2nd – 12th September
STUDENT HANDBOOK
なまえ: ______Attendees
Ned BROWN Isabelle CHANNON Sean COOK Charlotte CRIMEEN Savannah DALBY Mieke DEKOK
Max GAMBLE Rachel GERADA Olivia GILBERT Billy GRAVELL Cooper GREENBANK Leila HADDAD
Poppy HARRIS Masyn JARVIS Rohit KALLURI Marli KLUMPP Shaeli PEARSALL Mason POWELL
Bella REID Hilary SULLIVAN Kristin WIENAND
Narelle SULLIVAN Bernie CONLAN David YOUNG Katie ADAMSON Melanie CRIMEEN Ben GAMBLE
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Narita, Tokyo QF80 8:05pm
Student Grouping
AKA (red) MIDORI (green) A B C D Katie Adamson Bernie Conlan Narelle Sullivan David Young Melanie Crimeen Ben Gamble Billy Gravell Rohit Kalluri Isabelle Channon Max Gamble Sean Cook Mason Powell Poppy Harris Cooper Greenbank Ned Brown Hilary Sullivan Kristin Wienand Masyn Jarvis Mieke Dekok Charlotte Crimeen Marli Klumpp Savannah Dalby Olivia Gilbert Rachel Gerada Bella Reid Shaeli Pearsall Leila Haddad
Fast Facts
Time Zone Japan is one hour behind Australia Standard Time; two hours when daylight savings is active from October through to March.
Weather The weather in September can still be quite hot and humid, but the crowds of August have mostly disappeared.
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Our Accomodation
HOTEL EDOYA, TOKYO
http://www.hoteledoya.com/ TOKYO: Hotel Edoya 3-20-3 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Ph: 0011 81 3 3833 8751
DOZEN RYOKAN, KYOTO https://dozen-ryokan.com/ 270 Sasayacho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8156, Japan Ph: 0011 +81 75-365-5110
NEW HIRODEN HOTEL, HIROSHIMA http://www.newhiroden.co.jp/eng/ 14-9 Osuga-cho, Minami-ku, Hiroshima-shi Ph: 0011 81 82 263 3456
SHIN OSAKA STATION HOTEL ANNEX1 https://www.st-hotel.jp/annex/ Chome-15-2 Higashinakajima, Higashiyodogawa Ward, Osaka, 533-0033, Japan Ph:: 0011 81 66815-0011
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Daily Routines
EACH NIGHT: Meet with your group teacher or whole group meeting Check the room numbers of the teachers in case you need them to phone them in the night—note the room number and how to call, in this book. Do not leave your room—the teacher will come to you. Check what time to meet the next morning Write your diary entry Throw away rubbish. Pack your backpack for the next day – add new snacks, fill water bottle. Put dirty clothes in a bag Hand wash any clothes as necessary Fold/hang up clothes to be worn again Charge batteries of device (camera etc.) GET TO SLEEP – you will need a good rest each night to enjoy the following days’ experiences. YOU MAY NOT VISIT OR PHONE OTHER ROOMS!
EACH MORNING: Automated wake-up phone call Have breakfast. Make sure you go to the toilet! Clean teeth. Collect your gear for the day. (Should be packed and ready to go) Meet back in the Hotel lobby at the set time- you will need to hand in the room key to your group teacher, who will leave at Reception before we head off for the day. Make sure you have your backpack, wallet (with cash!) and lanyard.
Before leaving a hotel for the last time
CHECK CAREFULLY you have all your belongings!
