These polite Japanese lines follow a first visit to Daikokuyu in Tokyo’s Sumida ward. Its prices and policies are examples from that bathhouse, checked on 10 October 2026. Read the current notices at the bath you actually visit; a sentō, an onsen and a hotel bath can have different arrangements.

Five lines to keep on your phone

Start at the desk after putting your shoes in the shoe cupboard. These are polite requests to staff, not the formal language staff may use back to you. Point to the towel or the changing-room entrance when a word gets lost.

The bar over ō in ōtona and ryōkin tells you to hold that vowel longer. You can listen to the Japan Foundation’s service-desk recordings for the rhythm of a staff exchange. This article has no inline audio because a matching Tokyo Japanese voice and its output haven’t been checked by ear.

At the entrance: shoes and admission

The Tokyo Sento Association’s entry guide starts with shoes: take them off and put them in the shoe cupboard, then pay the bathing fee. Keep the shoe-cupboard key until you know where the bathhouse wants it. If the cupboard or its key isn’t clear, ask staff before moving on.

At Daikokuyu, the bathhouse’s current visitor page lists adult bathing at ¥600, cash-only payment, and a separate sauna charge. Its August 2026 price notice also confirms the ¥600 adult fee. Don’t use the older Tokyo-wide fee printed on some general guides to budget for this visit. Check Daikokuyu’s live page again before you go.

Say 大人一人、お願いします。 Ōtona hitori, onegai shimasu. for one adult admission. The Japan Foundation’s museum-desk lesson models the same short “adult, one person, please” pattern. If you’re skipping the sauna, make that clear before paying: its extra charge isn’t part of the bath admission.

Ask about towels before the changing room

Daikokuyu lists a rental set with a bath towel and a smaller hand towel for an extra ¥130. Ask 貸しタオルもお願いします。 Kashi taoru mo onegai shimasu. if you need it, and point to the displayed towel option. A different bathhouse may sell towels, rent them, include them or ask you to bring your own; the Tokyo Sento Association tells visitors to check each bath’s supplies.

Before you enter the bathing area, find the 脱衣所 datsuijo (changing room) and its clothes locker. Ask 脱衣所はどこですか。 if the route isn’t marked clearly. The association says to leave your clothes in a locker and take its key with you. A shoe cupboard at the front and a clothes locker in the changing room serve different jobs; keep track of both keys.

Know this bath’s rules before you go in

Daikokuyu’s own FAQ says tattoos are allowed, swimsuits aren’t, and a bath-only visit has a 90-minute limit; sauna use adds 30 minutes. Its site says staff mostly speak Japanese, so show the written policy if you need to confirm a detail. These are Daikokuyu’s published rules, not a promise about every sentō.

The Tokyo Sento Association asks bathers to wash before entering the shared water. Keep your small towel out of the tub, and follow any posted instructions for the room you’re in. If a notice or direction is unclear at reception, say 初めてです。ルールを教えてください。 Hajimete desu. Rūru o oshiete kudasai. Staff can point to the house notice. The association also prohibits phone use and photography in changing and bathing areas.

A short exchange at the desk

This is a practice conversation based on Daikokuyu’s listed bath and towel prices on 10 October 2026. The staff member may use different words or take the combined payment at once.

If a fee or direction comes too fast, say すみません。もう少し、ゆっくり言ってください。 Sumimasen. Mō sukoshi, yukkuri itte kudasai. — “Sorry. Please say it a little more slowly.” The Japan Foundation’s beginner lesson teaches that slower-speech request. Show the price on the bathhouse’s page or point to the relevant sign so the repeat answers the question you meant.

Practise the admission and towel lines together, then the changing-room question. A local Japanese speaker review of the full exchange is still pending. For another staff-facing exchange with お願いします, our Kyoto temple guide covers tickets and shoes in a different setting.

This is a counter-meal exchange in polite, standard Japanese. One Shin-Osaka restaurant’s own site lists a changing daily set meal and counter seats, but its dish and service routine can change. Read the board at the place you enter. The sample replies below are practice lines, not today’s menu at that restaurant.

Five lines to keep on your phone

These are courteous lines for speaking to staff, not words you need to say in a local accent. The Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson teaches the menu terms 日替わり (“changes daily”) and 定食 (“set meal”), plus the bill request. The dish, sides, and price depend on the day’s board.

Find the line, then ask about the special

Start by looking for a queue or a staff member directing seats. If you can’t tell where to wait, say すみません、どこに並べばいいですか。 Sumimasen, doko ni narabeba ii desu ka? (“Excuse me, where should I line up?”). A Japanese queue guide gives the same question for an unclear line. At a restaurant, follow the staff’s direction; there may be no line at all.

When you reach the counter or receive a menu, ask 今日の日替わり定食は何ですか。 Kyō no higawari teishoku wa nan desu ka? The short word higawari tells you the offering changes; it doesn’t name a specific dish. A reply may give a main ingredient or a dish name. Ask a second question before ordering if that answer leaves you unsure.

