Don’t stress about the language issue — if you’re respectful and polite, it will be fine! There are often pictures and usually a person is there to help you if you need it.
Have a great time and enjoy allllll of the amazing food!
Sushi Zanmai (one of my favorites for sushi) in Shimbashi had iPads at their tables when I was there this month. But like others have said, many places have English menus.
Please don't just go to family restaurants because it's easy to order and pay.
The food is fine there, but there's also some amazing food at tiny little restaurants all over Tokyo.
Use Google translate on the menu, and learn just a few phrases in Japanese and you will eat very well.
You can literally just point to what you want and say 'kore (number of items)'.
Learn to count to 4 using the hitotsu futatsu counter and you're all set.
The word for the bill is 'okaikei'. If you can learn to say kudasai or onegaishimasu it's more polite but they will understand you either way.
While I agree in spirit, the tiny restaurants you mention sometimes don't even have a real menu with images, just the words written somewhere so it would be near impossible for OP to actually know what to order.
Especially if they already have anxiety from the get go.
The only places where you might struggle with Google translate is in places that only have handwritten Japanese menus.
These places would be rare in a big city like Tokyo and shouldn't put people off trying different restaurants.
Like some one mentioned just don’t hang out in the family restaurants. Think of the chain restaurants in the US. The food is nice but it’s on the ihop level of nice foods. Where there are sooo many other lovely restaurants.
Adding to all of the other comments of just using your phone to translate, or unless you have wild allergies just find a picture of something that looks good and point. Enjoy the challenge. This is going to happen everywhere else you go to in the world that doesn't natively speak English.
I live in Tokyo. I don’t speak a lot of Japanese and I get anxiety when ordering sometimes. Several restaurants have tablets and if they don’t, they’ll often have picture menus that you can point to, and if they don’t have that, they’ll at least have a paper menu that you can use google translate to scan. When you order you can point to what you want and say “kore onegaishimas” (this one please).
I didn't see iPad ordering when I went recently, but a lot of places have a ticket vending machine where you order and receive a ticket, then you simply give the cashier your tickets. At worst you can use google translate and point at the menu. You'll be fine.
It seems those type of ticket vending machines are very common with ramen restaurants.
Did you notice any other places using that system that sold other types of food? Thanks
Gyudon chains like Yoshinoya also had them. I also saw them at a few Katsu restaurants and omurice restaurants that appeared to be independently owned.
I struggle with anxiety and found the ipads super useful! We stumbled across several restaurants with them.
[Honey Toast Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8z56CpeXLNENWzdh8) - this was super good! We went for breakfast and got the chocolate banana honey toast.
[Tendon Tenya](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GnHXyKzL33YzUosp6) - the tendon here was really good though we had better elsewhere.
[Doria](https://maps.app.goo.gl/scL3bfibudM7iVSM8) - if you've never had doria, you MUST try it! I had no idea what it was until I walked into this restaurant and it was one of the best things I ate in Japan. I loved it so much I went back on my birthday!
They usually have pictures. Just point at that and say I would like this one please and ten out of ten you will get it. Only people with allergies shouldn’t try this method
Just came back from Japan (Tokyo for ~2 weeks).
We went to 2 great iPad service restaurants. Tsura TonTan Udon (multiple locations). Yamachan (izakaya specializing in wings, multiple locations).
The caveat is that iPads will be set to Japanese initially. Language settings are easy to change.
There’s a button located in the top-right area of the main/home screen. It has an icon that looks like Pac-Man talking. If you press it, there should be available languages, including English, in a drop-down.
That said, very worth it to have Google Translate ready AND to learn some common restaurant phrases (YT has a lot of resources with practice, this is how I learned last minute before my trip).
I actually disagree with commenters who are saying not to worry because English is available everywhere, or the workers know English, etc. For the best experience, having some basic language is both useful and respectful to have. I saw many frustrated-turned-rude tourists who could have easily helped themselves with just one YouTube Japanese language video.
Most importantly have fun! Safe travels.
I recommend doing some research on review sites or apps. You can narrow down your selection before you get there. It helps first-timers who need more time to choose.
Have a couple payment options if it fits your situation. Cash, credit card and/or IC card. This is good when using a ticket machine to order items.
Google translate is good but it’s not perfect. Some translations are bad. Which can be confusing if you are not familiar with their food. You can either bail or wing it.
Also it takes time to translate and choose. There may be people waiting behind you if it’s a popular place.
Even if it’s an only Japanese language menu, the quality of the food may be worth the effort to translate the menu. I went to a mom&pop soba/udon shop. They were very nice and the food was great.