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Map of Japan
TOKYO: Monday 2nd – Thursday 5th TOYOHAMA Thursday 5th KYOTO: Thursday 5th – Sunday 8th HIROSHIMA: Sunday 8th – Tuesday 10th OSAKA: Tuesday 10th – Wednesday 11th
FLIGHTS
Melbourne to Tokyo return Singapore to
Toyohama Elementary School
HIROSHIMA
東京 TOKYO The present capital
KYOTO
OSAKA 8
Code of Conduct
STUDENTS: I understand that whilst travelling as a member of the Japan tour group, I agree to abide by our usual school rules, follow our school values of Optimism, Commitment, Respect, Compassion and Honesty and also do the following:
Wear my identification lanyard at all times when outside of the hotel. Do what I am asked to do by an adult in the group, quickly and without complaint. I will treat all members of the travelling group kindly. I will try to think of their feelings, not just my own. I will use good manners at all times. I understand that if my behaviour is unkind, thoughtless, inappropriate or dangerous, I may need to spend time away from other students or may be sent home at my parent’s expense. I will behave sensibly in the hotels where we are staying and be considerate of other guests. I will leave my room in the same condition as I found it. I will stay in my own hotel room after the evening meeting and not visit other rooms. Once “lights out” has been ordered lights must be turned off and students must remain in their rooms unless an emergency arises. I will ensure I am on time and at meeting places when required. I will never go anywhere alone, and will remain at all times with members of my group. I will tell a teacher if I need to use the toilets. I will use the device I bring for photography purposes appropriately, responsibly and understand that if it is a wi-fi enabled device (phone or iPad) then it will stored in the teachers’ rooms overnight.
PARENTS:
We agree to be liable for any expenses incurred by my child whilst in Japan. Such as but not limited to extra baggage charges and medical expenses. I agree and understand that my child will be sent home at my expense if he/she does not adhere to this code of conduct. I agree to restrict contact with my child to the approved group contact times, and will use the blog page appropriately. I can contact the teachers in an emergency using the provided emergency phone number.
Student Name:______Signature:______
Parent Name:______Signature:______
Date: / / 2019
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TOYOHAMA SCHOOL
TOYOHAMA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GROUPS:
1st Grade Ned Brown ネッド X 3 Max Gamble マックス students Poppy Harris ポピー
Ben Gamble ベン 2nd Grade Isabelle Channon イソベル X 3 Rachel Gerada レイチェル students Masyn Jarvis メイソン
Bernie Conlan バーニー 3rd Grade Sean Cook ショーン X 3 Olivia Gilbert オリービア students Rohit Kalluri ロヒト
Narelle Sullivan ナレル 4th Grade Charlotte Crimeen シャーロット X 4 Billy Gravell ビリー students Marli Klumpp マーリー Hilary Sullivan ヒラリー
Mel Crimeen メル 5th Grade Savannah Dalby サヴァナ X 4 Cooper Greenbank クーパー students Shaeli Pearsall シェイリ Bella Reid ベラ
Katie Adamson ケイティ 6th Grade Mieke Dekok ミーケ X 4 Leila Haddad ライラ students Mason Powell メイソン Kristin Wienand クリステン
Dave Young デイヴ
https://toyohama-e.city-iwata.ed.jp/
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What to Pack - PLANE
Students are responsible for carrying their own luggage. Please only pack the essentials and ensure that students are able to lift & carry the bag they are taking. They will need to be able to manage it on their own, get it on and off public transport, up and down stairs and carry/wheel it several blocks to train stations.
Lock all compartments of the luggage and ensure that the student has a key/knows code to open it. If you would like us to hold a spare key, please place it in a sealed and clearly labelled envelope. You can also give us the code if operated by a combination.
Please ensure all items are named
ON THE PLANE: Please wear tour top & light jacket. Neat and comfortable pants/shorts. Comfortable and clean runners, with socks (no thongs). Tour lanyard must be worn.
