Grocery shopping in Japan is an experience in itself. Navigating the aisles of a Japanese supermarket (スーパー, sūpā) or a corner konbini (コンビニ) is one of the best small adventures of Japan. Japanese supermarkets are filled with unique ingredients, beautifully packaged goods, and incredible prepared foods.
While you can certainly get by with pointing and gestures, arming yourself with a few essential Japanese phrases will make your shopping trips smoother, more efficient, and far more rewarding. This guide to essential Japanese in the supermarket and konbini will walk you through every step of the process, from asking for help finding soy sauce to understanding the checkout counter conversation.
Essential Greetings & Basic Phrases
These are the foundational phrases you’ll hear and use from the moment you walk in. Japanese customer service is famously polite and attentive, so you’ll be greeted warmly as soon as you enter.
Common Courtesies
いらっしゃいませ。
Irasshaimase.
Welcome! (A greeting from staff to customer; no response is needed from you).
すみません。
Sumimasen.
Excuse me. (Used to get a staff member’s attention).
ありがとうございます。
Arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you. (Used when receiving help or at the end of a transaction).
Supermarkets in Japan can be massive and packed with unfamiliar products. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, the quickest way to get help is to ask an employee. The key sentence structure is “〇〇はどこですか？” (〇〇 wa doko desu ka? – “Where is 〇〇?”).
すみません、牛乳はどこですか。
すみません、ぎゅうにゅうはどこですか。
Sumimasen, gyūnyū wa doko desu ka.
Excuse me, where is the milk?
トイレはどこですか。
といれはどこですか。
Toire wa doko desu ka.
Where is the restroom?
Common Shopping Items (買い物 – Kaimono)
パン (ぱん) = Bread
牛乳 (ぎゅうにゅう) = Milk
卵 (たまご) = Eggs
肉 (にく) = Meat
魚 (さかな) = Fish
野菜 (やさい) = Vegetables
果物 (くだもの) = Fruit
飲み物 (のみもの) = Drinks
お酒 (おさけ) = Alcohol
お菓子 (おかし) = Snacks/Sweets
醤油 (しょうゆ) = Soy Sauce
味噌 (みそ) = Miso Paste
Decoding Labels: Prices, Dates, and Discounts
Understanding labels is key to being a savvy shopper. Keep an eye out for special stickers, especially in the evening, as stores discount fresh items to sell them before closing.
Pricing & Discount Vocabulary
円 (えん) = Yen (The currency symbol is ¥)
税込 (ぜいこみ) = Tax included
税抜 (ぜいぬき) = Tax excluded
割引 (わりびき) = Discount (e.g., 2割引 = 20% off)
半額 (はんがく) = Half price (The best sticker to find!)
お買い得 (おかいどく) = Good value / Bargain
Date Labels
賞味期限 (しょうみきげん) = “Best before” date (for quality)
消費期限 (しょうひきげん) = “Use by” or expiration date (for safety)
At the Fresh Produce & Meat Counters
In Japan, freshness is key to the cuisine, and supermarkets reflect this with impressive fresh produce, meat, and seafood counters. While many items are pre-packaged, you’ll often find dedicated counters where you can buy specific cuts of meat, fresh fish, or seasonal produce. Knowing how to ask for what you want, especially by weight, is a very useful skill for both daily life and culinary adventures.
Ordering by Weight
The most fundamental phrase you’ll need is how to ask for a specific amount of an item. The structure is straightforward: Item + を (o) + Amount + ください (kudasai).
If you are pointing at what you want, you can use これ (kore), which means “this”.
Ordering by Weight
これを二百グラムください。
これをにひゃくぐらむください。
Kore o ni-hyaku guramu kudasai.
200 grams of this, please.
Let’s break it down:
これ (Kore): This (when pointing to something near you)
を (o): The particle marking the object of the sentence.
二百グラム (ni-hyaku guramu): 200 grams. You can easily swap out the number. For example, 百グラム (hyaku guramu) is 100g, and 三百グラム (san-byaku guramu) is 300g.
ください (kudasai): Please give me.
If you want to be more specific, you can replace 「これ」 with the name of the item. For example, if you wanted 200 grams of beef, you would say: 牛肉を二百グラムください。(Gyūniku o ni-hyaku guramu kudasai.)
Meat & Produce Vocabulary
Here is a list of common words you’ll encounter at the meat counter. Japanese cooking often specifies the thickness of the meat, so knowing words like usugiri and atsugiri is very helpful.