Check the contents, then order

Point to the meal and ask この料理には何が入っていますか。 Kono ryōri ni wa nani ga haitte imasu ka? The Japan Foundation’s ingredient lesson models 中に何が入ってますか (“What’s inside?”) and answers that name ingredients. If an ingredient could make you ill, have staff confirm the full ingredients and preparation in writing. This short question alone can’t establish that a meal is safe for an allergy.

Once you’ve chosen, point to the exact menu line and say これを一つお願いします。 Kore o hitotsu onegai shimasu. (“One of this, please.”) If the staff member asks ご注文、お決まりですか。 Gochūmon, okimari desu ka? (“Have you decided what to order?”), that order is your answer. The Japan Foundation’s restaurant dialogue uses the staff question; you don’t need to repeat its honorific wording back.

Hear both sides

Use this short exchange for practice. The fish dish is an example, not a current Osaka menu listing.

Pay and handle a fast reply

When you’re ready to leave, say お会計、お願いします。 Okaikei, onegai shimasu. The Japan Foundation’s restaurant dialogue uses that request at a cashier. Some places bring a bill to you; others send you to a register or take payment earlier. Check the venue’s signs and follow the staff member rather than assuming one routine.

If you miss a dish name, ingredient, or total, say すみません。もう少し、ゆっくり言ってください。 Sumimasen. Mō sukoshi, yukkuri itte kudasai. (“Sorry. Please say it a little more slowly.”) The Japan Foundation’s beginner lesson teaches the slower-speech request. Show the menu line or written amount to make the repeat precise.

Hear Osaka speech without copying it

Osaka’s official visitor guide explains that local speech has words and nuances that differ from standard Japanese. You may hear おおきに ōkini as a thank-you, including when a restaurant sees a customer off. Recognise it as something you might hear; ありがとうございます arigatō gozaimasu is a clear, polite reply you can use yourself.

For pronunciation, keep the long vowels in kyō, ryōri, mō, and ōkini longer than the neighbouring short vowels. The romanization helps you read, but it doesn’t teach the whole rhythm. Listen to the Japan Foundation’s restaurant recordings before you practise with a speaker. This page has no inline recording because an Osaka Japanese voice and its playback haven’t yet been checked by ear.

Practise asking what today’s set meal is, listening for the dish, and pointing to your choice. If you’d like a different restaurant exchange, our Tokyo izakaya guide covers seating, ordering, and a bill request in a bar setting.

These examples follow a visit to Sanjūsangen-dō, a working Buddhist temple. Other Kyoto temples have their own rules. Follow the signs and staff where you visit. The temple’s visitor page gives the current admission details and shows the shoe racks at the hall entrance.

Four lines to keep on your phone

• 大人一人、お願いします。 Ōtona hitori, onegai shimasu. — One adult, please.
• 靴はここで脱ぎますか。 Kutsu wa koko de nugimasu ka? — Should I take off my shoes here?
• 写真を撮ってもいいですか。 Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka? — May I take a photo?
• すみません。もういちど、お願いします。 Sumimasen. Mō ichido, onegai shimasu. — Sorry. Once more, please.

Use these polite forms with ticket and hall staff. The romanization helps you start reading, but it can’t show the rhythm of a whole exchange. In ōtona and mō, the bar marks a long vowel: hold it a little longer.

At the ticket window

Look for 拝観券売り場 haikan-ken uriba, the admission-ticket counter named by the temple. Say 大人一人、お願いします。 The Japan Foundation’s service lesson uses the same short “adult, one person, please” pattern at a museum desk. If you travel with others, point to the number of people rather than guessing a counter word.

As checked on 2 October 2026, the temple lists general admission at ¥600 and seasonal closing times. Last admission ends 30 minutes before closing. Read the temple’s live visit page again on your travel day; an old article can’t settle a future price or opening time.

At the main hall: shoes and signs

The temple says outdoor shoes aren’t allowed inside its 本堂 hondō (main hall) and provides a 下駄箱 getabako (shoe rack) at the entrance. Watch where the threshold begins and place your shoes where the hall directs you. Don’t apply this shoe rule to every building on the grounds or every Kyoto temple.

If the entry point isn’t clear, ask 靴はここで脱ぎますか。 Kutsu wa koko de nugimasu ka? The phrase and a staff reply, はい、お願いします。 Hai, onegai shimasu (“Yes, please”), appear in a JapanesePod101 teaching dialogue. Point to the floor beside the rack as you ask.

The sign 土足禁止 dosoku kinshi means no outdoor shoes. 受付終了 uketsuke shūryō means admissions have ended. Both are worth recognising even if nobody says them aloud.

Ask before taking a photo

Kyoto’s official visitor guidance says photography restrictions differ by place and area. Check the sign where you’re standing. If it doesn’t settle the question, ask 写真を撮ってもいいですか。 Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka? The Japan Foundation’s visitor-service lesson also models this question. A spoken yes about one spot isn’t permission to photograph the whole hall or its objects.