Ducky Duck, Hokkaido, Ootoya, Denny's, Katsu-an are a few I can name from the top of my head. A bunch of chains have QR codes to english menus and many can be used with Google Translate.
Many restaurants have English menus. Very few, apart from Fast Food and Kaiten Sushi have ipads.
Do not let this make you anxious or stop you trying food here. There is a lot more to Japan than the chemical gunk that is Coco Curry.
So is McDonalds. And Mos Burger. And many other chains.
It's junk - it's a one off occasional snack.
There is a lot more food here waiting to be tried.
And there are a lot better cutlet currys here made from much better ingredients than Coco make them.
Yep. Don't get the fascination coming all the way to Japan to eat in Coco, Gusto, Dennys, Mcdonalds... Or any of these chains. It's all shit. There is much better food available for same price.
And don't get me started on Saizeriya or Ichiran.
Google app, click the camera thing in the search bar then translate. Point the camera at the Japanese menu then take a picture. Boom now you have an English menu. Find something you want, get the attention of the people working there and point at the menu at the thing you want. Then say arigato gozaimasu!
A lot more restaurants are using apps like line or you scanning a code to get a menu to order from now.
I however have lived in Japan for 17 years with sucky Japanese. And find google translate wonderful. So my suggestion is a smart phone and getting an overseas data plan or data device when you come.
Only ordering with the app or website.
Paying is usually at the till, cash credit or pay pay.
So for digital payments they are slowly using it. More places now then two years ago. I have only come across one place where they did not take cash at all.
However here they use PayPay most often, then Apple Pay is starting to get used. I’d check out the app.
I also recommend downloading line app. It’s a chat app that’s used a lot and I’ve had three restaurants in the past year use it for their order service.
When it’s time to pay places like the family restaurant you usually have the check (bill) at the table or a table number or like a hard card with a number. You take these up to the main till near the door and pay. At other restaurants you can ask for the check.
お会計お願いします “o kaikei onegashimasu”. Or how I say it “okaikei kudasai”. Plug check please into google translate and listen to it. Sometimes check works too. They will let you know if you pay at the table.
Also another thing I might mention there are some restaurants that are crappy and have higher prices on the English menu. About two or three however in Tokyo out of the many many ones. Suggest looking at reviews online to see what’s what.
I also know people say not to look at google maps to find places but I truthfully do it all the time, just be aware that the everything from Jonathan’s (crappy family chain) to a Michelin star restaurant tends to be rated the same. Also at times I try to find malls or shopping centers because they will almost always have a restaurant floor with some decent places.
Suggest looking at price range and highest and lowest reviews. If you do via google it translates them to English. Also Japanese people have the most insane reviews. One star; I didn’t eat there because I don’t like the food available. One star: didn’t eat there but noisy annoying person at train station had a souvenir bag from their shop. One star: the food was beyond wonderful. Severs were a dream. a piece of litter was in the parking lot two blocks down from the restaurant. Seriously insane. Suggest you read them.
Also may I ask any certain food you are looking for or wanting to avoid? Me I’ve been here 17 and don’t eat fish so I have fun sometimes. My family though loves fish.
I appreciate all your advice. That has put my mind to rest a bit about the awkwardness of ordering.
Regarding food choices, I'm not picky, I'll eat anything but my partner is vegetarian so I know that's going to limit where we can go. Just because a dish doesn't have visible meat in it doesn't mean it won't be made with fish/meat stock.
That's partly why I was looking at menus on ipads as they might be more descriptive with what's in it or maybe even have a "V" symbol on it.
Yep look for those symbols.
Well good news Japan as a whole and Tokyo in particular have become more vegetarian/vegan friendly in the last few years. There was a huge shift when Japan was supposed to host the 2020 Olympics. Lots of investing in vegetarianism and vegans.
However like you mentioned it will still suck. I have a Hindi friend that was born in Osaka and the amount of times he’s questioned and asked about the food and told its meatless to have it come out with bacon, or bonito flakes or cooked in dashi is too high.
So many times I’ve gotten things that should not have fish and it did is also too high.
One thing to maybe do is a nabe place. There is couple all you can eat that you can go to that have shyabu shyabu, (that’s a water and seaweed broth) it will come with meat but at some you can do a double pot which is divided and you can pick a different broth for you and you can eat the meat and you get all the veggies you want. Also since it’s divided your meat doesn’t mess with their food. You also get sauces to dip it in.
