Japanese Travel Glossary: Kanji, Kana & Key Words

Japanese words that travelers meet every day — at stations, temples, onsen and restaurants — with kanji, kana reading and a plain-English meaning. 65 terms, in alphabetical order.

amazake (甘酒, あまざけ)

A sweet, low-alcohol or alcohol-free fermented rice drink, traditionally served warm.

bento (弁当, べんとう)

A single-portion boxed meal, packed with rice, protein and side dishes.

daibutsu (大仏, だいぶつ)

A 'great Buddha' — a monumental Buddha statue, such as those in Nara and Kamakura.

daimyo (大名, だいみょう)

A powerful feudal lord who ruled a domain under the shogun before Japan's modernisation.

depachika (デパ地下, でぱちか)

The basement food halls of Japanese department stores, packed with gourmet and takeaway food.

ema (絵馬, えま)

Small wooden plaques on which visitors write wishes and hang at shrines.

engawa (縁側, えんがわ)

A narrow veranda-like strip running along a traditional house, facing the garden.

furigana (振り仮名, ふりがな)

Small phonetic characters printed above kanji to show how a word is pronounced.

fusuma (襖, ふすま)

Sliding opaque panels used as interior doors or room dividers in traditional homes.

futon (布団, ふとん)

A padded mattress laid on tatami floors at night and stored away by day.

gassho-zukuri (合掌造り, がっしょうづくり)

A steep, thatched farmhouse roof style built to shed heavy snow, seen in villages like Shirakawa-go.

geisha (芸者, げいしゃ)

A professional entertainer trained in traditional music, dance and conversation.

genkan (玄関, げんかん)

The recessed entryway of a Japanese home, where shoes are removed.

geta (下駄, げた)

Traditional wooden sandals, often worn with a yukata.

hanami (花見, はなみ)

The seasonal custom of picnicking and gathering beneath blooming cherry trees.

honden (本殿, ほんでん)

The main hall of a Shinto shrine, where its deity is enshrined and usually closed to the public.

ic card (ICカード, あいしーかーど)

A rechargeable smart card (Suica, Pasmo, ICOCA...) used to tap through trains, buses and convenience stores.

irori (囲炉裏, いろり)

A traditional sunken hearth set into the floor, once used for cooking and heating farmhouses.

izakaya (居酒屋, いざかや)

A casual Japanese pub serving small, shareable dishes alongside beer, sake and shochu.

jingu (神宮, じんぐう)

An honorific term used in the name of major, imperially linked Shinto shrines.

jr pass (JRパス, じぇいあーるぱす)

A rail pass for overseas visitors, offering unlimited travel on most JR trains for a fixed number of days.

kaiseki (懐石, かいせき)

A traditional multi-course Japanese haute-cuisine meal built around seasonal ingredients.

kaiten-zushi (回転寿司, かいてんずし)

Conveyor-belt sushi, where plates circulate past diners to pick from as they go.

kimono (着物, きもの)

The classic full-length Japanese robe, tied with an obi sash, worn on formal occasions.

konbini (コンビニ, こんびに)

A convenience store — open around the clock and central to daily life in Japan.

kotatsu (炬燵, こたつ)

A low table with a built-in heater and a blanket draped over it, used to keep warm in winter.

koyo (紅葉, こうよう)

The autumn foliage season, when maple and ginkgo leaves turn red, orange and gold.

machiya (町家, まちや)

Traditional wooden townhouses, especially common in Kyoto's older neighbourhoods.

matsuri (祭り, まつり)

A traditional Japanese festival, often tied to a shrine, the seasons or a local harvest.

miso (味噌, みそ)

A fermented soybean paste used to make miso soup and season many dishes.

ninja (忍者, にんじゃ)

A covert agent of feudal Japan, trained in espionage, stealth and unconventional combat.

nomihodai (飲み放題, のみほうだい)

