Live in Japan · 64 lessons
Choose Japanese for the next part of daily life.
Live in Japan filters shared lessons—not official guidance or a required course. Pick one task; use Lesson 1 only for foundations.
Immediate safety
Immediate danger in Japan?
Stop using this site. Call 119 when a fire engine or ambulance is needed, or 110 for a crime or accident requiring an immediate police response. Do not work through language lessons first.
Direct answer
Choose what is happening now—not the earliest lesson number.
If nobody is in immediate danger, choose the current task: talk with people, handle a home or service issue, eat or shop, travel, visit a clinic, or complete an institutional exchange. This page only selects language practice; it cannot decide eligibility, deadlines, documents, rights, urgency, safety, fees, or outcomes. Follow the current instructions of the responsible municipality, institution, provider, clinician, operator, bank, or property manager.
Seven daily-life task families · one support group
What do you need to handle in daily life?
Open only the group that matches the task in front of you. Lesson numbers are Roadmap references, not steps you must complete here.
Connect where you live · 8 lessonsI need to begin, repair, call, or join an exchange.Greetings, neighbors, phone calls, and community activities
Choose one exchange for the person, relationship, channel, and activity in front of you.
Boundary: Relationship, timing, formality, and phone procedures vary. Confirm who you are speaking with and the next action; this page cannot verify a caller or organization. Never share a PIN, password, one-time code, or full card credentials with an unverified caller.
- Japanese Greetings: 15 Useful Phrases for Everyday LifeCan-do: Choose an appropriate Japanese greeting for the time and relationship.Open this lesson
- How to Introduce Yourself in JapaneseCan-do: Give a 20-second Japanese self-introduction.Open this lesson
- Arigatou Meaning: 7 Natural Ways to Say Thank You in JapaneseCan-do: Thank someone in casual and polite everyday situations.Open this lesson
- Sumimasen Meaning: Sorry, Excuse Me, or Thank You?Can-do: Use sumimasen to get attention, make a small apology, or acknowledge another person's effort.Open this lesson
- How to Say “Please Speak Slowly” in JapaneseCan-do: Ask a speaker to slow down or repeat, then confirm one recovered detail without ending the conversation.Open this lesson
- Japanese Greetings for Meeting Your NeighborsCan-do: Introduce yourself as a new neighbor and close the exchange naturally.Open this lesson
- Japanese Phone Call Phrases: Introduce, Ask, and ConfirmCan-do: Open one phone call, state its purpose, and confirm the next action.Open this lesson
- Japanese Community Event Phrases: Join and HelpCan-do: Confirm the practical details of one community event and join appropriately.Open this lesson
Settle the home and recurring services · 11 lessonsI need a delivery, household rule, utility, repair, rental, bill, or local service.Home, deliveries, waste, utilities, and recurring services
Choose one language task for the address, property, parcel, household issue, or regular service in front of you.
Boundary: Waste categories and collection days are local. Property, utility, delivery, rental, billing, and service rules vary; follow the current municipality, provider, landlord, manager, contract, and emergency instructions for the address.
- Japanese Post Office Phrases: Send a ParcelCan-do: Present a parcel and confirm the destination, service, form, and payment steps.Open this lesson
- Japanese Missed Delivery Phrases: Arrange RedeliveryCan-do: Use a missed-delivery notice to request and confirm redelivery.Open this lesson
- Japanese Delivery Time Phrases: Receive a ParcelCan-do: Confirm and complete a simple home-delivery handoff.Open this lesson
- Japanese Trash Sorting Phrases: Ask Which CategoryCan-do: Ask which local waste category one item belongs to.Open this lesson
- Japanese Trash Day Phrases: Confirm When and WhereCan-do: Confirm when and where one waste category is collected.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Utility Problem Phrases: Water, Gas, and PowerCan-do: Report one utility problem and follow the provider or manager's immediate instruction.Open this lesson
- Japanese Apartment Repair Phrases: Report a ProblemCan-do: Describe one apartment fault and confirm the next repair step.Open this lesson
- Japanese Rental Viewing Phrases: Ask About the RoomCan-do: Ask and record the basic facts of one rental property viewing.Open this lesson
- Japanese Bill Payment Phrases: Pay at a CounterCan-do: Present one payment slip and confirm whether and how it can be paid.Open this lesson
- Japanese Hair Salon Phrases: Explain the Cut You WantCan-do: Show and confirm a basic haircut request before the cut begins.Open this lesson
- Japanese Dry Cleaning Phrases: Drop Off and Collect ClothesCan-do: Leave one clothing item for cleaning and confirm collection details.Open this lesson
Ask the responsible institution · 6 lessonsI need help with a form, record, insurance desk, bank, or consultation.Administration, institutional steps, and public support
Choose the language task closest to the office, form, record, account question, or referral you need now.
