japanese essay about my family

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Writing essay about my family for Japanese class

This is just a rough draft but I thought I'd come to yall great people for some help. If you would be so kind to proof read and see if I made some glaring errors or minor grammar issues that'd be fantastic! This isn't for a grade for my class we are turning in a rough draft which will be returned for revisions then turn in for a final grade. It isn't even due for another month but I really wanted to work on it now cause although Im not great at japanese it is still fun. Keep in mind im in Japanese 1 so its gunna sound like a five year old is writing due to our limited vocab and the only kanji we know are the numbers. Anyways here it is...

みなさん、こんにちは。わたしのなまえはケビンさんです。ケント・ステート だいがくのがくせいです。せんこぅはれきしです。いまよねんせえです。わたしは二十四さいです。うちはメーフィールドのがっこうのうしろです。しゅみはにほんごれきしです。わたしはおだのぶながととくがわいえやすずきです。せんごくじだいはわたしのすきなほんです。マーカスオーリーリーアスはわたしのおてほんです。ごぜん六時にうちへかえります。あさごはんはたべません。わたしはおにいさんとおかあさんです。わたしのおとおさんはよねんまえなくなりました。しかたがない。おにいさんはコーヒーがだいすきです。わたしのいぬはなまえのフロードーです。フロードーは一十三さいです。

よろしくおねがいします。

Translation (What Im Trying to say)

Hello everyone. My name is Kevin. I go to Kent state university. I am a history major. I am now a senior in College. I am 24 years old. My house is behind mayfield highschool. My hobby is Japanese History. I like Oda Nobunaga and Tokogawa Ieyasu. Sengoku Jidai is my favorite book. Marcus Aurelius is my role model. I wake up at 6 am. I do not eat breakfast. I have one older brother and a mother. My father passed away four years ago. It Cannot be helped. My older brother loves coffee. My dog's name is frodo. Frodo is 13 years old.

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How to talk about family in Japanese

Knowing how to talk about your family in Japanese can open up your conversation skills! When talking with strangers and friends, family can be a great topic.  The only problem is that talking about family can be difficult to grasp in Japanese!

In this article, I’ll be going over all of the different ways to talk about family and useful phrases.

Talking about your own family vs. Talking about someone else’s family

Before we get into anything specific, it’s important to understand the differences between talking about your own family and talking about someone else’s family! In Japanese, you must use different vocabulary and ways of speech for these two situations. 

When talking about your own family you must refer to your family members with no honorifics and in an “impolite form” . This is because they are your own family.

If you’re talking about someone else’s family, you must use a more polite form . Even if you know the other person’s family well, you must refer to them with some kind of honorifics or polite speech.

Finally, it’s important to know how to talk to your family in Japanese. When you are talking to your family, you have many choices. You can call them by their name or with other family words depending on your relationship. 

All of these can be confusing, so let’s take some examples:

When talking about your own mother, you can use the word 母 はは (haha). Notice how the word doesn’t include any extra honorifics. 

母 はは は 元気 げんき です。 Haha wa genki desu. My mother is doing well.

Now let’s look at how you’d ask about someone else’s mother. Depending on how close you are to the other person, you can use お 母 かあ さん(okaasan) or お 母様  かあさま  (okaasama). The honorifics さん/ 様 さま adds additional levels of politeness.

お 母様 かあさま はお 元気 げんき ですか？ Okaasama wa ogenki desuka? How is your mother?

At this point you might be wondering how to call your own mother. You actually have lots of choices ranging from formal to super casual. This simply depends on how you grew up and what you become accustomed to saying.

How to say “Family” and “Relatives” in Japanese

Let’s go over how to say the words for “family” and “relative” in Japanese. This can be useful to ask general questions about how someone’s family is doing. In addition, you can use this to describe your own family.

Here are the two ways to say “family:

This is the basic word for family.  There is no politeness attached to kazoku so it is best when talking about your own family or your friend’s family. It’s also possible to use this when talking about “family” as a general concept.

You should use this word when you’re talking about someone else’s family in a polite way. If you’re very good friends with the other person, you might be able to use kazoku instead.  

There are also two ways to say “relatives”:

In this case, there are no real differences between the two words. However, shinseki might be more common than shinrui .

Members of the Family in Japanese

Here is the vocabulary for members of the family! As I mentioned earlier, there are different words you need depending on if you’re talking about your own family vs. talking about someone else’s family. Some of these words can also be used for multiple situations. 

To make things easier, I’ll mark each word with letters that will represent the situation!

P = Polite (Use with strangers, acquaintances, older people, people you need to respect)

C = Casual (Use with friends, and those who are younger than you)

O = Talking about your own family to someone else

S = Talking about someone else’s family

T = Talking to your family member directly

There are many words for mothers, especially for how people call their own moms. I won’t go into all of them here, but try observing how other people call their mom.

This word for mom, is usually only used by men.

Just like “mother”, there are lots of words that people use to call their own father. I only put the general words here.

For these two words, you don’t have to worry too much about politeness or situation. They can be used to talk about yourself and to talk about others.

In most cases, it’s better to use kyoudai instead of shimai. This is because Kyoudai means “siblings” in general, whereas shimai only refers to female siblings. 

Older sister

Note that this word can also be used to refer to people who are not your relative. When used in this context, it just means a woman who’s a bit older than you. An example would be if a child is being babysat by a teenager, they might call them oneesan. 

Younger sister

Since a younger sister implies they are younger, they are usually referred to in a more casual way.

Older brother

Like oneesan, oniisan can also be used as a word to describe someone who’s slightly older than you. It’s not always only for relatives.

Younger brother:

This one shows more respect for your husband than 夫.

Teishu is used when the husband is “good for nothing” or doesn’t deserve as much respect. If you’re talking about someone else’s husband, it would be best use it while the wife is not around as it could be rude.

Unlike tsuma, kanai implies that you feel very close to your wife. 

This is the basic word for “child” in Japanese. This means that anyone can use this word in a general context. When referring to someone else’s child, you should use the other polite words.

Extended Family in Japanese:

Since there are so many family words, I decided to split the vocabulary into another section for extended family. 

These will also follow the same organizing format (if you need to refresh what this means read the previous section!):

Grandparents: 

Saying “grandparents” referring to someone else’s family:

If you’d like to say grandparent referring to someone else’s family, you should say “grandmother and grandfather”. There isn’t really one word people use to indicate grandparents, when talking about someone else’s family.

Grandfather:

Grandmother:.

For cousins, there’s basically just one word. Depending on the gender, there are some different ways to write the word in kanji . However, this is not extremely important and I recommend sticking to the hiragana!

Grandchild:

For describing your in-laws, you would use this phrase. Simply put the family word in the blank.

For example, mother in-law would be:

義理 ぎり のお 母 かあ さん – giri no okaasan

Phrases for Describing your Family:

As explained before, knowing how to use the level of formality is important! Make sure that you always talk about your own family member in a way that uses no honorifics. 

Using particle は(wa):

The particle は(wa) is useful when describing your family. All you have to do is to put the family member + は( wa) + description to form a phrase.  は(wa)  acts as an “is” in English.

For example, you can say, “my younger sister is a university student”.

妹 いもうと は 大学生 だいがくせい です。 Imouto wa daigakusei desu. My younger sister is a university student.

Useful Phrases:

Here are some other phrases for describing your family.

This is useful if you want to say you have a particular family member. For example “I have a younger brother” would be 弟 おとうと がいます (otouto ga imasu).

If you’re an only child, you could say this phrase to describe yourself.

To show the size of your family, you could put a number in the blank. This would usually only apply to the number of immediate family members you have.

Asking about someone’s family:

Formality: .

When asking about someone else’s family, make sure to be as polite as possible. If you’re really close friends or much older than the other person, you might be able to get away with using more informal language. However, as a general practice you’ll want to be more formal than if you’re talking about your own family. 

Useful Questions:

Here are some questions you can ask someone about their family. When the phrase has a blank, you can add the type of family member.

I hope that this article will help you with learning the vocabulary and phrases for talking about family in Japanese! As you can see, there are lots of different ways to say the word for the family member. Knowing how to navigate this will take some time, and I encourage you  to listen to the way that native speakers use the vocabulary. If you’re interested in other Japanese language learning blog content, be sure to check out  How to tell the time in Japanese  or  Japanese Numbers: Count from 1-100 and beyond

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Talk About Family in Japanese: Father-in-Law and More!

Learning a foreign language isn’t only about the language itself, but also about its culture, customs, and society. Family is the minimum unit of a social group, and it’s important to understand its characteristics as this is closely related to culture and customs.

When you learn how to explain your family in Japanese, it helps to expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.

Compared to English, there are many more words to describe family members in Japanese. These words are according to age and the style (formal and informal). For example, what is a Japanese father-in-law called?

Let’s learn how to describe family in Japanese at JapanesePod101.com. Here’s our list of the most useful Japanese words and family member terms, as well as important information about family in Japan.

Table of Contents

• Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective
• Basic Family Terms
• Terms of Relatives
• Family Terms as a Married Person
• Endearment Terms
• How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese
• Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

1. Family in Japan – Cultural Perspective

Before we move onto the actual family vocabulary, it’s important that we go over family roles in Japanese culture, family values in Japanese society, and the importance of family in Japanese culture. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from Japanese families, and give more context to the Japanese family vocabulary and phrases you’re going to learn!

1- Traditional and Modern Family in Japan

The traditional Japanese family is characterized by the 家 ( Ie ) or family system , which is literally translated as “household.” It refers to a home and family’s lineage, which bestows importance of kinship and loyalty to their family.