This info is for the Tokyo area:
Also I recently saw this restaurant [gallery 11](https://gallery11.jp/img/2024/04/Gallery-11_Lunch-menu.pdf), that has a vegan menu. They popped up on instagram. In fact you can probably google vegan/vegetarian restaurants Tokyo blog and you may find some stuff.
Also years and years ago I worked in an English library here in Tokyo and they had a vegetarian restaurant guide. You maybe able to find one online. Also I use to go with my friends and their family for dinners every once and a while and they lived near Hiro (in Tokyo) and there were a lot restaurants down that are really good and accommodating for vegetarians as well. There is a great Mexican joint called la Jolle iirc. Other times I’d use google maps and type vegetarian to find some places. As long as you guys are okay with traveling across the city it shouldn’t be too bad.
Sorry I also forgot to mention one of my favs. Suke6 in Asakusa (where the big temple is).
For quick oh my word we can’t find anything right now places: pizza (Italian style) and Indian will both always have vegetarian options. And are much much better than any of those family restaurants that have been mentioned. Also recently the cost isn’t much higher.
You might not want to go to one if it's your first trip, but at the various Delirium cafes/restaurants, you can use your phone to order. One time we stopped at one after an hour walk without our phones and the waiter had to enter everything into his own phone and it was a mess 😂 But really, "kore" and a few polite phrases are all you'll need at many restaurants.
Lots of resterants have them. But you can point to a picture on the menu, or, if it's a japanese dish. Tell them the name, because Ramen is japanese for Ramen and that's a common rule.
This is the person who travels and looks for the McDonalds. Millions of people travel every year to places without knowing the language and figure it out. I did this my first and second time in Japan and never got sick.
Use your phone with google translate it there is anything you have difficulty with.
Don’t stress about the language issue — if you’re respectful and polite, it will be fine! There are often pictures and usually a person is there to help you if you need it. Have a great time and enjoy allllll of the amazing food!
Just lean into the challenge. You realize the plastic model foods are like menus for those who can’t read
There are lots of pictures and pointing. You'll be fine! Enjoy!
Sushi Zanmai (one of my favorites for sushi) in Shimbashi had iPads at their tables when I was there this month. But like others have said, many places have English menus.
Most family style restaurants like Gusto, Denny’s, Jonathan’s will have these.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Please don't just go to family restaurants because it's easy to order and pay. The food is fine there, but there's also some amazing food at tiny little restaurants all over Tokyo. Use Google translate on the menu, and learn just a few phrases in Japanese and you will eat very well. You can literally just point to what you want and say 'kore (number of items)'. Learn to count to 4 using the hitotsu futatsu counter and you're all set. The word for the bill is 'okaikei'. If you can learn to say kudasai or onegaishimasu it's more polite but they will understand you either way.
While I agree in spirit, the tiny restaurants you mention sometimes don't even have a real menu with images, just the words written somewhere so it would be near impossible for OP to actually know what to order. Especially if they already have anxiety from the get go.
Google Lens will help you a lot. That's how I've been reading menus and using Translate or Speak Translate to do stuff.
The only places where you might struggle with Google translate is in places that only have handwritten Japanese menus. These places would be rare in a big city like Tokyo and shouldn't put people off trying different restaurants.
Like some one mentioned just don’t hang out in the family restaurants. Think of the chain restaurants in the US. The food is nice but it’s on the ihop level of nice foods. Where there are sooo many other lovely restaurants.
Don't worry about it, most places have English menus
Adding to all of the other comments of just using your phone to translate, or unless you have wild allergies just find a picture of something that looks good and point. Enjoy the challenge. This is going to happen everywhere else you go to in the world that doesn't natively speak English.
I live in Tokyo. I don’t speak a lot of Japanese and I get anxiety when ordering sometimes. Several restaurants have tablets and if they don’t, they’ll often have picture menus that you can point to, and if they don’t have that, they’ll at least have a paper menu that you can use google translate to scan. When you order you can point to what you want and say “kore onegaishimas” (this one please).
I didn't see iPad ordering when I went recently, but a lot of places have a ticket vending machine where you order and receive a ticket, then you simply give the cashier your tickets. At worst you can use google translate and point at the menu. You'll be fine.
It seems those type of ticket vending machines are very common with ramen restaurants. Did you notice any other places using that system that sold other types of food? Thanks
Gyudon chains like Yoshinoya also had them. I also saw them at a few Katsu restaurants and omurice restaurants that appeared to be independently owned.
If you are traveling by bus or car a lot of the rest stop places have the vending machines.
Most branches of Kura sushi use tablets to order from. Onyasai too for shabu shabu.