Carry on Bag: Water bottle (empty – can fill once through security in airport) Camera / device Food snacks Entertainment: Book, cards, games, notebook, pens etc. Wallet/purse/money belt Handbook Australian money in wallet for morning tea at airport if required Travel tissues
**carry on bags must weigh no more than 7kgs. Any liquids must be less than 100mls and in a clear ziplock bag (no bigger than 20 x 20cm) for customs**
Rules for items on the plane Liquids Each item of liquid, gel must be 100ml or LESS (any larger items must be placed in luggage that is to be checked. All items must fit into a clear, zip-lock bag (no bigger than 20cm x 20cm) Only one such bag per passenger Partially filled containers larger than 100ml are not accepted Do not take cold/flu Completely empty containers (e.g. water bottle) are allowed medications which contain Prescription medicines are allowed No cold/flu medication are allowed to be taken into JAPAN PSEUDOEPHEDRINE as it is illegal in Japan.
Sharp Items No scissors, nail files, toe nail clippers are to be carried on board the plane, these must be in put in luggage to be checked.
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What to Pack - SUITCASE
**Please ensure all items are named** Clothes: Tour t-shirts Lightweight long sleeved top/jacket Pants x 1 Shorts (2 -3 pairs – lightweight, quick drying ideal) Casual T-shirt for hotel at night if desired (1 or 2 should be sufficient) Pyjamas Underwear for 9 days+ spares (undies, socks, etc.) Hat / sunglasses Lightweight raincoat or poncho (disposable travel ponchos are another great option) Comfortable walking shoes with good support. We will be doing lots of walking!
Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush/comb, deodorant, etc. Sunscreen Sanitary items Jewellery – watch. Plain earrings: sleepers or studs only (as per uniform guidelines) Hotels will provide shampoo, soap etc. so it is not necessary to take your own unless desired
Other: Two vertical Power adaptor prongs Charging cables / spare batteries Food snacks (some students like familiar food, especially in the first couple of days) Small amount of washing powder to rinse some clothes out in sink if needed Plastic bag for dirty clothes Thongs for shower if desired
It is vital that students pack their bags and backpacks themselves, so they know what they have and where to find it. - Practise folding clothing; students need to know how to deal with dirty clothes and where to put them. - Most accommodations provide soap, shampoo etc. so these are not necessary unless students prefer their own. - Students must know how to recharge camera batteries, phones and so on. - The Japanese power supply is 100v compared to our 240v so check compatibility. Most convertor plugs only have 2 prongs; therefore teachers will have power boards if needed for 3 prong items.
HANDY HINTS:
PLASTIC PONCHO : keep one in your backpack. If we experience a downpour (quite possible) the poncho covers you AND your backpack! Not a fashion statement BUT way better than having everything in your backpack sodden!
COIN PURSE : you will find you get lots of coins, rather than notes. A regular wallet does not have enough coin storage.
WET ONES : keep small pack in backpack. Handy for spills! HAND SANITISER: use before eating and after using public
PACKING CUBES: these zipped bags help keep clothes folded and sorted within your suitcase. (eBay sells cheap sets, as do K-mart and The Reject Shop. Kathmandu has quality but expensive bags.)
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¥ Money ¥
Your money will be divided into 4 lots. You will begin with enough yen in your wallet for first 2 days. Remaining money will be placed into 3 envelopes and handed out on set days.
It is a good idea to have a wallet with at least two different sections. That way, you can keep your money for essentials (such as food/transport/entry fees) in one part, and your spending money in the other. This will help you to manage your money and make sure you know how much you have to spend on each.
Remember that whatever isn’t spent will stay in your wallet and roll over to next day. Students are responsible for carrying all purchases made in their suitcase.
You are responsible for monitoring your spending at all times.
