Katakana words you will see on a trip to Japan
For adult beginners planning a trip to Japan.
Japanese writes most words borrowed from other languages in katakana. Many of them come from English, so once you can read katakana, a surprising number of signs and menus suddenly make sense. Here are words travelers meet again and again, grouped by where you will see them.
At the hotel
| Katakana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ホテル | hoteru | hotel |
| ロビー | robī | lobby |
| エレベーター | erebētā | elevator |
| シャワー | shawā | shower |
| ヘアドライヤー | headoraiyā | hair dryer |
| ワイファイ | waifai | Wi-Fi |
| ルームサービス | rūmu sābisu | room service |
Getting around
| Katakana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| タクシー | takushī | taxi |
| チケット | chiketto | ticket |
| マップ | mappu | map |
| スーツケース | sūtsukēsu | suitcase |
| リュック | ryukku | backpack |
| ツアー | tsuā | tour |
At a café or restaurant
| Katakana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| メニュー | menyū | menu |
| レストラン | resutoran | restaurant |
| コーヒー | kōhī | coffee |
| ケーキ | kēki | cake |
| サラダ | sarada | salad |
| ラーメン | rāmen | ramen |
| サンドイッチ | sandoitchi | sandwich |
| セット | setto | set meal |
| フォーク | fōku | fork |
| ナイフ | naifu | knife |
Katakana menus are everywhere in Japan: cafés, family restaurants and convenience stores. Even ラーメン (rāmen) is usually written in katakana.
Everyday words
| Katakana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| トイレ | toire | toilet; restroom |
| クレジットカード | kurejitto kādo | credit card |
| ショッピングモール | shoppingu mōru | shopping mall |
| ネット | netto | internet |
Three marks that help you read them
- The long bar ー makes the sound before it longer: コーヒー is kōhī, not kohi.
- A small ッ doubles the next consonant with a short pause: チケット is chiketto.
- Small ャ ュ ョ blend with the sound before them: メニュー is menyū.
Practice tip
Read each word aloud and guess the English word before you look at the meaning. Sounding it out is the fastest way to connect the shapes to the sounds. Then try writing three of them from memory.
Free printables
Print a free katakana chart from our home page and keep it next to you while you read.
Want a guided path? The Hiragana & Katakana Workbook for Adult Beginners by Kotori Press covers all 92 characters in 30 short lessons, with numbered stroke order, look-alike warnings, these travel words and a café menu to read. Every page was checked by a native Japanese speaker.