Each member of a family is expected to serve their family’s interests (rather than the individual’s) as a priority. The Japanese family is traditionally patriarchal and a household usually consists of grandparents, their son, his wife, and their children. The eldest son is expected to inherit the household assets, and he’s responsible for taking care of his parents when they get old.

In the modern Japanese family, however, the influence of the traditional ie system isn’t as strong as it used to be. A 核家族 ( kaku kazoku ) or “ nuclear family ” is very common nowadays, and consists of two parents and their children, typically centering on a married couple.

While a married couple is expected to live together with a husband’s parents in the traditional Japanese family, grandparents don’t live with a kaku kazoku in a modern Japanese family (although they are visited often).

2- Becoming a Family in Japan (Marriage)

In Japan, the 戸籍 ( Koseki ) or “family registration system” is mandatory to all households. It requires that the family records all changes in family composition and identity, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, acknowledgements of paternity, adoptions, and disrupted adoptions.

It’s required to register one person as the head of a household, and the rest of the members in a household must have the same surname as that of the head. Once a couple gets married, spouses are obligated to have the same surname, and registration of different surnames is not allowed.

Due to the traditional system and the importance of kinship as custom, marriage isn’t only a matter of the bride and groom, but also of their extended family. It’s expected that extended families from both sides are going to have a “family relationship” once a couple gets married in Japan. As such, relationships with one’s in-laws become important.

3- Expressions of Family in Japan

There are various words to name family members in Japanese.

Japanese vocabulary words to describe family count age difference, and there are particular names related to age. This is because age is regarded as one of the most important attributions in the Japanese society, which is greatly influenced by the concept of Confucianism that states seniority is highly respected.

As relationships with in-laws are also culturally important, there are particular names for them as well.

In addition, there are variations of how to express family members, ranging from very casual to formal. Which ones to use depend on the occasion.

Let’s dive into the details in the following sections, and get you started with common family words in Japanese.

2. Basic Family Terms

Now, it’s time to learn some basic Japanese words for family members. These are the words you’ll most often hear and use!

1- Basic Family Vocabularies

The formal terms are usually used for official occasions and in written form, while the informal terms are commonly used in casual situations (orally) as well as when calling a family member.

Average modern Japanese families usually have 1 or 2 children.

2- More Vocabulary

• 家族 かぞく ( Kazoku ) : family
• 両親 りょうしん ( Ryōshin ) : parents (father & mother)
• 親 おや ( Oya ) : parent(s)
• 子供 こども ( Kodomo ) : child(ren)
• 兄弟 きょうだい ( Kyōdai ) : brothers
• 姉妹しまい ( Shimai ) : sisters

3- Examples

Here are some examples of Japanese phrases for family, so you have a better idea how to use the vocabulary above.

• 私の家族は、お母さん、お父さん、私、弟の4人家族です。 Watashi no kazoku wa, o-kā-san, o-tō-san, watashi, otōto no yo-nin kazoku desu. My family has four members: mother, father, me, and my younger brother.
• 私は姉と妹がいる3姉妹です。 Watashi wa ane to imōto ga iru san-shimai desu. I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we are three sisters.
• 私は兄と姉がいます。 Watashi wa ani to ane ga imasu. I have an older brother and an older sister.
• 私は祖父と祖母が大好きです。 Watashi wa sofu to sobo ga daisuki desu. I like my grandfather and grandmother very much.

To listen to the pronunciation of basic family terms, please visit Must-Know Terms for Family Members on our website.

Also, if you would like to know more about Japanese numbers, please visit our Japanese Numbers article .

The bond between a mother and a daughter is often very strong.

3. Terms of Relatives

1- vocabulary for relatives.

• 親戚　しんせき ( Shinseki ) : relatives
• 叔父　おじ ( Oji ) : uncle
• 叔母　おば ( Oba ) : aunt
• 甥　おい (Oi) : nephew
• 姪　めい ( Mei ) : niece
• いとこ ( Itoko ) : cousin

2- Examples

• 私の親戚は全員東京に住んでいます。 Watashi no shinseki wa zen’in Tōkyō ni sunde imasu. All my relatives live in Tokyo.
• 私は5人いとこがいます。 Watashi wa go-nin itoko ga imasu. I have five cousins.
• 私の叔父と叔母は教師です。 Watashi no oji to oba wa kyōshi desu. My uncle and my aunt are teachers.
• 私の姪は5歳で、甥は2歳です。 Watashi no mei wa go-sai de, oi wa ni-sai desu. My niece is five years old and my nephew is two years old.

4. Family Terms as a Married Person

1- vocabulary to know as a married person.

• 結婚 けっこん ( Kekkon ) : marriage
• 既婚 きこん ( Kikon ) : married
• 未婚　みこん ( Mikon ) : unmarried
• 離婚　りこん ( Rikon ) : divorce
• 夫 おっと ( Otto ) : husband
• 妻 つま ( Tsuma ) : wife
• 息子　むすこ ( Musuko ) : son
• 娘　むすめ ( Musume ) : daughter
• 義理の ぎりの ( Giri no ) : in-law

In order to express “XXX in-law,” add 義理の ( Giri no ) in front of XXX (the family member).

For example:

• 義理の両親 ( Giri no ryōshin ) : parents-in-law
• 義理の父 ( Giri no chichi ) : father-in-law
• 義理の母 ( Giri no haha ) : mother-in-law
• 義理の兄 ( Giri no ani ) : older brother-in-law
• 義理の弟 ( Giri no otōto ) : younger brother-in-law
• 義理の姉 ( Giri no ane ) : older sister-in-law
• 義理の妹 ( Giri no imōto ) : younger sister-in-law
• 私は夫と娘が1人います。 Watashi wa otto to musume ga hitori imasu. I have a husband and one daughter.
• 私の義理の父と母は大阪に住んでいます。 Watashi no giri no chichi to haha wa Ōsaka ni sunde imasu. My father and mother in-law live in Osaka.
• 私は既婚者で子供が2人います。 Watashi wa kikonsha de kodomo ga futari imasu. I am married and I have two children.
• 私の義理の両親は、私の息子におもちゃを買いました。 Watashi no giri no ryōshin wa, watashi no musuko ni omocha o kaimashita. My parents-in-law bought a toy for my son.

5. Endearment Terms

In addition to the formal and informal terms for family, there are also more casual vocabulary words that you can call family members. It may vary from household to household, or on what kind of relationships there are between family members, but here are some examples. Just note that these are typically used in Japanese family relationships that are close.

• パパ ( Papa ) : papa

Like in English, “papa” is a common name to call a father in Japan, especially when children are very small. However, most Japanese people don’t use papa as they grow up.

• 父ちゃん ( Tō-chan ) : dad

This term includes a nuance of cute and comical affection.

• おやじ ( Oyaji ) : dad

This term is usually used by sons who are post-adolescent age. When they become adults, they often feel embarrassed to call their father papa or o-tō-san . This term also indicates a nuance of close affection.

• ママ ( Mama ) : mama

Just like papa, mama is used especially when children are still small.

• 母ちゃん ( Kā-chan ) : mom

This is the version of tō-chan used for mothers.

• お袋 ( Ofukuro ) : mom

This is the mother version of oyaji .

3- Grandfather

• じじ ( Jiji ) : grandpa

Grandchildren and their parents usually call a grandfather by this term when the grandchildren are still small. It indicates a nuance of cute affection.

• じーじ ( Jīji ) : grandpa

This is very similar to jiji , but the first ji is pronounced longer.

4- Grandmother

• ばば ( Baba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jiji .

• ばーば ( Bāba ) : grandma

This is the grandmother version of jīji .

Grandparents often have endearing nicknames when they have grandchildren.

6. How to Describe Family and Ask Question about Family in Japanese

Most of the time, there’s no problem with talking about family and relatives. When it comes to marital status and children, however, it can be a delicate matter. It can sometimes be inappropriate to ask someone about his/her marital status or if they have children, unless he/she is open and willing to talk. This is especially true for a woman in her 30s.

Here are some example questions and answers related to family.

Q: 何人家族ですか。 Nan-nin kazoku desu ka. How many family members do you have?

A: お父さん、お母さん、お姉ちゃん、私の4人家族です。 O-tō-san, o-kā-san, o-nee-chan, watashi no yo-nin kazoku desu. I have four family members: father, mother, older sister, and me.

—–

Q: 兄弟はいますか。 Kyōdai wa imasu ka. Do you have brothers and sisters?

*When asking a question, kyōdai can also refer to sisters.

A: 私は姉と弟がいます。 Watashi wa ane to otōto ga imasu. I have an older sister and a younger brother.

Q: 結婚していますか。 Kekkon shite imasu ka. Are you married?

A: はい、妻と子供が2人います。 Hai, tsuma to kodomo ga futari imasu. Yes, I have a wife and two children.

Q: 孫はいますか。 Mago wa imasu ka. Do you have grandchildren?

A: はい、私は孫が6人います。 Hai, watashi wa mago ga roku-nin imasu. Yes, I have six grandchildren.

Q: ご両親はお元気ですか。 Go-ryōshin wa o-genki desu ka. How are your parents?

*It’s polite to put go in front of ryōshin when you talk about someone’s parents.

A: はい、私の父と母は元気です。 Hai, watashi no chichi to haha wa genki desu. Yes, my father and mother are doing well.

For more about self-introductions, please visit Introducing Yourself in Japanese on our website .

7. Conclusion: How Japanesepod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese

I hope this article about family in Japanese culture is useful and that it helps to improve your Japanese communication skills.