An all-you-can-drink deal offered for a fixed price and time limit at many restaurants and bars.

noren (暖簾, のれん)

A short fabric curtain hung in shop and restaurant doorways, often printed with the business's name.

obi (帯, おび)

The wide sash used to tie a kimono or yukata closed.

omamori (お守り, おまもり)

A small protective amulet sold at shrines and temples for luck, health or safety.

omiyage (お土産, おみやげ)

Souvenirs, typically local food specialties, that travelers bring home as gifts.

onigiri (, おにぎり)

A hand-formed rice ball, often filled and wrapped in nori seaweed — a staple snack and lunchbox item.

onsen (温泉, おんせん)

A hot-spring bath, natural or man-made, found at ryokan and dedicated bathhouses across Japan.

ramen (ラーメン, らーめん)

Wheat noodles served in a hot broth, one of Japan's most popular comfort foods.

ryokan (旅館, りょかん)

A traditional Japanese inn with tatami-mat rooms, futon bedding and often its own onsen bath.

ryotei (料亭, りょうてい)

An elegant, often exclusive traditional restaurant serving refined multi-course cuisine.

sakura (桜, さくら)

Cherry blossoms — Japan's spring-flowering trees, in bloom for about a week or two each year.

samurai (侍, さむらい)

A member of Japan's historical warrior class, bound by a code of honour.

sento (銭湯, せんとう)

A public bathhouse using heated tap water — the everyday, non-natural cousin of the onsen.

shamisen (三味線, しゃみせん)

A three-stringed traditional instrument plucked with a large pick, used in folk and theatre music.

shinkansen (新幹線, しんかんせん)

Japan's high-speed bullet train network, connecting most major cities.

shogun (将軍, しょうぐん)

The hereditary military ruler who governed Japan on the emperor's behalf for centuries.

shoji (障子, しょうじ)

A sliding door or screen made of a wooden lattice covered in translucent paper.

shukubo (宿坊, しゅくぼう)

Lodging at a Buddhist temple, where guests can stay overnight and often join morning prayers.

soba (蕎麦, そば)

Thin buckwheat noodles, served hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauce.

sushi (寿司, すし)

Vinegared rice paired with fish, vegetables or egg — one of Japan's best-known dishes.

tabehodai (食べ放題, たべほうだい)

An all-you-can-eat deal offered for a fixed price and time limit at many restaurants.

taiko (太鼓, たいこ)

Traditional Japanese drums, played solo or in powerful ensemble performances at festivals.

taisha (大社, たいしゃ)

An honorific term used in the name of major, historically important Shinto shrines.

tatami (畳, たたみ)

Woven straw floor mats used to cover the floor in traditional Japanese rooms.

tenshu (天守, てんしゅ)

The main keep or tower of a Japanese castle, its most imposing and defensible structure.

tenugui (手ぬぐい, てぬぐい)

A thin, versatile cotton cloth used as a towel, wrapping cloth or decorative hanging.

tofu (豆腐, とうふ)

Soft soybean curd, a staple protein in Japanese cooking.

torii (鳥居, とりい)

A traditional gate, often bright red, marking the entrance to a Shinto shrine.

udon (うどん, うどん)

Thick, chewy wheat noodles, usually served in a light soy-based broth.

ukiyo-e (浮世絵, うきよえ)

Woodblock prints of the 'floating world', depicting landscapes, actors and city life.

wagashi (和菓子, わがし)

Traditional Japanese sweets, often served alongside matcha or other green tea.

washi (和紙, わし)

Traditional handmade Japanese paper, valued for calligraphy, crafts and shoji screens.

yokai (妖怪, ようかい)

Supernatural creatures and spirits from Japanese folklore, from mischievous to menacing.

yukata (浴衣, ゆかた)

A light, casual cotton kimono, often worn at onsen towns and summer festivals.

Last updated: 9 October 2026 · Japan47.org, by Francesco Consalvo.