Every phrase you’ll hear and every phrase you can say at a Japanese airport, grouped by when you’ll actually need it. Find your situation and get the exact line in seconds.
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Arrival & Immigration
The first stretch after landing: passport control, collecting your bags, and clearing customs. These phrases cover that whole sequence.
Immigration & Passport Control
The first conversation after landing is usually at immigration. These phrases will help you answer common questions about your visit and understand the instructions from airport staff.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| パスポートを見せてください | Pasupooto o misete kudasai | Please show me your passport. | |
| 渡航目的は何ですか？ | Tokou mokuteki wa nan desu ka? | What’s the purpose of your visit? | |
| 何日間滞在しますか？ | Nannichikan taizai shimasu ka? | How many days will you be staying? | |
| 指紋と写真を撮ります | Shimon to shashin o torimasu | We’ll take your fingerprints and photo. | standard for most foreign visitors |
| こちらの機械に進んでください | Kochira no kikai ni susunde kudasai | Please proceed to this machine. | for automated e-gates |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 観光で来ました | Kankou de kimashita | I’m here for tourism. | |
| 仕事で来ました | Shigoto de kimashita | I’m here for work. | |
| 一週間滞在します | Isshuukan taizai shimasu | I’ll be staying for one week. | swap in the length of your stay: two weeks (nishuukan), three weeks (sanshuukan), etc. |
| ホテルに泊まります | Hoteru ni tomarimasu | I’m staying at a hotel. |
Baggage Claim
After immigration, you’ll need to find your bags and handle any problems if something goes wrong. These phrases cover picking up luggage, asking for help, and reporting missing or damaged bags.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 荷物はこちらのベルトです | Nimotsu wa kochira no beruto desu | Your luggage is on this belt. | |
| 荷物が出てくるまでお待ちください | Nimotsu ga detekuru made omachi kudasai | Please wait for your luggage to come out. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 荷物が出てきません | Nimotsu ga detekimasen | My luggage hasn’t come out. | |
| 荷物がなくなりました | Nimotsu ga nakunarimashita | My luggage is missing. | report this at the baggage service counter |
| どこで荷物を受け取れますか？ | Doko de nimotsu o uketoremasu ka? | Where can I pick up my luggage? | |
| 荷物が壊れています | Nimotsu ga kowarete imasu | My luggage is damaged. |
Customs
The final step before entering Japan is customs. These are the phrases you’ll hear when declaring items and answering questions about what you’re bringing into the country.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 申告するものはありますか？ | Shinkoku suru mono wa arimasu ka? | Do you have anything to declare? | |
| カバンを開けてください | Kaban o akete kudasai | Please open your bag. | |
| こちらの用紙にご記入ください | Kochira no youshi ni gokinyuu kudasai | Please fill out this form. | for the customs declaration |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 申告するものはありません | Shinkoku suru mono wa arimasen | I have nothing to declare. | |
| これはお土産です | Kore wa omiyage desu | This is a souvenir. | |
| 個人使用のものです | Kojin shiyou no mono desu | This is for personal use. |
Getting Oriented
Once you’re through customs, you may need cash, a way to get online, or directions before heading further into the city. These phrases cover the airport’s main traveler services.