If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find more useful content on JapanesePod101.com . We provide a variety of free lessons for you to improve your Japanese language skills. For example, Must-Know Terms for Family Members is helpful if you want to practice family terms in Japanese with audio.

We also have YouTube channel: JapanesePod101 . It’s always fun to learn Japanese by watching videos and listening to actual Japanese pronunciation.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if there are any family terms you still want to know! And to practice, write a short paragraph about your family in basic Japanese. We look forward to hearing from you!

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Howdy Information

My family ~Let’s introduce your family in japanese!~

Talk about your family in japanese with your friends, tell about your mother and father.

・Oka-san (Mother) Introduce to superior… Haha

・Oto-san (Father) Introduce to superior… Chichi

・Ryo-shin (Parents)

Practice；What does your father do (work)?

Tell about your brother and sister

・おにいさん　Oni-san (older brother) Introduce to superior… Ani

・おねえさん　One-san (older sister) Introduce to superior… Ane

・弟（おとうと）　Otouto (younger brother)

・妹（いもうと）　Imouto (younger sister)

when you talk about your friends or someone’s brother and sister, we say “Otouto san”, “Imouto san”.

older brother and younger brother…Kyoudai older sister and younger sister…Shimai

Practice: Do you have bother or sister? If you have, talk about it.

Tell about grand father and grand mother

・おじいさん　Ojii san (Grand father) Introduce to superior… Sofu

・おばあさん　Obaa san (Grand mother) Introduce to superior… Sobo

・ひいおばあさん Hii Obaa san (Great-grand mother)

・ひいおじいさん Hii Ojii san (Great-grand father)

Practice: Tell your grand mother and grand father’s memory.

If you married…

How to call your partner after marrige. ・Otto (husband) ・Tsuma (wife) husband and wife… Fuufu

When you talk about your friends or someone’s husband and wife, we say Goshujin and Okusan. Also, someone’s children call Okosan.

How to call your child

Practice: Which one do you want, boy or girl in the future? Also, what do you plan to name your child?

Tell about your pet

Pet… pet (same as English) To introduce your pet…

○○ wo katte imasu.(I have…) ex) Inu wo katte imasu. (I have a dog.)

Practice: Do you have a pet? What kind of pet do you have?

Let’s introduce your family!

・わたしの家族は、○人です。（Watashi no kazoku wa ○nin desu.） 例）わたしの家族は4人です。（ex) Watashi no kazoku wa yonin desu.）

・○○と○○と○○がいます。（○○to ○○to ○○ga imasu.） 例）母と父と兄とわたしです。（ex) Haha to Chichi to Ani to Watashi desu. ） 母と父と兄がいます。（ Haha to Chichi to Ani ga imasu.）

Ask to your friend

Let’s ask to your friend about family.

・家族は何人いますか？・Kazoku wa nannin imasuka? (How many people do you have in your family?)

・誰がいますか？・Dare ga imasuka? (Who is in there?)

・おいくつですか？・Oikutsu desuka? (How old are they?)

・どこに住んでいますか？・Doko ni sunde imasuka? (Where do they live?)

・お仕事は？・Oshigoto wa? (What is their job?)

Let’s plactice conversation！

A：家族は何人いますか？ B：わたしの家族は６人です。 祖母と母と父と妹です。 それからペットの猫を飼っています。 A：妹さんはおいくつですか？ B：２４さいです。 A：お仕事は？ B：学校の先生をしています。

大切な家族を日本語で紹介できるように練習してみましょう！

A: Kazoku wa nannin imasuka? B: Watashi no kazoku wa rokunin desu. Sobo to haha to chichi to imouto desu. Sorekara pet no neko wo katte imasu. A: Imouto san wa oikutsu desuka? B: Nijyu-yonsai desu. A: Oshigoto wa? B: Gakko no sensei wo shiteimasu.

Let’s paractice and introduce your fabulous family in Japanese!

【Vegetables】What is your favorite food?~Let’s study food names in Japanese.~

【Fruits】 What is your favorite food? -Let’s study food names in Japanese!

You are familiar with Japan⁉ Do you know about Japanese typical food？

Which side are you on? For breakfast,bread or rice? ～various conversation～

What is your hobby? Let’s become able to listen and answer about hobby in Japanese！

Your Step-by-Step Jikoshoukai Guide Learn the basics, practice, and create an advanced Japanese self-introduction

October 11, 2016 • words written by Mami Suzuki and Michael Richey • Art by Aya Francisco

Viewing under The Tofugu JET Program Guide

When you start learning Japanese or are visiting Japan for the first time , there are few words to learn right away:

Once you've mastered those three, you need to learn your jikoshoukai.

Jikoshoukai 自己紹介 （ じこしょうかい ） is the Japanese word for "self-introduction." In theory, this is similar to how you would introduce yourself in your own culture. Say hello, say your name, tell a little about yourself. But in practice, there are cultural differences and set procedures you should stick to. You only get one first impression, so it's important to learn how to do it right.

We'll start by teaching you the basic Japanese self-introduction, then cultural subtleties, and finally a ton of extra grammar and vocabulary you can use to talk about yourself with your new Japanese friends.

Jikoshoukai Vocabulary

Writing your jikoshoukai, 1. first name and family name, 2. occupation, 3. don't talk about yourself too much, 4. bowing vs. handshake, 5. holding your hands behind your back, 6. don't bow while talking, business cards, "nice to meet you", "please be kind to me", where you are from, your school, where you live, hobbies and proficiencies, plans for the future, only the beginning, how to jikoshoukai.

Going to Japan, but don't know Japanese? Don't worry. You can jikoshoukai. The Japanese self-intro has a standard order and set phrases, so even beginners can meet and greet in Japanese.

• How do you do?

The set phrase hajimemashite 初めまして （ はじ　　　　 ） either comes from the verb hajimeru 始める （ はじ　　 ） , which means "to start," or it's a shortened form of 初めて （ はじ　　 ） お 目 （ め ） にかかりまして. Though etymologists aren't sure of the word's true origin, hajimemashite implies beginning or doing something for the first time . Most people think of it as saying "How do you do?" or "Nice to meet you."

• 私 （ わたし ） は [name] と 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• My name is [name].

The breakdown of this sentence is easier than it looks. It has three parts:

• 私 （ わたし ） は - The first word 私 means "I" or "me." It's followed by the particle は which indicates the topic of the sentence. In this case, 私 is the topic.
• [name] - Your name.
• と 申します （ もう　　　 ） - One meaning of the verb 申す is "to be called." It's paired with the particle と and conjugated to 申します。 This is a polite phrase, so it's safe to use in almost any situation.

When you put them all together, you get something along the lines of "I am called [name]" or "My name is [name]."

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• Please be kind to me.

The final piece of the puzzle is よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します. It doesn't translate well to English, which is why we wrote a whole article about it . In a self-intro situation, it means something like "Please be kind to me." It's often translated as "Nice to meet you." This isn't technically correct, though it carries a similar feeling.

Now that you've got the basic building blocks down, it's time to put it together. At its simplest, the jikoshoukai sequence is:

• はじめまして。 私 （ わたし ） は (name) と 申 （ もう ） します。よろしくお 願 （ ねが ） いします。
• How do you do? My name is (name). Please be kind to me.

See? Not so hard. When you're getting ready to meet Japanese people for the first time, write this out and practice until it flows. If you're a beginner at Japanese , you don't need any more than this.

Jikoshoukai Etiquette

It's great to know the words to say when introducing yourself in Japanese, but how you say those words will make or break your jikoshoukai.

There are cultural differences to be aware of. They're subtle, so if you miss them it probably won't be counted against you. But paying attention to details like these can give you an extra social edge when you first meet a new Japanese friend.

In English, people usually introduce themselves by their first names or full names. When you give your full name, the first name comes first and the family name afterward.

In Japanese, people usually introduce themselves by their family names or full names. When they introduce their full name, the family name comes first and the first name comes second.

Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In English, when you asked what you do for work, you give a brief summary of your job, or the name of your profession.

In Japan, it's common to answer only, " 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。" (I'm an office worker./I work for a company./I'm a salaryman.)

However, if you introduce yourself to someone in a business setting, mention your company in your self-intro. For example:

• Tofuguのコウイチと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Koichi from Tofugu.

This concept goes along with our next point…

Japanese people sometimes say lightly self-deprecating things as a form of humility, but it's usually followed by something positive (or the positivity is implied). For example:

• 至らない点が多いかもしれませんが、頑張りますので、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します
• I might have many flaws, but I'll do my best so please be kind to me.

You don't have to say anything like this (in fact, we advise you don't), but the point is this: Japanese people usually keep their strengths on the down-low.

So try not to show off too much. Revealing one or two of your strengths is fine, but listing all your amazing abilities will annoy others and make you seem over-confident.

In the West, if you're meeting someone one-on-one, you shake hands.

In Japan, don't move in for the handshake, especially if your status is the same or lower than the person you're meeting. In Japan, handshakes are for equals, so if you try to shake hands with the Emperor, it would be considered rude. Bow instead, and do so at the beginning and end of your jikoshoukai.

In Japan, holding your hands behind your back signals importance, so it may make you look full of yourself. Put your hands in front of you (the left hand on top of the right), or put your hands beside you.

This is a no-no from our Japanese bowing guide . Do your bowing after giving your self-introduction. Make sure to finish saying "yoroshiku onegaishimasu" and then bow.

Business cards in Japan are called meishi 名刺 （ めいし ） , and are an important part of Japanese culture. Even outside of the business world, Japanese people sometimes have personal meishi made (meishi means "name card" after all).

We covered meishi etiquette in our article about Japanese work customs , but here are the rules again in a jikoshoukai context.