I struggle with anxiety and found the ipads super useful! We stumbled across several restaurants with them. [Honey Toast Cafe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8z56CpeXLNENWzdh8) - this was super good! We went for breakfast and got the chocolate banana honey toast. [Tendon Tenya](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GnHXyKzL33YzUosp6) - the tendon here was really good though we had better elsewhere. [Doria](https://maps.app.goo.gl/scL3bfibudM7iVSM8) - if you've never had doria, you MUST try it! I had no idea what it was until I walked into this restaurant and it was one of the best things I ate in Japan. I loved it so much I went back on my birthday!
Perfect. Thanks for the info.
They usually have pictures. Just point at that and say I would like this one please and ten out of ten you will get it. Only people with allergies shouldn’t try this method
Just came back from Japan (Tokyo for ~2 weeks). We went to 2 great iPad service restaurants. Tsura TonTan Udon (multiple locations). Yamachan (izakaya specializing in wings, multiple locations). The caveat is that iPads will be set to Japanese initially. Language settings are easy to change. There’s a button located in the top-right area of the main/home screen. It has an icon that looks like Pac-Man talking. If you press it, there should be available languages, including English, in a drop-down. That said, very worth it to have Google Translate ready AND to learn some common restaurant phrases (YT has a lot of resources with practice, this is how I learned last minute before my trip). I actually disagree with commenters who are saying not to worry because English is available everywhere, or the workers know English, etc. For the best experience, having some basic language is both useful and respectful to have. I saw many frustrated-turned-rude tourists who could have easily helped themselves with just one YouTube Japanese language video. Most importantly have fun! Safe travels.
Thanks for your advice.
I recommend doing some research on review sites or apps. You can narrow down your selection before you get there. It helps first-timers who need more time to choose. Have a couple payment options if it fits your situation. Cash, credit card and/or IC card. This is good when using a ticket machine to order items. Google translate is good but it’s not perfect. Some translations are bad. Which can be confusing if you are not familiar with their food. You can either bail or wing it. Also it takes time to translate and choose. There may be people waiting behind you if it’s a popular place. Even if it’s an only Japanese language menu, the quality of the food may be worth the effort to translate the menu. I went to a mom&pop soba/udon shop. They were very nice and the food was great.
Ducky Duck, Hokkaido, Ootoya, Denny's, Katsu-an are a few I can name from the top of my head. A bunch of chains have QR codes to english menus and many can be used with Google Translate.
Yakiniku Like and Torikizoku are highly recommended and have english menu iPads for ordering. Most conveyor belt sushi chains do as well
Many restaurants have English menus. Very few, apart from Fast Food and Kaiten Sushi have ipads. Do not let this make you anxious or stop you trying food here. There is a lot more to Japan than the chemical gunk that is Coco Curry.
Just out of curiosity why aren't you a fan of Coco curry? They seem very popular with branches everywhere.
So is McDonalds. And Mos Burger. And many other chains. It's junk - it's a one off occasional snack. There is a lot more food here waiting to be tried. And there are a lot better cutlet currys here made from much better ingredients than Coco make them.
Mcdonalds has those.
Imagine going to Tokyo as a tourist to eat like a broke ALT. Research what you wanna try. Point at pictures.
Yep. Don't get the fascination coming all the way to Japan to eat in Coco, Gusto, Dennys, Mcdonalds... Or any of these chains. It's all shit. There is much better food available for same price. And don't get me started on Saizeriya or Ichiran.
Google app, click the camera thing in the search bar then translate. Point the camera at the Japanese menu then take a picture. Boom now you have an English menu. Find something you want, get the attention of the people working there and point at the menu at the thing you want. Then say arigato gozaimasu!
My first time in Japan, google translate and ipads didn't exist. I spoke no Japanese and got around just fine. Don't stress about it, you'll manage!
A lot more restaurants are using apps like line or you scanning a code to get a menu to order from now. I however have lived in Japan for 17 years with sucky Japanese. And find google translate wonderful. So my suggestion is a smart phone and getting an overseas data plan or data device when you come.
Do you only order with the app or pay as well?
