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A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/5 14:06
Hi, I'm going to be in Tokyo for 10 days in a few weeks and I wanted to see if anyone could help me with a few useful phrases I could use to get around. I don't trust google translate, so please only help if you actually know the language.
Phrases like these (or any you think would be useful):

Where is the bathroom?
Where is the nearest train station?
How much does it cost?

Also I'm quite nervous to order in restaurants, how would I begin trying to explain what I want? Is it rude to make special orders (and how would I do it)?

I appreciate any help
Thank you.
by Josh1108  

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/5 18:18
Where is the bathroom?
Toire wa doko desu ka?
ƒgƒCƒŒ‚Í‚Ç‚±‚Å‚·‚©H

Where is the nearest train station?
Ichiban chikai densha no eki wa doko desu ka?
ˆê”Ô‹ß‚¢“dŽÔ‚̉w‚Í‚Ç‚±‚Å‚·‚©H

How much does it cost?
Ikura desu ka?
‚¢‚­‚ç‚Å‚·‚©H

But I don't actually speak japanese, so you can wait for confirmation or better suggestion by someone else.

Google translate is fine as long as you don't use it without thinking. I've been using it for communication with my friends for years. Even when we met in Japan, which must have been a little strange for people who saw us "talking" using mobile phone translation. ^__^

As for restaurant, I have no idea..
by 8BB76E1 rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/5 19:26
8BB76E1's translation is correct.
And you can say them more simply, only a word they can understand what you want.

Where is the bathroom?
Toire (toilet; bathroom is OK but not easy to understand for Japanese.)

Where is the nearest train station?
Station (Almost all Japanese can understand this.)

How much does it cost?
Ikura (And many shop staffs understand "how much" in English.)

Some restaurants have English menu and some menus have pictures, you can point it out, though I don't know a lot about English menu.
by ajapaneseboy rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/6 02:57
I thought I had a link for this but I didnt so I did a quick Google & came up with the following. http://japanese-phrases.sakura.ne.jp/ There is a link to a basic phrases page that should cover what you need. I have no connection to that site etc etc.
by Stan Norrell rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/6 04:15
Thank you for the help.
The Japanese phrases page is very helpful, I may just print out some of these pages and bring them along with me.
I'm still worried about the restaurant part of my original question, if anyone can help with that, I'd appreciate it.
by Josh1108 rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/6 10:40
No tip.(restaurants in hotels may charge service fees.)
Eating alone in restaurant is common in Japan. do not necessary to worry about it.
no need reservation except for very expensive places.
it is not a good idea to eat in hotel restaurants. they are very expensive.

most of restaurants display food samples(with the prices) in front of the entrance. you can decide the food you want to order, before you enter.
there are two kinds of menus:
one has food pictures. so you can order very easily, just point out the picture you want to order.
the other menus have no picture. if so, you can go with a waiter to the food samples at the entrance, and you point out the sample you want to order.
after a waiter brings all foods, she/he will put the bill on your table.
when you finish, you take the bill to the casher and pay it(no need to leave a tip on the table).
generally, water or tea is free. you do not necessary to order other beverages (beer, or coke, etc).

if you are in large cities, Tokyo, Osaka, etc., you may go to underground streets(area) in large stations. there are huge varieties of restaurants.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/9 11:32
you can also (if it is a popular place( just ask for an English menu!
by Kelcie rate this post as useful

Re: A few questions in Japanese 2014/2/9 12:03
"Eigo no menu onegaishimasu"
by Kelcie rate this post as useful

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