Orient your card toward the recipient. Give and receive meishi with two hands.

Put meishi in a carrying case: You can buy business card carrying cases online or at any department store in Japan. If you don't have a case, you can carefully put the meishi in your purse or wallet after you've received it. Just don't put it in your pocket.

Use two hands: Orient your card toward the recipient when presenting. Hold the top edge with both hands. When they offer their card, accept it with two hands. Try not to cover any words with your fingers either. Some Japanese people are taught that a meishi is the "face" of the person giving it, so you don't want to cover theirs or your own.

When you and your new friend offer each other meishi at the same time: Present your card with your right hand, while simultaneously receiving theirs with your left.

Read meishi you receive: Read the person's name and title on the card before you put it away. Make sure to show interest in what they do. Act at least a little bit impressed with their job title.

When exchanging meishi in a group, give to the most senior person first: Start by giving your business card to the shachou, then fukushachou, and so on down the chain of command .

Treat meishi with respect: Use common sense and treat meishi like you would a gift. Don't toss or write on them.

Expanding the Basic Jikoshoukai

Maybe you've been doing your Japanese self-intro for years, repeating the same three set phrases over and over. Maybe you've read this guide before and have the basics down pat. You're ready to level up!

Below are example sentences you can mix into your standard jikoshoukai to give it more flavor, and make your self-intro a memorable one.

Earlier we learned how to use はじめまして (nice to meet you, how do you do). Here's a few ways to add to this set phrase.

• こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello. Nice to meet you.
• みなさん、はじめまして。
• Nice to meet you, everyone.
• みなさん、こんにちは。はじめまして。
• Hello everyone. Nice to meet you.

For a formal situation, you should say both your first and last names. In a casual situation, it's common to say only your family name for Japanese people.

If you're an English teacher on something like the JET Program , your school might want you to give your first name when you introduce yourself to the students. Ask your supervisor what's appropriate for the situation.

Below are several ways to introduce your name, organized by politeness in ascending order.

• 私 （ わたし ） の 名前 （ なまえ ） はマイケルですが、みんなにはマイクって 呼ばれて （ よ　　　 ） います。
• My name is Michael, but most people call me Mike.
• I'm Michael.

Very Formal:

• マイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。

Very Formal/Business:

• Tofuguのマイケルと 申します （ もう　　　 ） 。
• I'm Michael from Tofugu.

When you end your jikoshoukai, you'll use a phrase that means "Please be kind to me" or "Remember me favorably." But once you've got a handle on the standard " yoroshiku onegaishimasu ," you can move on to more casual or more formal variations. Below we've organized them by politeness level in ascending order.

Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） します。
• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Very Polite/Business:

• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 致します （ いた　　　 ） 。

Formal/Business:

• よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。
• どうぞ、よろしくお 願い （ ねが　 ） 申し上げます （ もう　あ　　　 ） 。

Custom Jikoshoukai Modification

From here we get into the fun stuff. After expanding on the initial three pieces of the Japanese self-introduction, you can start adding information about yourself, short sentences that explain where you're from, what you like to do, and so on.

These jikoshoukai modifications will help people get to know you faster when you first introduce yourself. This is especially important as you start to make more Japanese friends, go on dates, or have job interviews.

Telling where you're from is always a good addition to a self-intro. Even if you don't use it during the initial jikoshoukai, your new Japanese friend will probably ask you anyway, so memorizing a few of these phrases is extra useful.

Two quick vocabulary usage notes: First, the word shusshin 出身 （ しゅっしん ） mean's "person's origin," and refers more to the place you were born or grew up than where you currently live. It's often used for specific places like a city, state, or prefecture, rather than a country. For example, Mami was born in Osaka, and now lives in Canada. But she spent most of her life in Nara, so she says " 奈良県 （ ならけん ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。" or " 出身 （ しゅっしん ） は 奈良県 （ ならけん ） です。"

Second, the verb mairu 参る （ まいる ） is a more humble form of kuru 来る （ く　 ） or iku 行く （ い　 ） . So when 参る （ まい　 ） is used to talk about where you came from in "アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　 ） ," it's much more humble, so use it in appropriate situations.

• アメリカの 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I'm from America.
• アメリカから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• アメリカから 参りました （ まい　　　　 ） 。
• オレゴン 州 （ しゅう ） のポートランドから 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。 生まれ （ う　　 ） も 育ち （ そだ　 ） もポートランドです。
• I'm from Portland, Oregon. Born and raised.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 大阪 （ おおさか ） ですが、 育ち （ そだ　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） です。
• I was born in Osaka, but grew up in Tokyo.
• 育ち （ そだ　 ） はニューヨークです。
• I grew up in New York.
• 田舎 （ いなか ） で 育ちました （ そだ　　　　 ） 。
• I grew up in the countryside.
• 生まれ （ う　　 ） は 東京 （ とうきょう ） ですが、 十歳 （ じゅうさい ） の 時 （ とき ） に 大阪 （ おおさか ） に 引っ越しました （ ひ　こ　　　　 ） 。そして、 大学 （ だいがく ） に 入る （ はい　 ） 時 （ とき ） に、 名古屋 （ なごや ） に 引っ越して （ ひ　こ　　 ） 来ました （ き　　　 ） 。
• I was born in Tokyo, but moved to Osaka when I was ten, and lived there until I entered university, which is when I came to Nagoya.
• 小さい （ ちい　　 ） 時 （ とき ） 、 家族 （ かぞく ） が 何度も （ なんど　 ） 引っ越した （ ひ　こ　　 ） ので、 私 （ わたし ） には 育った （ そだ　　 ） 場所 （ ばしょ ） というのはないんです。
• My family moved a lot when I was little, so I'm not really from anywhere.

School, from elementary up through university , is a big part of Japanese life. Be prepared to have people ask alma mater and what you studied. Or cut them off at the pass by including the information in your jikoshoukai.

• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 出身 （ しゅっしん ） です。
• I graduated from the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 学生 （ がくせい ） です。
• I'm a student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• Ⓐ 大学 （ だいがく ） Ⓑ 学部 （ がくぶ ） Ⓒ 科 （ か ） の 二年生 （ にねんせい ） です。
• I'm a second year student of the Ⓒ department of the faculty of Ⓑ of Ⓐ University.
• オレゴン 大学 （ だいがく ） で、 二年間 （ にねんかん ） 東 （ ひがし ） アジアの 歴史 （ れきし ） を 専攻 （ せんこう ） していました。
• I studied East Asian history at Oregon university for two years.

Occupation is a common conversation topic when meeting someone new. If you're doing business in Japan (or want to), you'd better learn at least one of these phrases.

A quick grammar usage note: some of these jikoshoukai example sentences use the continuous state conjugation of suru する （ ） which is shiteimasu しています （ ） . If you want to get extra polite with any of these sentences, swap out しています with shiteorimasu しております （ ） . One easy switch and you're ready to tell CEOs and presidents about your work situation.

• Tofuguで 編集長 （ へんしゅうちょう ） を しています 。
• I'm the chief editor of Tofugu.
• トヨタで 営業 （ えいぎょう ） を 担当 （ たんとう ） しています 。
• I'm working in sales at Toyota.
• 会計課 （ かいけいか ） に 配属 （ はいぞく ） になりました、 佐藤 （ さとう ） です。
• I'm Satou , assigned to the accounts department.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 会社員 （ かいしゃいん ） です。
• I'm an office worker.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） の 教師 （ きょうし ） です。
• I'm an English teacher.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えています （ おし　　　　　 ） 。
• I teach English.
• 私 （ わたし ） はこの 学校 （ がっこう ） で 英語 （ えいご ） を 教えます （ おし　　　 ） 。
• I'm going to teach English at this school.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） で 働いて （ はたら　　 ） います。
• I'm working at East Fugu Elementary School.
• 私 （ わたし ） は 東 （ ひがし ） フグ 小学校 （ しょうがっこう ） に 勤めて （ つと　　 ） います。
• I'm working for East Fugu Elementary School.

"You live around here?" is a common question no matter the culture. Be ready to answer questions about your living situation with these sentences.

• 東京 （ とうきょう ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in Tokyo.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） に 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live near Tokyo station.
• 東京 （ とうきょう ） 駅 （ えき ） の 近く （ ちか　 ） のマンションに 住んで （ す　　 ） います。
• I live in an apartment near Tokyo station.

Hobbies are super important part of life in Japan. Japanese junior high and high school students take school club activities seriously ( sometimes more than academics ) and this passion often continues into adult life. If you have a hobby, that is your "thing." Even if you don't think of your interests as "hobbies," describe them as such anyway. It will help people understand you better . Alternatively, you can say what you like and don't like.

• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]です。
• My hobby is [____].
• 趣味 （ しゅみ ） は[____]することです。
• My hobby is to do [____]
• [____]が 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• [____]することが 趣味 （ しゅみ ） です。
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like [____]
• [____]も 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I also like [____]
• [____]は 好き （ す　 ） ではありません。
• I don't like [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 好き （ す　 ） です。
• I like to do [____]
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 得意 （ とくい ） です。
• I'm good at doing [____].
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]が 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at/I don't like [____](noun)
• 私 （ わたし ） は[____]することが 苦手 （ にがて ） です。
• I'm not good at doing [____].

What do you want to be when you grow up? What new skills are you trying to develop? What are you going to eat for lunch tomorrow? Answer these questions and more with the example sentences below.

Grammar usage note: the noun tsumori つもり （ ） is used to tell what you plan to do. It's most commonly used in situations where you've already made up your mind. It's definite. Don't use it for instances where you're kind of maybe thinking about something, but you're not sure yet.