Approximate cost allowances: LUNCH ¥800 per meal DINNER ¥1000 per meal SNACKS ¥600 per day SPENDING ¥3000
Lunch Dinner Snacks Spending Entry fees Transport TOTAL $ Wallet Mon 2/9 Plane ¥1000 Own/plan - - - ¥1000 ¥13000 e Tues 3/9 Included ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 - - ¥4600 Wed 4/9 ¥800 ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥1500 ¥500 ¥7400 Env 1 Thurs 5/9 ¥251 ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 - - ¥4851 ¥8451 Fri 6/9 Included Included ¥600 ¥3000 - - ¥3600 Env 2 Sat 7/9 ¥800 ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥1000 ¥300 ¥6700 ¥11600 Sun 8/9 Included ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥300 - ¥4900 Env 3 Mon 9/9 ¥800 ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥500 - ¥5900 ¥17900 Tues 10/9 Included ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥1500 ¥500 ¥6600 Wed 11/9 ¥800 ¥1000 ¥600 ¥3000 ¥5400 Thur 12/9 Arrive Home! ¥50951 Please remember this is recommended only. Adjust as needed to your circumstances/child
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Valuables
All items taken on the trip remain the responsibility of the student at all times. You must look after your things. Never put your bag down and walk away. iPads/Phones/Cameras: Students will wish to take photos & videos of their trip. If they wish to take their iPad/phone rather than a digital camera, please be advised that they remain the responsibility of the students throughout the day. iPads/phones will be collected at a set time at night and stored in the safe(s) of teacher rooms. Phones with a SIM will have the card removed, and will only be used as a photographic and wi-fi device.
Passports: Passports will be held with the teachers accompanying the students on tour. The teacher will hand the passport as needed to the student (airport check in, going through customs, etc.) however will then re- collect and keep. Foreigners in Japan must carry their passport or permit with them. They must present it when an authorized officer requests them to do so.
Contact BLOG https://bpsjapantrip2019.edublogs.org/ We will post daily updates on a blog page to help give parents and the school information about our adventures. Photos and messages will be uploaded as often as we can, with students taking turns to contribute along with teachers. You can send this link to other family and friends who may also wish to follow our travels.
Contact with home We recommend that you make minimal contact with home whilst in Japan, since it can be unsettling and can lead to feelings of homesickness. Daily contact is not possibility due to the busy schedule. We also hope you further develop self-confidence and challenge yourself outside your comfort zones, in line with the aims of the trip.
Students will be able to contact home at designated times. This contact will be in the evening on following days: Tuesday 3rd September Friday 6th September Tuesday 10th September
Students with a device can connect to hotel w-fi and use an app such as facetime to connect home on these days. Please ensure you know how to do this before departure.
Students without a wi-fi compatible device may use one of the teachers’ devices or the school phone to call home.
We encourage calls to be no more than 5 minutes in length.
If some students are suffering from severe homesickness or there are other extenuating circumstances we will contact home on an “as needed” basis.
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Safety
Please read carefully Getting Lost Students will be under the supervision of a group teacher, who is responsible for ensuring all group members are present and accounted for. The teacher will help ensure group safety when getting on and off trains and out and about. Students need to be aware of their surrounding and the group, as we walk around cities.
Students will have a card, written in English & Japanese, on a lanyard around their neck, at all times when out. It is to be shown to a kindly looking person who is asked to phone a mobile held by staff.
The Lanyard reminds them what to do if they get lost. It says:
1. If you miss a train everyone else has boarded, STAY WHERE YOU ARE! SOMEONE WILL COME BACK TO GET YOU.
2. If you catch a train that no-one else has boarded, GET OFF AT THE NEXT STATION AND WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND GET YOU.
3. If you become lost within a city, you need to find a nice looking person nearby, and show them the card around your neck. The card will ask the person to phone the school’s mobile. Someone will come back for you.
Stay put and wait – it may take time to get to you.
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Emergencies
Emergency Numbers in Japan:
110 POLICE
119 AMBULANCE, FIRE, EMERGENCY RESCUE
Australian Embassy Tokyo 2-1-14 Mita, Minato-ku TOKYO 108 8361 Telephone (81 3) 5232 4111 Facsimile (81 3) 5232 4057 Web: http://www.australia.or.jp/en/consular/ Email address: [email protected]
Australian Consulate-General Osaka 16th floor, Twin 21MID Tower 2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-ku OSAKA 540 6116 Telephone (81 6) 6941 9271 or (81 6) 6941 9448 Facsimile (81 6) 6920 4543 Web: http://consular.australia.or.jp/osaka/
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Earthquake Safety
WHAT TO DO IN AN EARTHQUAKE
Japan is a country prone to earthquakes. Most are mere tremors and go basically unnoticed by most people. In the event of a stronger earthquake, some simple procedures greatly increase safety. In hotels, students need to note where the Emergency Exits are located.