Meat & Produce Vocabulary
豚肉 (ぶたにく) = Pork
牛肉 (ぎゅうにく) = Beef
鶏肉 (とりにく) = Chicken
ひき肉 (ひきにく) = Ground/minced meat
薄切り (うすぎり) = Thinly sliced
厚切り (あつぎり) = Thickly sliced
もも肉 (ももにく) = Thigh meat (usually chicken)
胸肉 (むねにく) = Breast meat (usually chicken)
Fish & Seafood Vocabulary 🐟
Japan is famous for its seafood. The fish counter (鮮魚コーナー, sengyo kōnā) is often the busiest section of the store. You can buy whole fish, fillets, or sashimi-ready blocks.
魚 (さかな) = Fish
鮭 (さけ) = Salmon
マグロ (まぐろ) = Tuna
エビ (えび) = Shrimp / Prawn
イカ (いか) = Squid
タコ (たこ) = Octopus
サバ (さば) = Mackerel
切り身 (きりみ) = Fillet / Slice of fish
刺身 (さしみ) = Sashimi (raw fish)
Example usage:
この鮭を二切れください。
このさけをふたきれください。
Kono sake o futa-kire kudasai.
Two slices of this salmon, please. (Note: 〜切れ (kire) is a common counter for slices of fish.)
Fruits & Vegetables Vocabulary 🍎🥦
The produce section (青果コーナー, seika kōnā) is filled with both familiar and unique Japanese fruits and vegetables. You can often buy items individually.
野菜 (やさい) Vegetables
果物 (くだもの) Fruit
玉ねぎ (たまねぎ) Onion
じゃがいも (じゃがいも) Potato
人参 (にんじん) Carrot
キャベツ (キャベツ) Cabbage
りんご (りんご) Apple
バナナ (ばなな) Banana
大根 (だいこん) Daikon (white radish)
ネギ (ねぎ) Green onion / Scallion
The Konbini Experience: Hot Food & Special Services
Convenience stores, or konbini (コンビニ), are an indispensable part of daily life in Japan. Far more than a simple place to grab a snack, they are a one-stop shop for everything from paying utility bills to picking up concert tickets and, of course, enjoying a huge variety of delicious, ready-to-eat meals. The interaction at a konbini is usually quick and follows a predictable script, making it a great place to practice your Japanese listening and speaking skills.
Heating and Utensils
When you purchase a bento box, onigiri, or another ready-made meal, the cashier will almost always ask if you’d like it heated. This is a very common and polite service.
Clerk:
お弁当、温めますか。
おべんとう、あたためますか。
O-bentō, atatamemasu ka.
Shall I heat up your bento?
Clerk (more casual):
温めますか。
あたためますか。
Atatamemasu ka?
Shall I heat it?
You (Yes):
はい、お願いします。
はい、おねがいします。
Hai, onegai shimasu.
Yes, please.
You (No): いいえ、大丈夫です。
いいえ、だいじょうぶです。
Iie, daijōbu desu.
No, it’s okay.
You (No, more polite):
そのままで大丈夫です。
そのままでだいじょうぶです。
Sono mama de daijōbu desu.
It’s fine as it is.
Clerk: お箸はお付けしますか。
おはしはおつけしますか。
O-hashi wa o-tsuke shimasu ka.
Shall I include chopsticks?
Chopsticks, Forks, and Spoons
After confirming about heating, they will often ask if you need utensils.
Clerk (Fork/Spoon):
スプーン／フォークはお付けしますか。
スプーン／フォークはおつけしますか。
Supūn/Fōku wa o-tsuke shimasu ka?
Shall I include a spoon/fork?
Clerk (Chopsticks):
お箸はお付けしますか。
おはしはおつけしますか。
O-hashi wa o-tsuke shimasu ka?
Shall I include chopsticks?
You (Yes):
はい、お願いします。
Hai, onegai shimasu.
Yes, please.
You (No):
いいえ、大丈夫です。
Iie, daijōbu desu.
No, it’s okay.
Ordering from the Hot Food Case
The glowing case near the register is filled with tempting fried foods and other hot snacks. This is a konbini highlight! For items like fried chicken (e.g., Family Mart’s “Famichiki” or Lawson’s “Kara-age Kun“), you can simply point and order.
You (Pointing):
これを一つください。
これをひとつください。
Kore o hitotsu kudasai.
One of these, please.
You (By name):
ファミチキを一つください。
ファミチキをひとつください。
Famichiki o hitotsu kudasai.
One Famichiki, please.
You (Ordering two):
これを二つください。
これをふたつください。
Kore o futatsu kudasai.