• [____]ようと 考えて （ かんが　　 ） います。
• I'm thinking about doing [____].
• [____]したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to do [____].
• [____]つもりです。
• 私 （ わたし ） の 目標 （ もくひょう ） は[____]です。
• My object is [____].
• [____]に 挑戦 （ ちょうせん ） したいと 思って （ おも　　 ） います。
• I'd like to challenge [____].

Now you know what it takes to put together a stellar jikoshoukai in Japanese. Put the pieces together, mind the cultural differences, and practice till its second nature.

With a solid self-intro on your side, you're poised to start your relationships right. Just don't forget your business cards.

Japanese Writing Lab #1: Basic self-introduction

In a recent post I announced I would be starting a new program on my blog called “Japanese Writing Lab” that aims to motivate people to practice writing in Japanese, provides feedback on their writing, and allows them to see posts of other Japanese learners. This article represents the first writing assignment of that program.

For this assignment, I’d like to focus on a very common, but important topic: self-introduction, known as 自己紹介 (jiko shoukai) in Japanese.

Self-introductions can range widely from formal to casual, and from very short (name only) to much longer. This time, I’d like everyone to focus on writing a basic self-introduction whose main purpose is to actually introduce yourself to me and others in the group. So while it is a writing exercise, it actually serves an important purpose as well. Try to keep it brief (a few sentences is fine) and stick more to written language as opposed to spoken language. For example, you would avoid using things like “あの。。。” which you might say if you actually spoke a self-introduction.

For those who are comfortable writing a self-introduction in Japanese, you can go ahead and get started. If you have written one recently, I suggest you try to write one again from scratch without referring to it unless you really get stuck.

Once you finish this writing assignment please post it via one of the two following methods:

• For those who have a blog (WordPress or anywhere else is fine): post it on your blog, and post a comment on this article including a link to your post. I also suggest adding a link on your post back to this article, so people who find your post can follow it to read other people’s submissions.
• For those who don’t have a blog: simply post it as a comment to this article with the text you’ve written. [Note: creating a blog is pretty easy and free on many sites, so if you have a few minutes I’d just consider just trying to create a blog]

I’ll be reading through the submitted assignments and will try to make constructive comments. I highly recommend for everyone submitting to read other people’s submissions.

For those who are not too familiar with how to write self-introductions in Japanese, here is a general template to help you get started (taken from this Japanese website). If you want to do your own research on how to write a self-introduction, that is fine as well. Feel free to omit any of the below categories, for example if you don’t want to discuss where you live.

Keep in mind that for a self-introduction in Japanese, it is usually best to use at minimum basic polite language, like ~です and ~ます, since you aren’t likely to be on very familiar terms with those you are speaking to.

General template for  basic self-introduction

僕（私) の名前は [your name here] です。

• Place where you live (住所)

住所は[place where you live]というところです。

• Hobbies (趣味)

趣味は [one or more of your hobbies]です。

仕事は「your current job」をしています。

• Positive ending

[try to think of something positive to close with]

My submission

For each assignment I will give my submission as well, to help give you ideas. Feel free to send me questions or comments about my submission.

For this assignment I’ll keep things pretty simple and mostly follow the template I gave above, but in future assignments I’ll start using more advanced language and get more creative.

僕の名前はlocksleyuです。

住所はオレゴン州のポートランドですが、先週までは南フロリダに住んでいました。

趣味は色々ありますが、最近は日本の小説を読んだりチェスをやったりしています。

仕事はソフトウェア開発をしています。

このクラスで日本語の文章力を向上できたらいいと思います。

よろしくお願いします。

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22 thoughts on “ Japanese Writing Lab #1: Basic self-introduction ”

Hi – I put together a WordPress site today so I could participate in this, and also to encourage me to write in Japanese.

Here’s my basic self introduction article: https://bokunojapanese.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/japanese-writing-lab-1-basic-self-introduction/

I tried once yesterday and once just now to post here and I am not seeing anything getting through. Are these comments moderated? Is there some other issue? I’m sick of retyping my introduction 🙁

The comments are moderated (that is the default setting of WordPress) but I check very often and approve pretty much all comments except for Spam. For some reason I didn’t see any of your comments from yesterday, only two from today.

I’ll read your other comment and respond now.

OK, this blog doesn’t seem to accept Japanese characters as comments (I just tried a third time).

I’m sorry that you are experiencing trouble. I’ll try to do my best help you out so we can get this solved (:

I have used Japanese before in comments. Let’s test now:

こんにちは [<- can you read this?] What happens when you try to write Japanese characters? Can you please make a post like this with some Japanese and some English so I can see what it looks like? Also, what browser/OS are you using? Can you try a variation of either? I am using Safari/Mac OS.

Thanks for the reply! Yeah, I’m reading that. The last three comments I have made that have included either all Japanese characters or a mix of Japanese and English have just…vanished. Like, I click “post” and the page refreshes but I don’t see my comment or even a “Your comment is pending” notification. I’m on Chrome on Mac OS, everything’s reasonably up to date.

Here’s a comment with English and hiragana only: こんにちは Thanks for helping me debug and sorry to be leaving so many comments on the blog ;_;

Here’s a comment with English, hiragana and kanji: こんいちは 漢字は難しいですが、大切です。

Everything looks great now, I can see all the characters fine (: I’m guessing that was just some temporary issue with WordPress.

You can go ahead and try to put your self-introduction now. Just make a backup copy in case it gets deleted again.

You’re not going to believe this, but it STILL isn’t posting. I was avoiding making a new blog because I thought it would be “more work” but now I’m thinking that would be simpler after all.

Thats so weird, I wonder why. Maybe if you make a longer comment it doesn’t like it?

I agree it will probably be easier at this point to create your own blog, and that will have other benefits for you in the future.

But if you still want to try and troubleshoot the original issue I can help…

The good news is that WordPress makes it really easy to set up a new blog these days. I guess in retrospect I should have done that to begin with. Thanks for your help trying to debug this issue! https://nihongonoheya.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/first-blog-post/

Great, glad you were able to make a blog so easily! Will check out your blog later today when I get more time.

Hi, I have been reading several of your articles with great interest. The first that lead me to you was your comments on ‘Hibana’ by Naoki Matayoshi. A friend of mine in Japan is reading this book and I was curious about its content. Your translation is amazing. To introduce myself I set up a site, above link, however it doesn’t really seem to be a blog as such, so I may need to change that later. Anyway it’s accepted the script ok so you should be able to read it. I hope to join in here to improve my Japanese. Thanks for your time, Sylvia

Thanks very much for the comment and feedback!

Also, I’m glad you are interested in joining my program. I checked out your site, but like you said it seems like it isn’t exactly a blog, so I am not sure if I will be able to comment. Without that, it will be hard for me to correct your writings (I found a few errors I wanted to point out).

If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind trying to create a blog on WordPress.com? It should be pretty easy and it’s free.

Hi, Thank you for your reply. I think I’ve sorted it OK. See link below, I’ve never done a blog before so this is new to me! https://kafuka97.wordpress.com/

I just copied what I wrote before, no changes. Many thanks, Sylvia

PS: I do have a website which I have sent a link to.

Hello! My name is Jheanelle, I just found your website today and I think I’ve already looked through have of it. Its amazing. I’m interested in doing the assignments but I don’t have a blog so I’ll post it in the comments section.

ジェネルと言います。今日本に住んで仕事にしています。私は英語の先生です。 色々な趣味があります。例えば、寝たり、韓国の番組を見たり、本を読んだりするのが好きです。 日本語もっと上手になりたいそしてこのブログを見つけて嬉しくなった

どうぞよろしくお願いします

Hello Jheanelle. I’m sorry for the late reply but your message was showing up in Spam on my blog for some reason.

Thanks for the submission. Right now I am sort of taking a break from the writing labs since I didn’t get too much response from my readers, but I will consider restarting them again at some point. There is a few others however I posted (up to #3 or #4, I think).

I hope your Japanese studies are going well.

One minor comment, in your sentence “今日本に住んで仕事にしています” I think maybe you could have said: “今日本で仕事をしています” or “今日本に住んでで仕事もしています”

These might sound a little better.

One more thing, I recommend watching Japanese dramas instead of Korean if you want to improve faster (:

Hello locksleyu, I just posted my self-introduction here: https://soreymikleo1421.wordpress.com/2021/05/21/japanese-writing-lab-1-basic-self-introduction/ Thank you in advance!

Thanks! I just posted a few comments.

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Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’

In this guide, you will learn the fundamentals of the Japanese family terms , focusing primarily on  informal  and  formal  terms. By learning how to use both informal and formal terms, you will be able to talk about  your own family (informal)  as well as address  someone else’s family (formal) .

• 1.1 “Family” in Japanese
• 1.2 “Family member” in Japanese
• 2 Addressing family members in Japanese
• 3.1 Immediate family in Japanese
• 3.2 Grandparents in Japanese
• 3.3 Parents in Japanese
• 3.4.1 Sister in Japanese
• 3.4.2 Brother in Japanese
• 3.5 Children in Japanese
• 3.6 Spouse in Japanese
• 4.1 Relatives in Japanese
• 4.2 In-laws in Japanese
• 5.2 Someone else’s relatives
• 5.3 Your in-laws
• 6 Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

Japanese Family

In Japan, like in any other Asian country, the family is regarded as the most important sector of society. The family members are treated with respect. This is evident in the language used toward them. Each family members have their own name according to one’s relationship with that member.

A Japanese family is made up of immediate family members such as father, mother, and siblings and extended families such as grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, and cousins.