Boundary: These lessons do not determine status, eligibility, required documents, deadlines, fees, account acceptance, benefits, record contents, or referral outcomes. Confirm the decision with the responsible authority or institution.
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese City Hall Phrases: Ask About Address RegistrationCan-do: State the address-registration task and follow the staff's document, form, and counter instructions.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Residence Certificate Phrases: Request a CopyCan-do: Request the intended residence-certificate copy and confirm the collection process.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Health Insurance Desk Phrases: Ask for GuidanceCan-do: Present one health-insurance administrative issue and follow the official next instruction.Open this lesson
- Japanese Form Filling Phrases: Name, Address, and HelpCan-do: Complete the identity and address fields of a basic form with staff guidance.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Bank Account Phrases: Ask About Opening an AccountCan-do: Ask about account opening and follow the bank's current document and application instructions.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Consultation Desk Phrases: Find the Right SupportCan-do: Explain one practical problem and follow a confirmed referral to the right support.Open this lesson
Eat and check dietary needs · 6 lessonsI need to order, reserve, take out, or ask about ingredients.Food, restaurant arrangements, allergies, and dietary needs
Choose one language task for the table, booking, order, or ingredient question in front of you.
Boundary: Staff explanations cannot guarantee ingredients or cross-contact safety. Follow the venue’s current information; if anyone may be in immediate danger, use the emergency action above.
- How to Order Food in Japanese: A Simple Step-by-Step GuideCan-do: Order a menu item, quantity, and drink, then ask for the check.Open this lesson
- 25 Japanese Restaurant Phrases for Travelers and ResidentsCan-do: Handle common restaurant questions from arrival through payment.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Phrases for Food Allergies and Dietary RestrictionsCan-do: State a food allergy, ask about ingredients and shared preparation as separate facts, and decide whether to order from the restaurant's current answer.Open this lesson
- Japanese Restaurant Reservation Phrases: Book a TableCan-do: Request and confirm one restaurant reservation.Open this lesson
- Japanese Takeout Phrases: Order Food to GoCan-do: Place and collect one simple takeout order.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationVegetarian and Vegan Japanese Phrases: Check IngredientsCan-do: Explain one dietary boundary and act on the staff's ingredient answer or uncertainty.Open this lesson
Buy and pay · 9 lessonsI need a price, store, payment, ATM, lost-item, or refund exchange.Shopping, payments, machines, and transaction recovery
Choose the transaction or handoff closest to the counter, screen, card, or lost item in front of you.
Boundary: Prices, supported payments, ATM flows, lost-property handling, and return or refund outcomes vary. Follow the responsible operator, institution, or store; a phrase cannot guarantee acceptance, recovery, or a refund.
- How to Say “How Much Is This?” in JapaneseCan-do: Ask one item's price, confirm the yen amount, and use it to make a budget decision.Open this lesson
- 20 Japanese Shopping Phrases You Can Use TodayCan-do: Move through a simple store interaction from finding an item to paying.Open this lesson
- Kore, Sore, and Are: This and That in JapaneseCan-do: Point to nearby and distant objects with the correct Japanese demonstrative.Open this lesson
- Japanese Convenience Store Phrases: What the Staff Is AskingCan-do: Answer common convenience-store checkout questions with short responses.Open this lesson
- Japanese Lost Item Phrases: Ask at a Station or StoreCan-do: Report one lost item and provide the place, time, and identifying details.Open this lesson
- How to Ask to Charge an IC Card in JapaneseCan-do: Ask to add a chosen amount to an IC card and confirm the new balance.Open this lesson
- Japanese ATM Words and Phrases: Withdraw CashCan-do: Recognize and complete the visible steps of a basic cash withdrawal or stop safely when it fails.Open this lesson
- Japanese Payment Method Phrases: Cash, Card, or MobileCan-do: Ask which payment methods are accepted and complete one supported payment.Open this lesson
- Japanese Return and Refund Phrases: Ask Store StaffCan-do: Explain one purchase problem and understand the store's return or exchange response.Open this lesson
Move around · 7 lessonsI need directions, a train, a bus, a taxi, or disruption information.Daily transport and changing journeys
Choose the movement question closest to the route, vehicle, stop, or disruption in front of you.
