Welcome, Japanese learners! While your textbook teaches you the standard language, Japan is a country rich with linguistic diversity. Stepping outside of Tokyo reveals a tapestry of dialects, or 方言 (ほうげん, hōgen), each with its own unique sound, vocabulary, and personality. Learning about them is a fantastic way to connect more deeply with regional culture.
This guide will introduce you to the most notable dialects across Japan. We’ll explore their key features and teach you some useful words and phrases that will make your learning journey—and your travels—even more rewarding. Let’s dive into the vibrant world of Japanese dialects!
Standard Japanese (標準語 – Hyōjungo)
Before we explore the regions, we must start with the baseline: Standard Japanese (標準語, ひょうじゅんご, hyōjungo). Schools teach this form of Japanese, news broadcasts use it, and students of Japanese worldwide learn it. The dialect from Tokyo’s Yamanote area forms its basis. As the official language (公用語, こうようご, kōyōgo), it allows people from all over Japan to communicate smoothly.
— Language Corner Standard Japanese —
Standard Japanese features neutral and clear pronunciation. Key points you’ve likely learned include:
だ (da) / です (desu) – The standard declarative copula (“is,” “am,” “are”).
～ない (-nai) – The standard negative verb ending. E.g., 食べない (tabenai) – “I don’t eat.”
ありがとう (arigatō) – The universal word for “Thank you.”
Kansai Dialect (関西弁 – Kansai-ben)
Perhaps the most famous dialect after Standard Japanese, people in the Kansai region, including Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe, speak Kansai-ben. People especially associate it with the vibrant city of Osaka and its connection to Japanese comedy (お笑い, おわらい, owarai). Kansai-ben sounds more melodic and expressive than standard Japanese, with a distinct pitch accent and rhythm. People often stereotype its speakers as being friendly, direct, and funny.
— Useful Phrase in Kansai —
なんでやねん！
なんでやねん！
Nande ya nen!
What the heck?! / You’re kidding me!
なんで (nande) = Why
やねん (ya nen) = A Kansai-ben ending that adds emphasis and a feeling of friendly objection.
— Language Corner Kansai-ben —
～や (ya) / ～やで (yade) – Replaces だ (da). E.g., 好きだ (suki da) → 好きや (suki ya).
～へん (-hen) – Replaces ～ない (-nai) for negatives. E.g., 分からない (wakaranai) → 分からへん (wakarahen).
あかん (akan) – “No good” or “Oh no!” Replaces だめ (dame).
おおきに (ōkini) – “Thank you.” While people also use ありがとう, おおきに has a unique local flavor.
Kyoto Dialect (京言葉 – Kyō-kotoba)
A sub-dialect of Kansai-ben, the Kyoto Dialect has a reputation for its elegant, soft, and somewhat indirect way of speaking. Reflecting the city’s history as the former imperial capital, people often associate 京言葉 (きょうことば, Kyō-kotoba) with refinement and tradition, particularly the speech of geishas (芸者, げいしゃ, geisha). It has a gentler, more musical intonation compared to the boisterous dialect of neighboring Osaka.
— Language Corner Kyō-kotoba —
～どす (-dosu) – A soft equivalent of です (desu). People often use it in more traditional settings or by characters in media.
～はる (-haru) – A respectful verb ending for others. It’s less formal than standard honorifics but still shows politeness. E.g., 先生が言う (sensei ga iu) → 先生が言わはる (sensei ga iwaharu).
おいでやす (oideyasu) / おこしやす (okoshiyasu) – “Welcome.” These are softer, more traditional versions of いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase). おこしやす is slightly more formal.
Hakata Dialect (博多弁 – Hakata-ben)
People in Fukuoka City on the island of Kyushu speak Hakata-ben, a dialect many consider one of Japan’s “cutest.” The dialect features a friendly tone and unique sentence-ending particles (文末詞, ぶんまつし, bunmatsushi). The rhythm of Hakata-ben gives it a cheerful and approachable feel, matching the city’s reputation for being relaxed and lively.
— Useful Phrase in Hakata —
バリ好いとうよ！
バリすいとうよ！
Bari suitō yo!