In this guide, we’ll teach you the different Japanese family terms you can use to address your own family members and other people’s family.

“Family” in Japanese

The word for “family” in Japanese is かぞく (kazoku). So when talking about your family, you can say わたしの かぞく (watashi no kazoku) which means “My family”.

For example:

わたし の かぞく は かんこく から きました。(watashi no kazokuwa kankokukara kimashita.)

My family is from Korea. 

わたし の かぞく は たべる の が すき です。(watashi no kazokuwa taberunoga suki desu.)

My family likes to eat.

“Family member” in Japanese

The word “family member” in Japanese is かぞく の いちいん (kazoku no ichiin).

Addressing family members in Japanese

The Japanese have different family words to address family members . The family words vary according to whose family member are you addressing or talking about. The Japanese family words are different when you’re talking about or addressing your own family members and when it’s a member of a different family.

In a while, you’ll be adding a few more words to your Japanese vocabulary .

Addressing your own family

Getting familiar with these terms should be the first step to learning how to address family members in Japanese. These terms are used commonly in Japan, so you will probably hear them quite often throughout day-to-day life.

Remember to use these words when you’re talking about your own family. Use it when you’re in a casual and informal setting or situation.

Immediate family in Japanese

An immediate family is きんしんしゃ (kinshinsha) in Japanese . It’s made up of grandparents, parents, siblings, children, husband, wife, and spouse. In this lesson, we’ll group the Japanese family words according to these groups.

Grandparents in Japanese

Grandparents in Japanese is そふぼ (sofubo). When talking about or addressing your grandfather you can say そふ (sofu) while grandmother is そぼ (sobo).

Parents in Japanese

Parents in Japanese are called りょうしん (ryōshin) while father is ちち (chichi) and mother is はは (haha).

Siblings in Japanese

Siblings are made up of brothers and sisters. Siblings in Japanese are called きょうだい (kyōdai).

Sister in Japanese

There are two ways to say sister in Japanese when talking about your own sister.

You’ll say あね (ane) for your older sister and いもうと (imouto) for your younger sister.

Brother in Japanese

Just like the word sister, there are two ways to say brother in Japanese when talking about your own brother.

You’ll say あに (ani) for your older brother while おとうと (otouto) for your younger brother.

Children in Japanese

Children are called こども (kodomo) in the Japanese language. But they have a specific word used for a female and male child.

Spouse in Japanese

The word spouse is はいぐうしゃ in Japanese . However, in Japan, they have exact words to call their respective spouse.

List of Family Words in Japanese

Here’s the summary of all the Japanese family member vocabulary you’ll use to address your own family.

Relatives in Japanese

To add to your Japanese vocabulary for family members, let’s learn about addressing your relatives. The word relative is translated as しんせき (shinseki).

そこで おおく の しんせき に あった.  (sokode ookuno shinsekini atta)

I met many relatives there.

あなた の しんせき は どこ に すんでいます か. (anatano shinsekiwa dokoni sundeimasuka)

Where do your relatives live?

Below is a list of people related to your own family in the Japanese language.

In-laws in Japanese

The word “in-law” is いんせき (inseki) in Japanese. However, when it comes to addressing your in-laws, the general rule of thumb is to add “義理の”（ぎりの | giri no ）before their relation in the family.

Although “義理の” is not a direct translation of “in-law” (義理 actually refers to the Japanese value of duty and obligation), you can add “義理の” as a prefix to change the relation to “in-law.”

Example sentences:

私の 妹 は6歳です。

わたし　の　 いもうと 　は　ろく  さい　です。

Watashi no  imōto  wa roku sai desu.

My  younger sister  is 6 years old .

あに 　は　だいがく きょうじゅ　です。

Ani  wa daigaku kyōju desu.

My   older brother  is a university professor .

私は 義理の姉 がいます。

わたし　は　ぎりのあね　が　います。

Watashi wa giri no ane ga imasu.

I have a (older) sister-in-law .

Addressing  someone else’s  family

Now that you’re comfortable talking about your own family, next we will look at words that you should use when addressing someone else’s family. As mentioned earlier, there’s a different way of addressing or talking about family members of another family.

Below is a list of Japanese vocabulary for someone else’s family members. A lot of these terms end with  an honorific suffix さん ( -san ) to emphasize respect   and politeness toward others.

Remember to use these words especially when you are addressing or talking about someone else’s family. You’ll also use this list of vocabulary when you are in a serious and formal setting or situation.

Tip : If you want to be extra respectful, change the さん (- san ) honorific to a 様 (さま – sama )   honorific (For example: お父さん otōsan  → お父 様   otō sama )

Someone else’s immediate family

Below is a table of words you’ll use to address or talk about other’s immediate family members.

Someone else’s relatives

Earlier we learned the vocabulary we need to address people related to our own family. This time, we’ll learn how we can address people related to someone else’s family.

For the word “relative” in the Japanese language, ごしんせき (goshinseki) is used.

Let’s take a close look at the Japanese vocabulary below. Pay close attention to how the written kanji  changes for uncle, aunt, and cousin, depending on the context (i.e., older or younger for aunts/uncles and male or female for cousins).

Your in-laws

When addressing someone else’s family members, it’s important to address them respectfully by adding the honorific suffix さん ( -san ).

私はあなたの ご両親 にお会いしたいです。

わたし　は　あなた　の　 ごりょうしん　 に　おあい したい　です。

Watashi wa anata no  goryōshin  ni oai shitai desu.

I want to meet your  parents .

山田さんの お父様 は何をされている方ですか？

やまださん　の　 おとうさま 　は　なにを　されている　かた　ですか？

Yamada-san no  otōsama  wa nani o sareteiru kata desu ka?

What does Yamada-san’s  father  do for a living?

Why learn the Japanese Family Terms?

It’s very important for you to learn the terms used in a family in Japanese. For example, you are at a formal dinner party, and your manager asks you about your family. As you describe some of your family members, you also decide to ask a question about their family. Now, are you going to use the same words that you used to describe your own family when you ask a question about your manager’s family?

It’s not just limited to conversations about your family that make learning the Japanese terms used in a family important. Whether it may be filling out an emergency contact or casually talking about your family at your company’s 歓迎会 ( kangei-kai  or welcome party), knowing some basic family terms in Japanese should come in handy at some point. But memorizing just a few terms won’t always cut it, as there are different words that are used for different occasions.

Let us know how many members are there in your family in the comment section by using the Japanese family terms you learned today!

10 replies to "Japanese Family Terms – How to Address Your Own Relatives and Others’"

Thanks for this concise review of Japanese family terms list using kanji, kana, and romaji.

Awesome, thanks for your comment! ^^ If you want, you can visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog to find more great content on learning Japanese. You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

І was able to find good informatіon from your blog articles.

Thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our articles have been useful to you. ^^ To find more great content on learning Japanese, visit the 90 Day Japanese Blog . You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thank you so much for your help,I have learned too much from your article, it’s very useful for me, keep it up.

Great, thanks for your comment! I’m glad that our article has been valuable to you. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thanks for your help. This article helped me get an A on my Japanese assignment. Its great

Thanks for the comment, Timmee! I’m glad that our article has been helpful to you. ^^ If you want more lessons, you can check our our blog post. ^^ You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel for video lessons. You’ll get updated when our latest videos become available.

Thank you for this. I spend years making my own list but I lost it in the hundreds of files I have generated during my years of Japanese study. You really saved me with this!

You’re welcome, Andy! Glad you found our article helpful! (＾▽＾)

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Kazoku - Japanese family members

Are you curious to know how to say the name of each family member in Japanese? In this article you will increase your vocabulary and satisfy that curiosity by learning about Kazoku [家族] in Japanese.

It is worth remembering that in Japanese, there is a difference in saying about your family member or someone else's family member. There are also suffixes that can be used according to the formality of the conversation.

Content Index

Your family members in Japanese

Before we quote family members in Japanese, you need to understand a little about the pronunciation and the way we use these Japanese words. For that, we leave a video below that will explain everything about it:

While in English we have only the feminine and masculine of brother, in Japanese there is more than one word to refer to brothers of different ages, but older or younger than the person. We already have an article that talks about onii-chan and others.

Read also: Meaning of Onii-chan, Onee-chan – Siblings in Japanese

Members of other families - Respectful manner

It is worth remembering that it is not wrong to call your family members by the names below. On the contrary, it may be more common to call your parents oka-san and otto-san than haha and chichi. So the list below may also apply to your family members.

The difference between the previous list and the list below is politeness and respect. Using the terms below is being more respectful, while the previous list is a more informal, childish or intimate way of saying it.

Cousins and distant relatives in Japanese

Although younger and older cousins are spelled the same. Be careful because they use different ideograms to identify whether the individual is older or younger, male or female, equal brothers in japanese .

Unrelated family members in Japanese

Videos about Kazoku - nihongo

The videos below can help you train your pronunciation and vocabulary. They are kind of childish, but it helps to understand the pronunciation. Hope you enjoyed the article. If you liked it, share and leave comments.

Read also: How to read Japanese? Does the pronunciation and speech change? basic rules

Read more articles from our website

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About This Page

This page introduces the variety of essays written by popular contemporary authors. Unless noted, all are in Japanese.

The author, さくらももこ, is known for writing a comic titled 『 ちびまる子ちゃん 』. The comic is based on her own childhood experiences and depicts the everyday life of a girl with a nickname of Chibi Maruko-chan. The author has been constantly writing casual and humorous essays, often recollecting her childhood memories. We have both the『 ちびまる子ちゃん 』 comic series and other essays by the author. 

To see a sample text in a new tab, please  click on the cover image or the title .

中島らも(1952-2004) started his career as a copyrigher but changed his path to become a prolific writer, publishing novels, essays, drama scripts and rakugo stories. He became popular with his "twisted sense of humour."  He is also active in the music industry when he formed his own band. He received the 13th Eiji Yoshikawa New Author Prize with his 『今夜、すべてのバーで』 and Mystery Writers of Japan Aaward with 『 ガダラの豚 』.

東海林（しょうじ）さだお

東海林さだお(1937-) is a well-known cartoonist, but he is also famous for his essays on food. His writing style is light and humorous and tends to pay particular attention toward regular food, such as bananas, miso soup, and eggd in udon noodles, rather than talk about gourmet meals. (added 5/2/2014)

Collection of Essays: 天声人語 = Vox Populi, Vox Deli (Bilingual)

A collection of essays which appear on the front page of Asahi Shinbun . Each essay is approx. 600 words. KU has collections published around 2000. Seach KU Online catalog with call number AC145 .T46 for more details. 

To see a sample text, please click on the cover image or the title .

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If you are looking for essays in Japanese available at KU, use this search box. If you know the author, search by last name, then first name, such as "Sakura, Momoko." Make sure to select "Author" in the search field option.:

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Family in Japanese

In today’s free lesson you’ll learn how to talk about your family in Japanese . Practice your Japanese pronunciation as you listen to the audio, and while you’re at it – take a closer look at the different ways to say 'my' in Japanese.

Resources for further reading: -  The Top Ten "Learn Japanese" Hacks -  Learn How You can Improve Your Japanese Pronunciation

How to Pronounce Family in Japanese

Let’s look at some immediate family members:

Practice Your Pronunciation With Rocket Record

Rocket Record lets you perfect your Japanese pronunciation. Just listen to the native speaker audio and then use the microphone icon to record yourself. Once you’re done, you’ll get a score out of 100 on your pronunciation and can listen to your own audio playback. (Use a headset mic for best results.) Problems? Click here!

わたし　の　りょうしん

watashi no ryōshin

older brother

older sister

younger brother

younger sister

How about your extended family?

grandfather

grandmother

watashi no itoko

watashi no shinseki

my relatives

Now for some romantic relationships:

watashi no tsuma

watashi no otto

watashi no kareshi

my boyfriend

watashi no kanojo

my girlfriend

Now you're all set to describe your family in Japanese.

Here are a few recommended Japanese lessons to try next:

• Looking for popular entertainment for going out in Japanese ? Check out this lesson.
• Saying happy birthday in Japanese is easy! Learn how in this lesson.
• Talking about your health in Japanese is essential.

さようなら！ (Sayōnara!) "Good bye!"

Sayaka Matsuura: Rocket Japanese

Make It Stick With Rocket Reinforcement

Reinforce your learning from this lesson with the Rocket Reinforcement activities!

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How to talk about your family Posted by yuki on Apr 28, 2013 in Grammar

Last week I was asked by a friend how to ask if someone is married and she also asked how to say cousin and grandchild in japanese. So I thought I’d post a thread about family members and family-related phrases. One tricky thing is that you use different words for family members depending on if you are talking about your family or someone else’s family.

There are also casual ways to call family members. Some examples which are often used by young people are:

Mother: かあちゃん、おかあちゃん、お母ん(okan – often used in Kansai region), お袋 (ofukuru)

Father: おとうちゃん、とうちゃん、お父ん (oton – often used in Kansai region), 親父 (oyaji)

Family – 家族 (kazoku)

Parents – 両親 (ryoushin)

Child – 子供 (kodomo)

Siblings /Brothers -兄弟 (kyoudai)

Sisters – 姉妹 (shimai)

Relatives – 親戚 (shinseki)

Married couple -夫婦 (fuufu)

Cousin – いとこ (itoko)

Useful phrases:

結婚していますか。(kekkon shite imasuka) – Are you married.

あなたの家族は何人ですか。(anata no kazoku ha nan nin desuka) How many people are there in your family.

子供 / 兄弟がいますか。(kodomo / kyoudai ga imasu ka) -Do you have children / siblings.

結婚しています。(kekkon shite imasu) – I am married.

独身です。(dokushin desu) – I am single

Build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and more with Transparent Language Online. Available anytime, anywhere, on any device.

About the Author: yuki

Although I was born and raised in Austria my parents luckily taught me japanese starting at a very early age. Since most of my relatives live in Japan I try to fly to Japan once in a year. I love reading and cooking and I also enjoy traveling.

Here are family titles in Ainu. Ainu is not related to any other language in the world, but Ainu words got into Japanese, and many Japanese words got into Ainu:

acapo – uncle ahci – grandmother ak – younger brother akot totto – our mother akot tures – our sister ekasi – grandfather hampe – father hoku – husband mat – wife matak – younger sister totto – mother tures – sister unarp – aunt uriwahne – brothers yup – older brother yupe – brother

If there are two separate words for family members, why do I sometimes hear family members call each other “okaasan” or “oniisan”? Are they just saying it incorrectly or is it said as a casual sort of thing?

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How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese! Jikoshoukai (自己紹介)

Are you going to live in Japan? Better prepare yourself with a Japanese self-introduction – a jikoshoukai. Early in your Japanese study, this language knowledge will help you establish yourself among Japanese friends and colleagues. 

In various contexts in Japan (such as school, work, parties, etc.) you will need to introduce yourself. What should you say? How do condense everything about yourself into just one or two minutes?

Do not be afraid, we will introduce step by step the way to give a successful Japanese jikoshoukai!

Coto Academy is a Japanese language school located in Tokyo and Yokohama . With its small class sizes and flexible course schedule , we ensure the students find their community here in Japan and learn practical and useful daily-life Japanese by focusing on conversational practice.

Introducing Yourself (Jikoshoukai) in Japanese

• How to Start a Self-Introduction Session

Where are you from?

Why do you study japanese, why are you in japan, interests and hobbies, the final step: yoroshiku, starting a self-introduction session in japanese.

Begin with a greeting and state your name. Whether you prepare to introduce yourself to a curious crowd of classmates or to one person, make sure to say hello first! Depending on the time of the day, you may say ohayou gozaimasu, konnichiwa, konbanwa. Do you know the difference? Or you can simply state “hajimemashite” – “nice to meet you.”

You can politely say your name with the to-be verb “desu”, or the verb “to say” (言います). In a more formal context, such as an interview, you should use a more formal structure. Note that Japanese people are used to giving their family name first and their given name second.

Casual: 私の名前はボンド・ジェームズ です。 Watashi nonamae ha bondo jieemuzu desu. My name is James bond. Polite: ボンド・ジェームズです。 Bondo, jieemuzu desu. I am James Bond. Polite: ボンド・ジェームズと言います。 Bondo, jieemuzu to iimasu. My name is James Bond. Formal: ボンド・ジェームズと申します。 Bondo, jieemuzu to moushimasu. I am James Bond.

Being a foreigner in Japan is always stimulating the imagination of Japanese. Whether you are from Spain, Germany or Australia, they will more likely give some exotic origins and be surprised to hear the truth. So the next step of your jikoshoukai is to introduce your country and eventually your city! Tips: if you are American and wish to precise your state, you will have to use shuu (州, しゅう).

イギリス（のロンドン）から来ました。 Igirisu (no rondon) kara kimashita. I came from London, England.

アメリカのカリフォルニア州から来ました。 Amerika no karifuorunia shuu kara kimashita. I came from California, in America.

You can also tell where you are from with the word for origins (出身, しゅっしん) or an even easier way would be to give your nationality by adding jin (人, じん) after a country’s name.

マドリッド出身です。 Madoriddo shusshin desu. I am from Madrid. パリ出身です。 Pari shusshin desu. I am from Paris. ドイツ人です。 Doetsu jin desu. I am German. インドネシア人です。 Indoneshia jin desu. I am Indonesian.

Obviously, this is the hot point of your introduction. Not only will Japanese be flattered, but they will be eager to know why you are studying their language. If you are confident enough, you can speak about for how long you have studied Japanese, how, where etc. .

日本の文化に興味があるから、日本語を勉強しています。 Nihon no bunka ni kyoumi ga aru kara, nihongo wo benkyou shite imasu. I am interested in the Japanese culture, that is why I study Japanese.

You could have closed earlier. But giving more details is the recipe for a good jikoshoukai, after which you will proudly answer the crowd’s questions. Many reasons might have led you to come to live in Kawagoe or in Sapporo. Whether you are in Japan for a short stay out of pure curiosity or for a longer commitment, you should say…

日本語を勉強するために日本に来ました。 Nihongo wo benkyou suru tame ni nihon ni kimashita. I came to Japan to study Japanese.

Whether you are a student or working, the “occupation” has an important place in Japanese culture. The Japanese you are introducing yourself to will not be surprised to hear you stating what you are doing. Students can say that they are studying at University or in a school or state that they are (university or not) students.

大学/学校で勉強しています。 Daigaku /gakkou de benkyou shite imasu.

（大）学生です。 (dai) gakusei desu.

If you are working, the following examples should help you prepare your introduction:

私の仕事は先生です。 Watashi no shigoto ha sensei desu. I work as a teacher.

英語の先生です。 Eigo no sensei desu. I am an English teacher.

スペイン語の先生をしています。 Supeingo no sensei wo shite imasu. I work as a Spanish teacher.

Depending on your level, you can always try to give a more rich jikoshoukai explaining in more details what you are studying or exactly doing at your workplace.

This part would be smart in a friendly context. If  you are meeting new people, it is always enjoyable to share your passions in Japanese. You can speak about your hobbies and what you like in various ways but the two easiest ones are the expression to like (好き, suki) and the word hobby (趣味, shumi).

料理好きです。 Ryouri suki desu. I like cooking.

趣味はスポーツです。 Shumi ha supottsu desu. My hobby is sport.

趣味は漫画を読むことです。 Shumi ha manga wo yomu koto desu. My hobby is to read manga.

We have spoken before of the wonders of the Japanese yoroshiku onegaishimasu an expression difficult to translate in other languages. A jikoushokai usually ends with this phrase, meaning in such context, that you look forward to the relationship with your new friends.

Casual: よろしく！ Yoroshiku! Nice to meet you!

Formal: 今後もどうぞよろしくお願い致します。 Kongo mo douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu I look forward to our relationship from now on.

Polite: どうぞよろしくお願いします。 Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu. I look forward to our relationship.

Proper etiquette is very important for Japanese culture. When introducing yourself, make sure that your manner is professional and appropriate. Japanese people usually do not shake hands in professional settings, so usually it is best to just bow instead. People usually bow once at the beginning and once at the end of their jikoshoukai. For casual interactions, handshakes are sometimes OK. Make sure to “read the air” of the situation to see if it it appropriate. In many professional settings, it is best to keep your hands at your sides while you are talking. And avoid crossing your arms if possible!

Now You Can Introduce Yourself in Japanese!

Now, you are ready for your very first jikoshoukai! Always remember that a self-introduction with a group of friends or with your new boss will be different. You can be casual with people of your age, but should always be formal in a business environment. Be even more prepared to give a strong and polite self-introduction for a job interview !

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Essay on Japanese Family

Students are often asked to write an essay on Japanese Family in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Japanese Family

Introduction to japanese family.

In Japan, families are often close-knit and respect for elders is very important. Most families are small, with parents and one or two children. Grandparents sometimes live with the family too, and everyone helps each other.

Roles in the Family

Parents work to provide for the family. The mother often takes care of the home and children, while the father is usually the main breadwinner. Children are taught to be polite and work hard in school.

Family Traditions

Japanese families celebrate many traditions together. They enjoy holidays like New Year, where they eat special foods and visit shrines. Birthdays and other events are also family times.

Changes in Families

Today, some Japanese families are changing. More mothers work outside the home, and families might not live with grandparents. But respect and caring within the family remain very important.

250 Words Essay on Japanese Family

What is a japanese family.

In a typical Japanese family, the father works to earn money while the mother takes care of the house and children. This is changing slowly as more mothers work outside too. Children are expected to study hard and respect their elders.

Japanese families value traditions. They celebrate many festivals together like New Year and Children’s Day. During these times, they eat special foods and visit shrines. Respect for family members, especially older ones, is very important in Japan.

Nowadays, Japanese families are changing. More women are working, and some families have both parents working. Technology also plays a big part in their lives. Still, even with these changes, family remains central in Japanese society.

Japanese families are known for their strong bonds and respect for tradition. Even as times change, these values stay important. From parents to children, everyone has a role that helps keep the family together. Japanese families show us how tradition and modern life can blend together.

500 Words Essay on Japanese Family

Introduction to japanese families.

Japanese families are like a strong team. They often live together, work together, and help each other. In Japan, family is very important. People in a family care for each other and respect their elders. They also follow traditions that have been passed down for many years.

Members of the Family

Family roles.

In Japan, everyone in the family has a role to play. The roles are like parts in a play, where each person knows what they should do. The father’s role is to provide for the family, and the mother’s role is to make sure the home is a happy and healthy place. Children also have roles, such as doing well in school and helping with chores.

Respect for Elders

Respecting elders is a big part of Japanese culture. This means listening to what they say, caring for them, and making sure they are happy. In many families, the oldest person is the head of the family. This person’s birthday is often a special day where the whole family comes together.

Changes in the Family

Families in Japan are changing. In the past, many people lived with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Now, more families live with just parents and children. Some people also choose to live alone. Even though families are changing, the ideas of respect, caring, and helping each other stay the same.

Education and Family

Education is very important in Japanese families. Parents want their children to learn a lot and do well in school. They often help with homework and go to school meetings. Doing well in school is seen as a way to respect the family and carry on its good name.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Living, Working, and Studying in Japan – Your Ultimate Resource!

Staying with a Host Family in Japan During Your Studies

Before living in a shared house with a couple of my best friends, I stayed with a host family for 1 year and a half back when I was still in college. Rent in Japan is pretty expensive, so staying with a host family was a great way for me to save money.

My time with the host family turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences of my life. All 5 of them treated me as if I was part of their home, as they never failed to be so welcoming and kind towards me. I really didn’t expect them to be so open to me because I was under the impression that most Japanese people were very shy, extremely private, and consider personal space to be sacred.

After all these years, I’m still incredibly thankful to the host family that brought me in. I won’t forget all the dinners that I became a part of, all the movie nights and hangouts I enjoyed, and all the care I received from them. They are a huge reason why my first two years in Japan were bearable and helped me become the person I am today. In fact, I still keep in touch with them.

But surely not every host family is going to be like them. And there are certainly advantages and disadvantages when it comes to living in a homestay. So in this article, we’ll cover all the pros and cons of living with a host family as a student in Japan.

Table of contents

Practicing the Local Language

Immersing into the culture, paying less for more, lack of privacy, transportation.

If I’m talking about the host family that took me in during my first few years in college, I could think of about 10 advantages off the top of my head. But as I stated earlier, obviously not all families are like theirs. Nevertheless, there are still pros that are present in every homestay.

Staying with a host family can really improve your skills in the Japanese language. Host families have varying levels of English proficiency, and there’s a chance you will end up with a family that can speak very little English. As you will have to interact with the people around the house, think of this as an opportunity to exercise your Japanese language skills.

I know this did wonders for me, ability-wise. I came to Japan only knowing basic Japanese, but within a few months, I could speak, read, and understand the Japanese language because of the countless daily conversations. I remember being amazed by how patient they were with me, even when I frequently pestered them with questions.

But in my opinion, even if the host family does know how to speak your language, you still need to learn the local tongue, as a show of courtesy to them for allowing you to be a part of the household.

What better way to learn the country’s culture than to actually live among the people? I learned a lot of Japan’s great traditions and way of life not just from living with the host family, but by truly spending time with them.

The most notable ones were simple things like table manners and taking off shoes before entering a house. They instructed me to always give loud slurping sounds when eating food such as ramen to give respect to the cook. They also taught me to practice wearing uwabaki or Japanese slippers indoors, as it is the norm for Japanese households.

Another fond memory that has stuck with me since was during my first days in Japan. I was with my host family’s son who was around my age. We were heading towards the commute for school when we crossed paths with one of our elderly neighbors. Even though we were in a hurry, he stopped and took the time to greet and bow to the neighbors and I followed suit. To me, that respectful gesture will always remind me of the humility of the Japanese people.

The main reason why I let the university set me up with a host family is because of the affordability. In my first year, I only had to pay around 80,000 JPY per month during my stay with the host family. The rate would increase by 3,000 JPY in my second year, but that really didn’t matter to me as I was having such a terrific time with the host family.

I remember looking up some shared houses back then and discovering that rates went from 85,000 JPY to 90,000 JPY. Even though these shared houses were closer to the university than most homestays, I was immediately discouraged by the prices. And when you consider the fact that my breakfast and dinner were already included in the package to go along with free wifi, choosing to stay with the host family was a much better deal and experience.

Disadvantages

While I would not trade the experience of staying with my host family for anything else, living with a family has its share of disadvantages as well.

For the sole reason that you are living under another family’s roof and in another country, there are bound to be times when you’ll wish you’d have more privacy. Living under another family’s roof means having to share spaces and abiding to their house rules. You have to be considerate of the family, make sure not to cause any disturbances, and follow their customs.

Back home, I had the habit of bringing my phone into the bathroom and playing some music while I took a bath. When I moved in with my host family, they did not outright say anything about playing music, but I knew I had to keep noise to a minimum out of respect.

Personally, the lack of privacy was a minor problem for me as I had my own room to do things that I’d like to do by my lonesome. Every homestay will undoubtedly provide every student with their own room, as Japanese people like privacy. But if you don’t like that you can’t roam around the house during the wee hours of the morning, wearing nothing but undergarments while trying to find food at the fridge, then a homestay is not for you.

Transportation is going to be a minor hiccup as a student because most Japanese families live outside the center of the city, where most schools are. If you are planning to stay with a host family, you will certainly need to get used to riding the train to and from school.

Back then, I took 2 train rides per day. One to travel to the university and one to get back home. Each train ride consumed an hour of my time. This really didn’t bother me that much when I was still a student, but there were times when I wanted to hang out with some of my classmates but I couldn’t because I had to catch the train schedule. So if you are someone who likes to roam the city and hang out with your peers, living in a homestay may make that difficult for you.

I was so grateful that the stars aligned for me and I was taken in by the best host family anyone could ever have. Although I’ve had a great experience, not everyone is going to share the same sentiment as many factors come into play, which may be a dealbreaker for some. There are disadvantages that come along with living in a homestay, but it’s up to you if you think you are up for the experience.

We hope this article about living with a host family will be informative to you. We hope you find a great homestay in the future!

Motto Japan, the community platform to support foreigners with the foundation for life in Japan, including Japanese study, job opportunities, and housing service. Motto Japan Media will provide a wide variety of information for Japanese fans all over the world, to create a cross-cultural environment and enrich the life of foreign residents in Japan!

• accommodation , culture , japanese , language , learn , migration , student , traditional , transportation
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