here we come, learn some Japanese for your trip to this island nation:)
1) Introduction:
Japanese (日本語nihongo), is spoken in Japan, and essentially nowhere else. Though there are numerous proposed relationships with other languages, none of them has gained unanimous acceptance.
It is written with a combination of three scripts: Chinese characters called kanji (漢字), and two syllabic scripts made up of modified Chinese characters, hiragana (ひらがな or 平仮名) and katakana (カタカナ or 片仮名). The Latin alphabet, rōmaji (ローマ字), is also often used in modern Japanese.
It generally employs a subject-object-verb order, using particles to mark the grammatical functions of the words: eg. “I eat an apple” should be “I an apple eat”( 私が苹果を食べる). And it is common to omit subjects and even objects if these are clear from previous context.
2) Basic Japanese:
Hello こんにちは。 Konnichiwa. (kon-nee-chee-WAH)
How are you? お元気ですか。 O-genki desu ka? (oh-GEN-kee dess-KAH?)
Fine, thank you. 元気です。 Genki desu. (GEN-kee dess)
What is your name? お名前は何ですか。 O-namae wa nan desu ka? (oh-NAH-mah-eh wah NAHN dess-KAH?)
My name is X. 私の名前はX です。 Watashi no namae wa X desu. (wah-TAH-shee no nah-mah-eh wa X dess)
Nice to meet you. 始めまして。 Hajimemashite. (hah-jee-meh-MOSH-teh)
Please (request) お願いします。Onegai shimasu. (oh-neh-gigh shee-moss)
Please (offer) どうぞ。 Dōzo. (DOH-zo)
Thank you! どうもありがとう。 Dōmo arigatō. (doh-moh ah-ree-GAH-toh)
You’re welcome どういたしまして。 Dō itashi mashite. (doh EE-tah-shee mosh-teh)
Yes はい。 Hai (HIGH)
No いいえ。 Iie (EE-eh)
Excuse me. すみません。 Sumimasen (soo-mee-mah-sen)
I’m sorry. 御免なさい。 Gomen-nasai (goh-men-nah-sigh)
Goodbye (long-term) さようなら。 Sayōnara (sa-YOH-nah-rah)
Goodbye (informal) それでは。 Sore dewa (SOH-reh deh-wah)
I can’t speak Japanese [well] 日本語「よく」話せません。 Nihongo [yoku] hanasemasen. (nee-hohn-goh [yo-koo] hah-nah-seh-mah-sen)
Do you speak English? 英語を話せますか。 Eigo o hanasemasuka? (AY-goh oh hah-nah-seh-moss-KAH?)
Is there someone here who speaks English? だれか英語を話せますか。 Dareka eigo o hanasemasuka? (dah-reh-kah AY-goh oh hah-nah-seh-moss-KAH?)
Help! たすけて! Tasukete! (tah-soo-keh-teh!)
Look out! あぶない! Abunai! (ah-boo-NIGH!)
Good morning. おはようございます。 Ohayō gozaimasu. (oh-hah-YOH go-zigh-moss)
Good evening こんばんは。 Konbanwa. (kohm-bahn-wah)
Good night (to sleep) おやすみなさい。 Oyasuminasai. (oh-yah-soo-mee-nah-sigh)
I don’t understand. わかりません。 Wakarimasen. (wah-kah-ree-mah-sen)
Where is the toilet? トイレはどこですか。 Toire wa doko desu ka? (toy-reh wah DOH-koh dess kah?)
These are the basic Japanese. You will find them very helpful on your travel to Japan. Also, take along a small dictionary, and then you won’t bother to speak, just show them what you wanna say.