A short exchange to practise

This is a practice conversation using the temple’s posted adult admission and shoe rule as checked on 2 October 2026. Staff may use different words or direct you with a gesture.

• You, at the ticket window: 大人一人、お願いします。 Ōtona hitori, onegai shimasu. — One adult, please.
• Staff: 六百円です。 Roppyaku-en desu. — It’s 600 yen.
• You: ありがとうございます。 Arigatō gozaimasu. — Thank you.
• You, at the hall entrance: 靴はここで脱ぎますか。 Kutsu wa koko de nugimasu ka? — Should I take off my shoes here?
• Staff: はい、お願いします。 Hai, onegai shimasu. — Yes, please.

When the answer goes past you

Use すみません。もういちど、お願いします。 Sumimasen. Mō ichido, onegai shimasu. if you need a repeat. For slower speech, the Japan Foundation’s beginner lesson teaches もう少し、ゆっくり言ってください。 Mō sukoshi, yukkuri itte kudasai. — “Please say it a little more slowly.” Show the ticket or point to the threshold so staff know which answer you missed.

Before you go, practise the ticket request and the shoe question as one sequence. Keep the characters on your phone for the signs. For another staff-facing exchange with the same polite お願いします, see our Tokyo izakaya guide; its seating and payment routine belongs to a different setting.

These polite Japanese lines fit a straightforward visit. Izakaya menus, seating, ordering systems and payment points differ, so check what this place does instead of assuming every bar runs the same way.

Five lines to keep on your phone

Point to the exact menu line when you say これ (“this”). The romanization is a reading aid: the bar over ō in mō means you hold that vowel longer. The Japan Foundation’s restaurant recordings let you hear real teaching dialogues before you try the phrases aloud.

At the door: answer the number question

You may hear 何名様ですか？ Nanmei-sama desu ka? (“How many people?”). 二人です is a clear answer for two; replace it with 一人です Hitori desu if you’re alone. Staff may then say こちらへどうぞ Kochira e dōzo (“This way, please”). Follow their lead rather than taking an empty chair. The Japan Foundation’s restaurant lesson models these questions and answers.

Some places have a counter, tables or a raised seating area, and some ask you to remove your shoes for a particular room. Let the staff show you the seat and any shoe storage. A greeting such as いらっしゃいませ Irasshaimase is what you may hear on entry; you don’t need to say it back.

Order a drink, then a small dish

Izakaya meals often begin with a drink. You can order a nonalcoholic one: ウーロン茶をお願いします Ūroncha o onegai shimasu asks for oolong tea. Ask for what you see on this menu. Tokyo’s official izakaya guide describes small plates, including yakitori and edamame, and says you can add dishes during the meal rather than order everything at once.

You may receive お通し otoshi, a small starter you didn’t ask for. Tokyo’s dining guide says it often carries a per-person charge. Check the menu or ask staff about a charge before you sit if it affects your choice. Don’t treat the starter as a free sample.

When staff ask ご注文、お決まりですか？ Gochūmon, okimari desu ka? (“Have you decided what to order?”), point to a dish and say これをお願いします. To ask for guidance, use おすすめは何ですか？ The reply may name a dish you don’t recognise. Point to its line or photo before accepting it, especially if an ingredient matters to you. For an allergy, get the ingredients and preparation confirmed in writing; a phrase card isn’t enough.

A short exchange you can practise

This invented exchange uses a dish that appears on many izakaya menus. It doesn’t describe a particular Tokyo restaurant.

• Staff: 何名様ですか？ Nanmei-sama desu ka? — How many people?
• You: 二人です。 Futari desu. — Two of us.
• Staff: ご注文、お決まりですか？ Gochūmon, okimari desu ka? — Have you decided?
• You: おすすめは何ですか？ Osusume wa nan desu ka? — What do you recommend?
• Staff: 焼き鳥がおすすめです。 Yakitori ga osusume desu. — I recommend the grilled chicken skewers.
• You: これをお願いします。 Kore o onegai shimasu. — I’d like this, please. (Point to the menu item.)
• Staff: 以上でよろしいですか？ Ijō de yoroshii desu ka? — Is that all?
• You: はい、お願いします。 Hai, onegai shimasu. — Yes, please.

If you miss the recommendation or a follow-up, say すみません。もういちど、お願いします. For a slower repeat, the Japan Foundation teaches もう少し、ゆっくり言ってください Mō sukoshi, yukkuri itte kudasai (“Please say it a little more slowly”). Show the menu if the room is too loud.

Ask for the bill and check where to pay

Say お会計、お願いします when you’re ready to leave. In Tokyo, some restaurants settle at the table and others have you take a slip to the register. Follow the staff’s direction and check the total, including any otoshi charge. The venue also decides which payment methods it accepts.

Use です and お願いします with staff even if friends at your table speak casually to each other. You don’t need to copy the honorific wording you hear from a server. Practise the entry question, one order, and the bill request as a single exchange so you can recognise the reply between your lines.