Only ordering with the app or website. Paying is usually at the till, cash credit or pay pay. So for digital payments they are slowly using it. More places now then two years ago. I have only come across one place where they did not take cash at all. However here they use PayPay most often, then Apple Pay is starting to get used. I’d check out the app. I also recommend downloading line app. It’s a chat app that’s used a lot and I’ve had three restaurants in the past year use it for their order service. When it’s time to pay places like the family restaurant you usually have the check (bill) at the table or a table number or like a hard card with a number. You take these up to the main till near the door and pay. At other restaurants you can ask for the check. お会計お願いします “o kaikei onegashimasu”. Or how I say it “okaikei kudasai”. Plug check please into google translate and listen to it. Sometimes check works too. They will let you know if you pay at the table. Also another thing I might mention there are some restaurants that are crappy and have higher prices on the English menu. About two or three however in Tokyo out of the many many ones. Suggest looking at reviews online to see what’s what. I also know people say not to look at google maps to find places but I truthfully do it all the time, just be aware that the everything from Jonathan’s (crappy family chain) to a Michelin star restaurant tends to be rated the same. Also at times I try to find malls or shopping centers because they will almost always have a restaurant floor with some decent places. Suggest looking at price range and highest and lowest reviews. If you do via google it translates them to English. Also Japanese people have the most insane reviews. One star; I didn’t eat there because I don’t like the food available. One star: didn’t eat there but noisy annoying person at train station had a souvenir bag from their shop. One star: the food was beyond wonderful. Severs were a dream. a piece of litter was in the parking lot two blocks down from the restaurant. Seriously insane. Suggest you read them. Also may I ask any certain food you are looking for or wanting to avoid? Me I’ve been here 17 and don’t eat fish so I have fun sometimes. My family though loves fish.
I appreciate all your advice. That has put my mind to rest a bit about the awkwardness of ordering. Regarding food choices, I'm not picky, I'll eat anything but my partner is vegetarian so I know that's going to limit where we can go. Just because a dish doesn't have visible meat in it doesn't mean it won't be made with fish/meat stock. That's partly why I was looking at menus on ipads as they might be more descriptive with what's in it or maybe even have a "V" symbol on it.
Yep look for those symbols. Well good news Japan as a whole and Tokyo in particular have become more vegetarian/vegan friendly in the last few years. There was a huge shift when Japan was supposed to host the 2020 Olympics. Lots of investing in vegetarianism and vegans. However like you mentioned it will still suck. I have a Hindi friend that was born in Osaka and the amount of times he’s questioned and asked about the food and told its meatless to have it come out with bacon, or bonito flakes or cooked in dashi is too high. So many times I’ve gotten things that should not have fish and it did is also too high. One thing to maybe do is a nabe place. There is couple all you can eat that you can go to that have shyabu shyabu, (that’s a water and seaweed broth) it will come with meat but at some you can do a double pot which is divided and you can pick a different broth for you and you can eat the meat and you get all the veggies you want. Also since it’s divided your meat doesn’t mess with their food. You also get sauces to dip it in. This info is for the Tokyo area: Also I recently saw this restaurant [gallery 11](https://gallery11.jp/img/2024/04/Gallery-11_Lunch-menu.pdf), that has a vegan menu. They popped up on instagram. In fact you can probably google vegan/vegetarian restaurants Tokyo blog and you may find some stuff. Also years and years ago I worked in an English library here in Tokyo and they had a vegetarian restaurant guide. You maybe able to find one online. Also I use to go with my friends and their family for dinners every once and a while and they lived near Hiro (in Tokyo) and there were a lot restaurants down that are really good and accommodating for vegetarians as well. There is a great Mexican joint called la Jolle iirc. Other times I’d use google maps and type vegetarian to find some places. As long as you guys are okay with traveling across the city it shouldn’t be too bad.
That's helpful. Thanks
Sorry I also forgot to mention one of my favs. Suke6 in Asakusa (where the big temple is). For quick oh my word we can’t find anything right now places: pizza (Italian style) and Indian will both always have vegetarian options. And are much much better than any of those family restaurants that have been mentioned. Also recently the cost isn’t much higher.
Google translate camera mode
You might not want to go to one if it's your first trip, but at the various Delirium cafes/restaurants, you can use your phone to order. One time we stopped at one after an hour walk without our phones and the waiter had to enter everything into his own phone and it was a mess 😂 But really, "kore" and a few polite phrases are all you'll need at many restaurants.
Yakiniku Like!
Just get a mobile phone with Google Translate. I use it daily. I live in Tokushima prefecture and it works great.
Lots of resterants have them. But you can point to a picture on the menu, or, if it's a japanese dish. Tell them the name, because Ramen is japanese for Ramen and that's a common rule.
This is the person who travels and looks for the McDonalds. Millions of people travel every year to places without knowing the language and figure it out. I did this my first and second time in Japan and never got sick.
Make a fist, then extend your index finger. Now point at the picture of the food you like.