If you are INSIDE:
Do not move until the main quake ceases. Protect yourself by sheltering under a table. If there is no place to hide, protect your head with a pillow or a cushion.
Turn off all heat sources immediately. After the main shock calms down, immediately turn off the gas appliances as well as heating appliances. Anything that could cause a fire should be turned off.
Secure a way to evacuate the premises. Open the doors to rooms and the entrance. Always wear shoes even when inside to avoid injury as there could be pieces of broken glass or other dangerous objects on the floor.
Do not become panicked by aftershocks. It is possible that small shakes may occur following the main quake. Remember to stay calm even when you feel the aftershocks.
Get ready to evacuate. If you are in a building, always use the stairs to evacuate. You should not use elevators.
Evacuate on foot. You should always walk when you evacuate. Never use cars, motorcycles or bicycles. Do not try to take more than you need for emergency survival. If you are OUTSIDE:
In a residential area Stay away from gates and concrete block walls if you are in a residential area at the time of an earthquake.
In the city centre: Protect your head with your bag or a similar object from possible falling objects such as broken windows or signboards. Find an open area or a park to which you should evacuate.
Do not approach vending machines, utility poles or downed power lines. You should stay away from vending machines, utility poles and downed power lines.
Do not go near cliffs or riverbanks. You should stay away from cliffs and riverbanks since they could collapse at any moment.
In a high-rise building: Evacuate from the building by using the stairs. You should never use elevators.
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Earthquake Safety
In an underground mall: Protect your head with your bags or clothes. After the main shock ceases, head toward an exit on the ground level. Since many people may rush to and crowd the exit, you should be careful to avoid falling and being trampled by others.
On an elevator: If the elevator is equipped with an earthquake sensor, it will stop automatically at the nearest floor when the quake occurs. You should get off the elevator immediately and use the stairs to evacuate. If the elevator is not equipped with this sensor, it won't stop by itself; you should push every floor button and get off at any floor it first stops at and then use a staircase to evacuate. If the door doesn't open, use the emergency feature available in the elevator such as a phone, button or bell to inform someone outside that you are trapped. Do not try to force the door to open from inside until the rescue service arrives.
On a train If you are standing on a train, grab a strap or bar to prevent yourself from falling. After the train stops, you should stay calm and wait for instructions from the conductor; without instructions, do not attempt to get out of the train by unlocking the emergency door lock or by jumping out from the window. EARTHQUAKES SUMMARY If INDOORS ~ Stay inside! Grab something to protect head e.g. pillow, backpack Open a doorway to ensure escape route Duck under a table. Hold on! Stay away from windows and heavy furniture that may fall over. Hotels provide emergency use torches in case of power failure
If OUTDOORS ~ Stand in a doorway Beware of falling objects Protect head
If UNDERGROUND (subway station) ~ Emergency lighting will come on. Don’t panic! Avoid being swept along by crowd. Stay where you are until things settle.
If ON A TRAIN ~ Hold on to something –seat, pole Be guided by train personnel and only get of train when directed.
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Emergencies
WHAT TO DO IN A TSUNAMI TSUNAMI WARNING A tsunami may occur after a strong earthquake in coastal areas. Go to higher ground, at least ten metres above sea level, or if possible move at least one kilometre away from all beaches & harbours. If you cannot leave the area take shelter in the upper storey of a sturdy brick or concrete multi-storey building. Save yourself, not your possessions. Follow advice of authorities.
