Translation and map apps to install before Japan
You will face signs and menus in a script you cannot read, so you want your phone ready.
Food, etiquette and daily basics
Do you need restaurant reservations in Japan?
You are afraid of arriving hungry and finding every table taken, with no Japanese to ask.
You do not need a reservation for most casual meals in Japan, but you do for special dinners and small restaurants. Book the two or three meals you are travelling for, and walk in for the rest. This guide shows which is which.
Which meals need a reservation?
Book these ahead:
- Kaiseki, a traditional multi-course meal, and other set-menu dinners.
- Teppanyaki and steak restaurants, including Kobe beef.
- Small sushi counters with a handful of seats.
- Any restaurant you travelled to see, especially on weekends.
- Groups of four or more at any dinner.
The Kobe beef guide and the kaiseki versus casual guide explain two examples.
Which meals take walk-ins?
Ramen shops, conveyor-belt sushi, food halls, station restaurants and street stalls take walk-ins. You may queue at lunch, and a queue is part of the experience. Go a little before the usual meal hour to shorten the wait.
How do you book without Japanese?
Use one of these routes.
- Ask your hotel front desk. Many hotels book nearby restaurants for guests.
- Use the restaurant’s own booking page, if it has an English version.
- Send the request through a planner who writes to the restaurant for you.
Give the date, time, number of guests and any dietary needs in writing. Keep the restaurant’s name in Japanese on your phone, so a taxi driver or a passer-by can help. The translation apps guide covers useful tools.
What about dietary needs?
Fixed menus are hard to change on the day, so say what you need when you book. Muslim travellers should ask about pork, alcohol and cooking sake in advance. The Muslim-friendly dining guide and the dietary cards guide help.
When can a planner help?
A planner helps when dinners are the point of the trip, when the restaurant takes bookings only in Japanese, or when dietary needs make the request complicated. We can book key dinners and send you the confirmation. For solo travellers, see eating alone in Japan, and for families, the dining with kids guide.
What should Malaysian travellers remember?
Book early for Malaysian school holidays, since those weeks overlap with busy seasons. Keep one flexible evening in the plan, so a missed booking is not a crisis. A walk-in meal near the hotel is a fine backup.
If you have two or three dinners you do not want to miss, send us the dates and any dietary needs. We tell you which to book, and make the reservations with you.
Keep planning
Eating alone in Japan: a solo diner guide
You are travelling solo, and you worry about walking into a restaurant by yourself.
Eating out in Japan with young children
You picture a meltdown at a quiet counter, and you want a plan for feeding the little ones.
Food allergy and dietary cards for Japan
You read menus easily at home, but in Japan you worry about what is hidden in the dish.
Kyoto kaiseki or casual meals
You want one memorable Kyoto dinner, and you wonder whether a set menu fits your group.
Muslim-friendly meal planning in Japan
You want to enjoy Japanese food and still be sure of what is in each dish.
Questions travellers ask
Do I need to book every restaurant in Japan?
No. Casual places such as ramen shops, conveyor-belt sushi, food halls and station restaurants take walk-ins, and you may queue. Book the special meals: kaiseki, teppanyaki, small sushi counters, and any place you travelled for. Book earlier for weekends, holidays and groups.
How do I reserve without speaking Japanese?
Ask your hotel front desk, use the restaurant's own English booking page where one exists, or send the request through a planner. Give the date, time, number of guests and any dietary needs in writing. Have the restaurant's name in Japanese ready to show on your phone.
Can the hotel or a planner book for me?
Yes. Many hotels book nearby restaurants for guests, and we can book key dinners for you and send the confirmation. Tell us your dietary needs early, since a fixed menu is hard to change on the day.
Ready to shape your Japan trip?
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you hope to see. We will reply with ideas and a tailored quote.