Japanese Phrases You Actually Need in Tokyo

Forget textbook Japanese. These are the 15 phrases travelers actually use in Tokyo for ordering food, taking trains, and navigating shops.

Most phrasebooks teach you to say 'Where is the library?' — useless on a real trip. What you actually need in Tokyo is 'Sumimasen' (excuse me / sorry / thank you, all in one), 'Kore o kudasai' (this one, please) while pointing, and 'Okaikei onegai shimasu' (check please) for restaurants.

Add 'Eigo o hanasemasu ka?' (do you speak English?) and you have 80% of what you need. Japanese people will almost always meet you halfway if you open with any phrase in Japanese — effort matters more than accuracy.