WHAT TO DO IN AN AIR RAID WARNING In the unlikely event an alert is sounded warning of a missile test it will be issued via text message and also by sirens ringing. Take cover in a building or underground. Stay calm.
In any emergency, stay calm. Stay with the group (or people from your hotel room) and move together to safety. Do not attempt to gather your belongings – leave quickly. Save yourself, not your things.
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Cultural Etiquette
EATING AND DRINKING
Chopsticks Chopsticks are used to eat most kinds of Japanese foods, with some exceptions. Some of the most important rules to remember when dining with chopsticks are as follows: • Hold your chopsticks towards their end, not in the middle or the front third. • When you are not using your chopsticks, or have finished eating, lay them down in front of you with the tips to left. • Do not stick chopsticks into your food, especially not into rice. This is only done at funerals with rice that is put onto the altar. • Do not pass food directly from your set of chopsticks to another's. Again, this is a funeral tradition • Do not spear food with your chopsticks. • Do not point with your chopsticks. • Do not wave your chopsticks around in the air or play with them. • Do not move plates or bowls around with your chopsticks. • To separate a piece of food in two, exert controlled pressure on the chopsticks while moving them apart from each other in order to tear the food. This takes some practice. With larger pieces of food such as tempura, it is also acceptable to pick up the entire piece with your chopsticks, and take a bite. • If you have already eaten with your chopsticks, use the opposite end to take food from a shared plate. (Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2039.html)
Slurping When eating noodles in Japan, it’s standard practice to slurp them. Eat in any noodle restaurant and you’ll be surrounded by fellow diners noisily and unabashedly slurping away.
Table manners Say i-ta-da-ki-mas before eating (literally ‘I will receive’, but it’s akin to saying ‘bon appetit’), and say go-chi- sō-sa-ma de-shi-ta to express appreciation after you’re finished. Be sure to throw in a few declarations of oi-shii (‘delicious!’) throughout the meal as required.
• Blowing your nose in public, and especially at the table, is considered bad manners. • It is considered good manners to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice. • Talking about toilet related and similarly unappetizing topics during or before a meal is not appreciated by most people. • It is considered bad manner to burp. • After eating, try to move all your dishes back to the same position they were at the start of the meal. This includes replacing the lids on dishes and putting your chopsticks on the chopstick holder or back into their paper slip.
TOILETS You will come across both Western style and Asian squat toilets in Japan. Public toilets are free. The katakana for toilet is トイレ and the kanji is お手洗い . You’ll also see the kanji for female ( 女 ) and male( 男).Toilet paper isn’t always provided, so it is always a good idea to carry tissues with you. You may also be given small packets of tissues on the street – a common form of advertising.
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Cultural Etiquette
TRAINS Find your platform by looking for your train line and direction. Most important signs are written in Japanese and English, and increasingly also in Chinese and Korean. On many platforms, marks on the floor indicate where the doors of the arriving train will be located. Waiting passengers will line up behind those marks. Train drivers are trained to stop within centimeters. In case of long distance trains, additional marks will indicate car numbers and whether the car is an ordinary or green car, and whether it carries reserved or non-reserved, and smoking or non-smoking seats.
Shinkansen Manners Don't block the aisle with luggage. When having a conversation, keep your voice down. Recline your seat with consideration for the person behind you. Return the seat to its original position before exiting the train. Set your mobile phone to silent mode. Don't talk on your phone except in the deck areas between cars. Line up on the platform before boarding.
MEETING AND GREETING
Bowing Bow politely when you meet someone, thank them, or say goodbye. The depth, duration and number of bows is something non-Japanese aren’t expected to understand and visitors are unlikely to offend if they don’t do this perfectly. If a Japanese person bows to you, an incline of the head in return will usually suffice. Japanese do sometimes also shake hands, but it’s best to wait for the opposite party to offer their hand before thrusting yours forth.