I really like it/you!
バリ (bari) = Very, super (Hakata-ben for とても)
好いとう (すいとう, suitō) = The local way to say 好きだ (suki da)
— Language Corner Hakata-ben —
～と (-to) – Used at the end of questions. E.g., 何してるの？ (nani shiteru no?) → 何しよると？ (nan shiyoruto?).
～ばい (-bai) / ～たい (-tai) – Sentence enders that add emphasis, similar to ～よ (yo).
～けん (-ken) – Replaces から (kara) to mean “because.” (This is also common in other western Japan dialects).
よか (yoka) – Replaces いい (ii) for “good.”
Hiroshima Dialect (広島弁 – Hiroshima-ben)
Thanks to its frequent use in yakuza films (ヤクザ映画, やくざえいが, yakuza eiga), Hiroshima-ben has a reputation for sounding tough and masculine. Strong, declarative sentence endings and a unique vocabulary characterize this dialect. While it might sound intimidating in movies, in reality, it’s simply the everyday language of the people of Hiroshima Prefecture.
— Language Corner Hiroshima-ben —
じゃ (ja) / じゃけえ (jakē) – Replaces だ (da) and だから (dakara). じゃけえ (jakē) means “so,” or “because.”
～とる (-toru) – Used for an ongoing action, replacing ～ている (-te iru). E.g., 雨が降っている (ame ga futte iru) → 雨が降りよる (ame ga furiyoru).
わし (washi) – A first-person pronoun for “I,” used by men. It sounds very old-fashioned in standard Japanese but is common in Hiroshima.
たいぎい (taigii) – A common word meaning “tiresome,” “bothersome,” or “a pain.”
Tōhoku Dialect (東北弁 – Tōhoku-ben)
Tōhoku-ben is a broad term for a group of dialects from the northeastern Tōhoku region of Japan. It has a reputation for being difficult for other Japanese speakers to understand, who often affectionately call it ズーズー弁 (Zūzū-ben). This is because speakers tend to merge certain vowel sounds and devoice consonants, giving it a mumbled or clipped sound. Linguists believe the dialect’s characteristics developed to conserve heat while speaking in the region’s cold climate (寒い気候, さむい きこう, samui kikō).
— Language Corner Tōhoku-ben —
Vowel Merging – The sounds for “i” and “e” often merge, as do “shi” and “su.” This is why 寿司 (sushi) and 獅子 (shishi – lion) can sound nearly identical.
～べ (-be) / ～っぺ (-ppe) – A sentence-ending particle that indicates volition or invitation, like ～しよう (shiyō) or ～ましょう (mashō). E.g., 行こう (ikō) → 行くべ (iku be).
んだ (nda) – A very common expression for “yes,” “that’s right,” or “I see.”
めんこい (menkoi) – Means “cute,” instead of かわいい (kawaii).
Okinawan Dialect (沖縄方言 – Okinawa-hōgen)
Finally, we come to the language of Okinawa, which is technically not a dialect of Japanese but a distinct language from the Ryukyuan language family (琉球語派, りゅうきゅうごは, Ryūkyū-goha). The local language is called Uchinaaguchi (沖縄口). However, most Okinawans today speak a form of Japanese that Uchinaaguchi heavily influences. People often refer to this variant as Okinawan Japanese. It sounds very different from any mainland dialect, with a unique rhythm, vowels, and vocabulary.
— Useful Phrase in Okinawa —
なんくるないさー
なんくるないさー
Nankurunaisā
Everything will be alright.
This famous phrase embodies the easygoing Okinawan spirit. It’s a statement of optimism that things will work out in the end.
— Language Corner Okinawan —
めんそーれ (mensōre) – “Welcome.” You’ll see and hear this everywhere in Okinawa instead of いらっしゃいませ (irasshaimase).
はいさい (haisai) / はいたい (haitai) – “Hello” or “Good day.” Men use haisai, and women use haitai.
にふぇーでーびる (nifēdēbiru) – “Thank you” in the traditional language, though people commonly use ありがとう as well.
でーじ (dēji) – “Very,” similar to とても (totemo).
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