Boundary: Routes, fares, timetables, and disruption handling change. Follow current operator instructions and live alerts.
- How to Ask for Directions in JapaneseCan-do: Ask where a destination is and confirm the first route step.Open this lesson
- Japanese Train Phrases: Tickets, Platforms, and TransfersCan-do: Find the right platform and ask where to transfer.Open this lesson
- How to Ask “Does This Train Go to…?” in JapaneseCan-do: Confirm a train's destination and recognize when a transfer is required.Open this lesson
- Japanese Bus Phrases: Boarding, Paying, and Getting OffCan-do: Board a local bus, follow the payment flow, and confirm where to get off.Open this lesson
- How to Ask “Does This Bus Go to…?” in JapaneseCan-do: Ask whether a bus goes to a destination and act on the driver's answer.Open this lesson
- Japanese Taxi Phrases: Destination, Stops, and PaymentCan-do: Give a taxi destination, confirm the stop, and complete payment.Open this lesson
- Japanese Train Delay Phrases: Ask What Happens NextCan-do: Identify a train delay and confirm one workable next travel step.Open this lesson
Prepare before you need it · 7 lessonsI need medical, disaster, emergency, or police language.Report observable facts and follow current instructions
These seven safety-essential lessons are for language preparation, not live assessment or emergency response.
Boundary: They cannot decide that waiting is safe, diagnose or recommend treatment, guarantee medicine, replace a live alert or local hazard plan, or guarantee a police or medical outcome.
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Phrases for Visiting a DoctorCan-do: Describe one symptom, body location, and duration, then confirm medicine timing.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Emergency Phrases: How to Ask for HelpCan-do: Ask for emergency help and give a simple location and problem.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Pharmacy Phrases: Ask for the Right HelpCan-do: Describe one symptom and confirm whether and how to use a pharmacy product.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Clinic Reception Phrases: Appointment and FormsCan-do: Check in at a clinic and confirm the form, waiting, and language-support steps.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Earthquake Phrases: Understand Immediate InstructionsCan-do: Recognize one immediate earthquake instruction and confirm where to move next.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Typhoon Phrases: Understand Warnings and ClosuresCan-do: Recognize one typhoon warning and confirm the current local action.Open this lesson
- Safety / procedure preparationJapanese Police Station Phrases: Ask for Non-emergency HelpCan-do: Explain one non-emergency problem and follow the next police instruction.Open this lesson
Support, not another daily-life task · 10 lessonsScripts, sound, or sentence choices block every task.Open a foundation or grammar reference
Use this support group only when the language system—not the daily-life task—is what stops you.
Boundary: For one recommended order, switch to the Roadmap. For a five-lesson script and sound scaffold, use Pre-N5; that is Kotoba Street’s own label, not an official JLPT level or prerequisite.
- Learn Japanese for Beginners: Choose Your First RouteCan-do: Choose one immediate Japanese need, select a route, and open its first useful lesson.Open this lesson
- Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji: How Japanese Writing WorksCan-do: Identify the hiragana, katakana, and kanji parts of one mixed Japanese word or message.Open this lesson
- Hiragana Chart for Beginners: Learn the 46 Basic CharactersCan-do: Read the five vowel hiragana and identify the main sound rows.Open this lesson
- Katakana Chart for Beginners: Read Japanese LoanwordsCan-do: Recognize common katakana words on menus and signs.Open this lesson
- Japanese Pronunciation Guide: Vowels, Rhythm, and Long SoundsCan-do: Pronounce the five Japanese vowels and hear the difference made by sound length.Open this lesson
- Japanese Sentence Structure: The Beginner’s GuideCan-do: Build a simple Japanese sentence with a topic, information, and final verb or predicate.Open this lesson
- What Does Desu Mean? Japanese Polite Sentences ExplainedCan-do: Make basic polite noun and adjective statements with desu.Open this lesson
- Wa vs Ga: How to Choose the Right Japanese ParticleCan-do: Use wa to establish a topic and ga to identify or present focused information in basic sentences.Open this lesson
- Ni vs De in Japanese: Place and Action ParticlesCan-do: Use ni for a destination or existence and de for where an action happens.Open this lesson
- Japanese Masu Form: Present, Past, Negative, and Past NegativeCan-do: Say what you do, do not do, did, and did not do in polite Japanese.Open this lesson