Gifts Returning from a trip, the change of seasons, and moving into a new home are among the many reasons gifts might be exchanged in Japan. For visitors, it’s a great idea to bring small gifts from your home country, especially if you’ll be staying with locals, or in case you need to say ‘thank you’ to someone during your trip. The simple gesture of sharing something from your home will be greatly appreciated – think souvenir key rings, chocolate bars, and other treats only available in your country. Our school has organised gifts, at times students will be asked to present these to our hosts and tour guides with a few words of thanks.
FOOTWEAR RULES
Shoes off If a building has a sunken-foyer entrance (called a genkan), and there are rows or shelves of footwear by the door, it’s a clear sign you’re expected to remove your shoes. You’ll always have to remove footwear when entering a private home, traditional accommodation (minshuku or ryokan), and temple halls. Some restaurants with tatami(woven straw matting) areas will also require visitors to take off their shoes, as will some hostels and historic sites. Wherever you’re required to remove footwear, this is non- negotiable. (If you’re uncomfortable with the current state of your socks, consider getting yourself a new supply before your trip.)
Slippers off When you take off your shoes, you’ll usually be given the option of a pair of slippers for walking around inside. These are fine on wooden and other flooring, but you should never wear slippers in a tatami room: remove them before stepping on tatami and place them at the room entrance.
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Cultural Etiquette
VISITING TEMPLES AND SHRINES
Etiquette There are many, many Buddhist temples (o-tera) and Shintō shrines (jinja) across Japan and most are open and welcoming to visitors, whether or not you’re a believer. But these are still religious sites: speak quietly in the main halls, don’t poke around cordoned-off areas, and avoid dressing as though you’re out for a day at the beach.
Shrine rituals There will be a water source in front of any shrine. Before entering the shrine, use the ladles provided to pour water over your hands to rinse them, and pour water into your hand to use to rinse your mouth (spit out on the ground, not back into the water source).
PUBLIC BEHAVIOUR
Quiet, please It’s considered rude to speak on your mobile phone while on trains and buses, and announcements encourage travellers to switch phones to silent mode. People also tend not to speak loudly when travelling on public transport, so as not to disturb fellow passengers.
Queuing At busy times when waiting to board a train, Japanese form an orderly queue. Train station platforms will have markings showing where the carriage doors will pull up, and may have lines drawn on the platform to guide the direction of the queues.
Sniffles It’s considered uncouth to blow your nose in public. You may also see people walking around wearing surgical-style masks – some choose to use these when they have cold or flu to help prevent passing on their ailment to others.
LANGUAGE MATTERS
Don’t assume It’s not uncommon to meet Japanese who are keen to practise their English skills, but English is not as widely understood as some visitors expect and many people will be uncomfortable or too shy to use it. It’s best not to approach people with the assumption they will be able to speak it.
Turning Japanese A few basic words and phrases in Japanese will go a long way, and locals will be disproportionately impressed by even your most tortured attempt at speaking their language. Su-mi-ma- sen(‘excuse me’, which can also be used for ‘sorry’), a-ri-ga-tō (‘thank you’), ei-go ga ha-na-se-mas ka (‘do you speak English?’), and wa-ka-ri-ma-sen (‘I don’t understand’) are all very handy for starters.
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Useful Phrases
Good morning Ohayo gozaimasu おはようございます Hello Konnichi wa こんにちは Good evening Konban wa こんばんは Goodbye Sayonara さようなら See you later Ja mata じゃまた Thanks Doomo どうも Thank you Doomo arigato どうもありがとう No thanks Kekko desu けっこうです I’m OK Daijoobu desu だいじょうぶです Excuse me Sumimasen すみません I’m sorry Gomen nasai ごめんなさい “I’m home!” Tadaima ！ ただいま！ “Welcome back!” O-kaeri nasai ! おかえりなさい！ Good night O-yasumi nasai おやすみなさい
Introducing Yourself My name is …………. Watashi no namae wa ____ desu わたしのなまえは ……… です Pleased to meet you Doozo yoroshiku どうぞよろしく How are you? O-genki des ka おげんきですか
Making Requests I’ll have (____) please (____) o kudasai コーヒーをください I’ll have this/that please Kore / Sore o kudasai これ/それ をください Can I use the (toilet) please? (Toire) o tsukate mo ii desu ka? トイレをつかってもいいですか That’s fine Hai, ii des yo はい、いいですよ Sorry, but ………. Chotto ……. ちょっと……..
