front,” that develops when cooler air from the north mixes with warmer air from the south.

→ Do you want some more weather-related vocab? Check out our vocabulary list of the Top 15 Weather Conditions.

2. When is Rainy Season in Japan?

The 梅雨入り (つゆいり), or “start of the rainy season,” varies slightly from region to region.

For most of the country, Japan’s rainy season starts in early June, though the rainy season in Okinawa is known to start about a month earlier. In contrast, Hokkaido and Ogasawara often receive very little rain compared to the rest of Japan and don’t really have a rainy season.

The 梅雨明け (つゆあけ), or “end of the rainy season,” also varies. For most of the country, it ends in mid-July. In Okinawa, it ends in mid-June.

• Keep in mind that the Japanese Meteorological Agency announces the beginning and end of the rainy season each year. You can check in often to see any updates.

3. Visiting Japan During Rainy Season

Rainy weather can be a bummer any day, even more so when you’re on vacation. If rain really isn’t your thing, we recommend that you schedule your trip to Japan for another time of year when you can better enjoy the great outdoors!

That said, there are a few things you can do in Japan during the rainy season—and a few precautions you can take before you even board your plane!

How to Prepare

Do your research. First things first, you’ll need to do your research before scheduling your visit. Check to see the start and end dates of the rainy season for the area you want to visit, and see if you can find information on what to expect there.

Buy an umbrella. In Japan, the rainy season makes owning an umbrella a necessity!

Pack clothes for any weather situation. In addition to pouring rain, you can expect the weather to be hot and humid at times and cool at other times. Pack clothes that you can wear no matter what the weather decides to do, and once you arrive, dress in layers.

→ See our vocabulary list of Summer Clothes and Accessories in Japanese!

Things to Do

Have you decided to visit Japan during the rainy season, after all? Great! There are several activities you can still enjoy—and a couple that you can especially enjoy—during the rainy season!

Hydrangea Festivals

Hydrangea flowers are to the rainy season as cherry blossoms are to springtime. If there’s one thing to truly look forward to during these gloomy weeks, it’s the blooming of the hydrangeas!

Throughout the rainy season, Japanese temples and gardens hold hydrangea festivals. This is the perfect time to see a variety of hydrangeas, which can vary in color from region to region.

Hydrangeas are a greatly loved flower in Japan, and some people even wish for the rains to continue so that the hydrangeas can bloom to their full potential!

Food

Just because you’re trapped indoors or under an umbrella most of the time doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some good cuisine. Rainy season in Japan is a wonderful opportunity to taste seasonal dishes and explore a variety of foods from street vendors or small restaurants.

Shopping

Because Japan’s rainy season generally takes place after Golden Week, you can expect to find prices quite low during this time. Perfect for shopping!

Hiking

If there happens to be a 梅雨晴 (つゆばれ), or “sunny spell during the rainy season,” which there probably will be, you may enjoy going on a hike. Hiking in the mountains or taking a walk through a park is a fantastic way to see some of those hydrangeas we told you about. 😉

→ Planning your vacation already? See our list of the Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Japan to start getting your agenda in order.

4. How Bad is the Rainy Season in Japan?

Despite the beauty and adventure associated with the rainy season in Japan, the high humidity and perpetual rains can cause some damage. In particular, many Japanese households experience a mold problem during the rainy season: food goes bad, walls can begin growing mold, and personal items (especially clothes) can become damaged if the proper precautions aren’t taken. Do be mindful of this during your visit!

In addition, Japan is known to have typhoons. Generally, typhoons strike hardest after the official rainy season period (in August and September), though you should definitely keep this in mind while planning your trip, and stay aware!

5. Must-Know Rainy Season Vocabulary

Ready to review some of the vocabulary words from this article? Here’s a quick list!

• 梅雨 (つゆ) — “rainy season”
• 雨 (あめ) — “rain”
• 六月 (ろくがつ) — “June”
• 大雨 (おおあめ) — “heavy rain”
• 梅雨晴 (つゆばれ) — “sunny spell during the rainy season”
• 梅雨入り (つゆいり) — “start of the rainy season”
• 梅雨前線 (ばいうぜんせん) — “rain front”
• 梅雨明け (つゆあけ) — “end of the rainy season”
• 梅雨の中休み (つゆのなかやすみ) — “break in the rainy season”
• 梅雨明け宣言 (つゆあけせんげん) — “announcement of the end of the rainy season”
• 降水量 (こうすいりょう) — “amount of rainfall”

If you want to hear the pronunciation of each word and phrase, be sure to visit our Japanese Rainy Season vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, Japan’s rainy season may not be for everyone, though it does produce some beautiful sights and unique opportunities for tourists.

What are your thoughts on the rainy season in Japan? Does your country have a similar period where it rains a lot? Let us know in the comments!

If you’re interested in learning even more about Japanese culture and the language, JapanesePod101.com has several free resources for you, straight from our blog:

• Tanabata: The Star Festival in Japan – Vega and Altair’s Love Story
• How to Celebrate the Obon Festival in Japan
• Japanese Untranslatable Words: Let’s Talk like a Native!
• Japanese Hand Gestures and Body Language
• Japanese Etiquette and Manners

This only scratches the surface of everything we have to offer the aspiring Japanese-learner! To make the most of your time on JapanesePod101.com, create your free lifetime account today. Or, to gain access to exclusive content and lessons, upgrade to our Premium or Premium PLUS plans!

It’s our goal to make your learning as fun and effective as possible, so we do hope to see you around.

Stay safe, and happy learning!