Currency Exchange & ATMs
Getting connected is one of the first things many travelers do after landing. These phrases will help you find SIM cards, pocket Wi-Fi, and internet access at the airport.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 両替はこちらでできます | Ryougae wa kochira de dekimasu | You can exchange currency here. | |
| パスポートをお持ちですか？ | Pasupooto o omochi desu ka? | Do you have your passport with you? | often required for currency exchange |
| 手数料がかかります | Tesuuryou ga kakarimasu | There’s a service fee. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 両替所はどこですか？ | Ryougaejo wa doko desu ka? | Where is the currency exchange? | |
| ドルを円に両替したいです | Doru o en ni ryougae shitai desu | I’d like to exchange dollars for yen. | swap in your currency: Euro (yuuro), British Pound (paundo), Chinese Yuan (yuan), South Korean Won (uon) |
| ATMはどこですか？ | Eetiiemu wa doko desu ka? | Where is the ATM? |
SIM Cards & Wi-Fi
Airports can be confusing when you’re unfamiliar with the layout. These phrases will help you ask for directions, find transportation, and get help from information staff.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| こちらがSIMカードの売り場です | Kochira ga shimu kaado no uriba desu | This is where SIM cards are sold. | |
| パスポートが必要です | Pasupooto ga hitsuyou desu | You’ll need your passport. | required to register a SIM |
| 設定方法はこちらに書いてあります | Settei houhou wa kochira ni kaite arimasu | The setup instructions are written here. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIMカードはどこで買えますか？ | Shimu kaado wa doko de kaemasu ka? | Where can I buy a SIM card? | |
| ポケットWi-Fiのレンタルはできますか？ | Poketto Wi-Fi no rentaru wa dekimasu ka? | Can I rent a pocket Wi-Fi? | |
| 無料Wi-Fiはありますか？ | Muryou Wi-Fi wa arimasu ka? | Is there free Wi-Fi? | most terminals offer this, sometimes time-limited |
Information Desk & Directions
Airports can be confusing when you’re unfamiliar with the layout. These phrases will help you ask for directions, find transportation, and get help from information staff.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 何かお困りですか？ | Nanika okomari desu ka? | Is something wrong? Do you need help? | |
| こちらの案内図をご覧ください | Kochira no annaizu o goran kudasai | Please take a look at this map. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 案内所はどこですか？ | Annaijo wa doko desu ka? | Where is the information desk? | |
| _____ 行きの電車はどこですか？ | _____ yuki no densha wa doko desu ka? | Where is the train to _____? | fill in your destination |
| タクシー乗り場はどこですか？ | Takushii noriba wa doko desu ka? | Where is the taxi stand? | |
| 荷物預かり所はありますか？ | Nimotsu azukarijo wa arimasu ka? | Is there a baggage storage service? | useful if you have a long layover |
Departure
Checking a bag, getting through security, and finding your gate. These phrases carry you from curbside to boarding.
Check-in & Bag Drop
Before your flight, you’ll need to check in, drop off luggage, and confirm your seat. These phrases cover the most common exchanges at the airline counter.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| パスポートと航空券を見せてください | Pasupooto to koukuuken o misete kudasai | Please show me your passport and ticket. | |
| お荷物はいくつですか？ | Onimotsu wa ikutsu desu ka? | How many bags do you have? | |
| こちらに荷物を乗せてください | Kochira ni nimotsu o nosete kudasai | Please place your luggage here. | onto the scale or belt |
| 重量オーバーです | Juuryou oobaa desu | Your bag is over the weight limit. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| チェックインをお願いします | Chekkuin o onegaishimasu | I’d like to check in, please. | |
| 窓側の席をお願いします | Madogawa no seki o onegaishimasu | A window seat, please. | swap in aisle seat (tsuurogawa), if preferred |
| 荷物は一つです | Nimotsu wa hitotsu desu | I have one bag. | swap in two (futatsu) or three (mittsu) |
Security
Airport security has its own set of instructions you’ll hear repeatedly. These phrases will help you understand what to remove, where to place items, and what staff are asking you to do.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ポケットの中身を出してください | Poketto no nakami o dashite kudasai | Please empty your pockets. | |
| パソコンをカバンから出してください | Pasokon o kaban kara dashite kudasai | Please take your laptop out of your bag. | |
| 靴を脱いでください | Kutsu o nuide kudasai | Please take off your shoes. | not required at every checkpoint, but common |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 液体物はここに入れればいいですか？ | Ekitaibutsu wa koko ni ireba ii desu ka? | Should I put liquids here? | |
| 何を出せばいいですか？ | Nani o daseba ii desu ka? | What should I take out? |
Boarding
The final step before your flight is finding your gate and getting on the plane. These phrases will help you understand boarding announcements and ask questions if you’re unsure where to go.
Staff might say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| まもなく搭乗が始まります | Mamonaku toujou ga hajimarimasu | Boarding will begin shortly. | |
| 搭乗券を見せてください | Toujouken o misete kudasai | Please show me your boarding pass. | |
| こちらのゲートからご搭乗ください | Kochira no geeto kara gotoujou kudasai | Please board from this gate. |
You can say:
| Japanese | Romaji | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 何番ゲートですか？ | Nanban geeto desu ka? | Which gate number is it? | |
| 搭乗はもう始まっていますか？ | Toujou wa mou hajimatte imasu ka? | Has boarding already started? | |
| 遅れそうです | Okuresou desu | I might be late. | say this to staff if you’re rushing to a gate |
Bonus Vocabulary
Here are some of the most useful airport vocabulary words to know. While many appear throughout the phrase list above, having them all in one place makes them easy to review whenever you need a quick refresher.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 搭乗券 | toujouken | boarding pass |
| 航空券 | koukuuken | plane ticket |
| 手荷物 | tenimotsu | carry-on baggage |
| 預け荷物 | azukenimotsu | checked baggage |
| 両替 | ryougae | currency exchange |
| 税関 | zeikan | customs |
| 検疫 | ken’eki | quarantine |
| 出発ロビー | shuppatsu robii | departure lobby |
| 到着ロビー | touchaku robii | arrival lobby |
| ゲート | geeto | gate |
| 免税店 | menzeiten | duty-free shop |
| 手荷物受取所 | tenimotsu uketorijo | baggage claim |
FAQ
Do I need to fill out a customs form before landing? Japan now handles most of this digitally through Visit Japan Web, though paper forms are still available if you’d rather fill one out on arrival.
What’s the fastest way through immigration as a tourist? Registering your passport and details in advance through Visit Japan Web lets many travelers use the automated e-gates, which are usually faster than the staffed counters.
Can I buy a SIM card at the airport? Yes. Most major airports have SIM and pocket Wi-Fi counters in the arrivals area, and you’ll typically need your passport to register.
Is airport Wi-Fi free in Japan? Most terminals offer free Wi-Fi, though some networks require registering an email address or are limited to a set number of hours.
What happens if my luggage doesn’t arrive? Report it immediately at the baggage service counter near the carousel using 『荷物がなくなりました (Nimotsu ga nakunarimashita)』, meaning my luggage is missing, and staff will help file a claim.
Do I need to take off my shoes at airport security in Japan? It depends on the checkpoint, but it’s common enough that it’s worth expecting, unlike some countries where shoes stay on.
Can I exchange currency at the airport? Yes, most airports have currency exchange counters in both arrivals and departures, though rates are often better at a bank or konbini ATM once you’re in the city.
Learn More Japanese with…
Related Phrase Lists
- Japanese Restaurant Phrase List
Ordering food, asking questions, paying the bill, and everything in between. - Japanese Convenience Store Phrase List
Shopping, paying, using the ATM, buying tickets, and every other konbini situation. - Japanese Taxi Phrase List
Hailing a taxi, telling the driver where to go, paying the fare, and everything in between. - Japanese Hotel Phrase List
Checking in, requesting amenities, solving room problems, checking out, and every other hotel situation. - Japanese Shopping Phrase List
Browsing stores, asking about sizes and prices, paying, tax-free shopping, and every other shopping situation. - Japanese Train Phrase List
Buying tickets, using IC cards, finding your platform, riding the train, making transfers, and every other train travel situation.
Airports in Japan can feel overwhelming at first, but most conversations follow the same patterns every time. Save this page for your next trip to Japan, and enjoy arriving at a Japanese kuukou (空港).
Have a safe journey!
良い旅を！
Alex ✈️✨