Describing Yourself and Your Family I am ……… years old Watashi wa ……… sai desu わたしは……..さいです I’m in ……. year Watashi wa ……. nen sei desu わたしは……ねんせいです My hobby is …………. Watashi no shumi wa ………. desu わたしのしゅみは ……… です I am interested in ……….. ………….. ni kyomi ga arimasu ……… きょうみ があります I like ………….. ……………. ga suki desu ……………. がすきです I don’t really like ……… ……….. ga amari suki ja nai desu …………..まりすきじゃないです There are …. people in my family Kazoku wa …….. nin imasu かぞくは……….にん います My mother’s occupation is ……… Haha no shigoto wa ………. desu ははのしごとは …………….です My father’s occupation is ………… Chichi no shigoto wa ……… desu ちちのしごとは …………..です In the future I’d like to be a …… Shorai ni ……. Ni naritai desu しょうらいに …..になりたいです
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Useful Phrases
Asking Basic Questions You can use a dictionary to fill in the blanks What is ………… ? ...... wa nan desu ka? ………..はなんですか Where is ………..? ...... wa doko desu ka? ……..….はどこですか When is …………? ...... wa itsu desu ka? …….….はいつですか Who is …………..? …………. wa dare desu ka? ………. はだれですか
Having Language Difficulties I’m sorry, I don’t understand Sumimasen. Chotto wakarimasen すみません. ちょっと わかりません Could you say that again more Mo ichido yukkuri itte kudasai もういちど ゆっくり slowly please いってください Could you speak more slowly Mo chotto yukkuri hanashite もうちょっとゆっくり please kudasai はなしてください Do you speak English? Eigo ga hanasemas ka えいごがはなせますか In English please Eigo de onegai shimasu 英語でおねがいします Gesture please Gesture de onegai shimasu ｼﾞｪｽﾀｰでおねがいします How do you say ___ in Japanese? Nihongo de “___” wa nan to にほんごで______はなん iimasu ka? といいますか Please write it down on this paper Kami ni kaite kudasai 紙に書いてください
Shopping How much is it? Ikura desu ka? いくらですか I’d like to buy …… ……… o kai tai desu …….. をかいたいです I’ll take this one Kore o kudasai これをください I’m just looking Miteiru dake des みているだけです Can I have a receipt? Ryoshusho kudasai りょうしゅうしょ をください
Finding Your Way Around / If You Get Lost Chose a location listed below (or otherwise use your dictionary) and place the word into the key sentence Excuse me. I’m a little lost. Sumimasen. Chotto michi すみません。ちょっとみちにまよっています ni mayotte imasu Where is the ………….? ……….. wa doko des ka? …………はどこですか Train station Eki えき Taxi stand Takushi noriba タクシーのりば Bus stop Basu noriba バスのりば Subway Chikatetsu ちかてつ Police box Koban こうばん Public phone Koshuu denwa こうしゅうでんわ Department store Depaato デパート Toilet Toire トイレ
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Useful Kanji
大阪 広島 京都 Osaka Hiroshima Kyoto
東京 駅 JR 私鉄 Tokyo Japan Rail JR Station Private Rail
地下鉄 バス 電車
Subway Bus Train
新幹線 1番線 Bullet Train (shinkansen) Platform No.1
切符売場 快速電車 普通電車
Ticket Counter Rapid Express Train Normal Train
お手洗 自動 非常口
Toilet Automatic Emergency Exit
押/引 入口 開/閉
Push/Pull Entrance Open/Shut
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Hiragana
Katakana
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