15+ Easy Japanese Homestay Phrases For Your Trip

Whether you’re traveling to Tokyo for the first time or you’re a student looking to immerse yourself in the Japanese language, staying in a Japanese homestay is the best bet for you. Besides allowing you to stay in the country on a budget, it also offers first-hand immersion in Japanese culture and language. If you do decide to stay in one, we’ve compiled a few useful Japanese homestay phrases that may help you interact with your host family better. Read on!

What You Need To Know About Japanese Homestays

What Is A Japanese Homestay

A homestay, in a nutshell, is when you bunk up with a local family in their very own home. It’s a fantastic opportunity to dive into the local culture and get a firsthand look at how people live in a traditional Japanese house. You can usually find homestays through schools, travel agencies, and various other organizations – so it’s super accessible too!

There are many different homestay programs available in Japan, with some Japanese people making it their passion to become a host family to people visiting their country. This gives people who join such programs a way to immerse themselves in the Japanese language.

Why Do People Stay In Japanese Homestays

As we’ve said, there are many different types of homestay programs available in Japan. Some programs are designed for students who are learning the Japanese language in a cultural exchange program. There are also sports-focused programs, as well as some homestays that focus on several awesome interests, including Japanese culture and art. For many people, a homestay is part of their holistic experience, helping them get better at their chosen craft.

However, imagine you are a person visiting Japan for the first time, but you want to do it on a budget. A homestay is typically cheaper than a hotel or hostel, as you are only renting a room. And with room prices skyrocketing in Japan, especially during peak seasons, homestays can be a very attractive option for travelers on a budget.

Plus, you get to live in a house as a guest and get a free meal and drink (if you’re polite) as well! What’s not to like?

What Are The Benefits Of Choosing A Japanese Homestay

There are many different benefits to choosing a Japanese homestay. Here are the basics:

Boost your Japanese chops! Diving headfirst into the language and culture is a surefire way to level up your Japanese. A homestay in Japan is perfect for this – you’ll be surrounded by native speakers, giving you ample chances to learn speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with actual native people ready to help and note your progress.

Get the inside scoop on Japanese culture. By staying with a Japanese family, you’ll get to see and experience the customs, traditions, and food up close and personal. Plus, you’ll get insights into the everyday lives of Japanese folks and may even learn new habits and customs that you can use in your daily life.

Find your global tribe. Homestays are a fantastic way to meet and befriend people from all corners of the world, all sharing a common interest in learning Japanese culture. Who knows, you might even make some buddies for life!

Travel like a local. A Japanese homestay is far from your typical touristy trip. You’ll get to explore authentic Japan and immerse yourself in the culture on a deeper level. From great tips on where to go shopping to finding a place to settle in the future, choosing a Japanese homestay is a one-of-a-kind adventure you won’t forget!

Basic Phrases For Japanese Homestays

Greetings And Introductions

English	Japanese	Romaji	Pronunciation
Hello/Good afternoon	こんにちは	Konnichiwa	Play
Nice to meet you (for the first time)	はじめまして	Hajimemashite	Play
Please be kind to me/I look forward to working with you	よろしくおねがいします	Yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Play
My name is <name>	私の名前は <your name> です	Watashi no namae wa <name> desu	Play
I’m from [country]	[country] から来ました	Country kara kimashita	Play
I’m very happy to be in Japan	日本に来て、とてもうれしいです	Nihon ni kite, totemo ureshii desu	Play
I’m studying Japanese	日本語を勉強しています	Nihongo wo benkyou shiteimasu	Play
Pleased to meet you	どうぞよろしく	Douzo yoroshiku	Play
Thank you for taking care of me	お世話になります	Osewa ni narimasu	Play

Phrases For Everyday Interactions And Permission

English	Japanese	Romaji	Pronunciation
May I take a shower?	シャワーを浴びてもよいですか ?	Shawā o abite mo yoidesu ka	Play
May I take a bath?	お風呂に入れてもいいですか?	Ofuro ni irete mo īdesu ka	Play
May I use the phone?	携帯電話を使ってもいいですか？	Keitai denwa o tsukatte mo īdesu kao？	Play
May I borrow a towel?	タオルをお借りしてもよろしいですか？	Taoru o okari shite mo yoroshīdesu ka？	Play
Please speak slowly.	ゆっくり話してください	Yukkuri hanashitekudasai	Play

Phrases For Invitations And Suggestions

English	Japanese	Romaji	Pronunciation
Shall we go out somewhere?	どこかへ出かけようか？	Doko ka e dekakeyō ka？	Play
Shall we go to the park and play	公園に行って遊ぼうか	Kōen ni itte asobō ka	Play
Want to go for a drink?	飲み物はどうする？	Nomimono wa dō suru？	Play
Let’s try this restaurant.	このレストランに行ってみようか	Kono resutoran ni ittemiyō ka.	Play
Let’s go home.	家に帰ろうか。	Ie ni kaerō ka .	Play

Casual Phrases To Practice With Your Host Family

English	Japanese	Romaji	Pronunciation
How do you say this in Japanese?	日本語ではどう言うのでしょうか？	Nihongo de wa dō iu nodeshō ka？	Play
Do you find English difficult?	英語は難しいと感じますか？	Eigo wa muzukashī to kanjimasu ka ？	Play
Is this your home town?	これはあなたのホームタウンですか？	Kore wa anata no hōmutaundesu ka ？	Play
Have you been to any other countries?	他の国には行ったことがありますか？	Ta no kuni ni wa okonatta koto ga arimasu ka ？	Play
What do you usually do at weekends?	普段、週末は何をしていますか？	Fudan , shūmatsu wa nani o shiteimasu ka ？	Play
Do you often eat Japanese food, or do you like other cuisines as well?	日本食をよく食べますか？それとも他の料理も好きですか？	Nipponshoku o yoku tabemasu ka ？ Soretomo ta no ryōri mo sukidesu ka ？	Play
What time is it now?	今は何時ですか？	Ima wa nan jidesu ka ？	Play
How do you get to <location>	どうやって＜location＞に行くのですか？	Dō yatte ＜＞ ni iku nodesu ka ？	Play
How long is it to the nearest station?	最寄りの駅までどのくらいかかりますか？	Moyori no eki made dono kurai kakarimasu ka ？	Play

Learn More Japanese Homestay Phrases With Ling

We hope you liked this list of useful phrases that you can use with your homestay in Japan! But if you’d like to delve more into learning Japanese – perhaps to find meaning in your life or to ask someone out on a date – we’ve got just the thing for you!

Say hello to the Ling app – a language learning platform with lessons in Japanese and over 60+ other languages! Each lesson is crafted with fluency in mind, teaching you not just vocabulary but also grammar, writing, and speaking. Upgrade your language learning today by downloading the Ling app for free on Android or iPhone.