Two of these, please.
Common Konbini Hot Foods
から揚げ (からあげ) Fried chicken nuggets.
フライドチキン (ふらいどちきん) Fried chicken
アメリカンドッグ (あめりかんどっぐ) Corn dog
コロッケ (ころっけ) Deep-fried potato croquette.
肉まん (にくまん) steamed bun with pork.
あんまん (あんまん) Steamed bun with red bean paste.
おでん (おでん) A winter hot-pot dish with various ingredients.
焼き鳥 (やきとり) Grilled chicken skewers.
Special Konbini Services
チケットの予約 (ちけっとのよやく) Ticket reservations (concerts, events, buses).
公共料金の支払い (こうきょうりょうきんのしはらい) Paying public utility bills.
荷物の発送 (にもつのはっそう) Sending packages (takkyūbin).
コピー／ファックス (こぴー／ふぁっくす) Photocopying and faxing services.
ATM (えーてぃーえむ) ATM for cash withdrawals.
写真のプリント (しゃしんのぷりんと) Printing photos from a memory card or phone.
保険の申し込み (ほけんのもうしこみ) Applying for basic insurance plans.
マルチコピー機 (まるちこぴーき) Multi-copy machine (for services above).
At the Register: The Checkout Conversation
The checkout process follows a fairly standard script, and it’s one of the most important interactions when using your Japanese in the supermarket and konbini. Here’s a breakdown of the most common questions you’ll encounter.
The Checkout Script
1. Point Card:
ポイントカードはお持ちですか。
ぽいんとかーどはおもちですか。
Pointo kādo wa o-mochi desu ka.
Do you have a point card?
Response: 持っていません (Motte imasen – I don’t have one) or 大丈夫です (Daijōbu desu – It’s okay).
2. Shopping Bag:
レジ袋はご利用になりますか。(More formal)
れじぶくろはごりようになりますか。
Rejibukuro wa go-riyō ni narimasu ka.
or
袋は要りますか。(More casual)
ふくろはいりますか。
Fukuro wa irimasu ka.
Do you need a bag? (Note: Bags usually cost a few yen).
Response: はい、お願いします (Hai, onegai shimasu – Yes, please) or いいえ、大丈夫です (Iie, daijōbu desu – No, I’m fine).
3. Payment Method:
お支払いはどうされますか。
おしはらいはどうされますか。
O-shiharai wa dō saremasu ka.
How will you be paying?
Response: 現金で (Genkin de – With cash), カードで (Kādo de – With card), or [IC Card Name]で (e.g., Suica de).
4. Receipt:
レシートはよろしいですか。
れしーとはよろしいですか。
Reshīto wa yoroshii desu ka.
Do you need a receipt?
Response: はい、お願いします (Hai, onegai shimasu – Yes, please) or 大丈夫です (Daijōbu desu – It’s okay).
Numbers & Counting Crash Course
Knowing basic numbers is crucial for understanding prices. For counting items, Japanese uses specific counters, but you can get by with the generic system for almost anything you’d buy in a store.
Numbers (数字 – Sūji)
1 – いち (ichi)
2 – に (ni)
3 – さん (san)
4 – よん/し (yon/shi)
5 – ご (go)
6 – ろく (roku)
7 – なな/しち (nana/shichi)
8 – はち (hachi)
9 – きゅう/く (kyū/ku)
10 – じゅう (jū)
100 – ひゃく (hyaku)
1,000 – せん (sen)
10,000 – まん (man)
Generic Counters
1つ – ひとつ (hitotsu) – One item
2つ – ふたつ (futatsu) – Two items
3つ – みっつ (mittsu) – Three items
Asking for Help & Recommendations
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Store staff are generally very helpful, even if there’s a language barrier.
Helpful Questions
これは何ですか。
これはなんですか。
Kore wa nan desu ka.
What is this? (Useful when pointing at an unfamiliar food).
おすすめはどれですか。
おすすめはどれですか。
Osusume wa dore desu ka.
Which one do you recommend?
〇〇はありますか。
〇〇はありますか。
〇〇 wa arimasu ka.
Do you have 〇〇?
Dealing with Common Problems
Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Here are a few phrases for simple issues.
Problem Solving
すみません、〇〇が見つかりません。
すみません、〇〇がみつかりません。
Sumimasen, 〇〇 ga mitsukarimasen.
Excuse me, I can’t find 〇〇.
すみません、落としました。
すみません、おとしました。
Sumimasen, otoshimashita.
Excuse me, I dropped something. (Staff will quickly come to clean it up).
Read More:
