These Japanese konbini phrases are organized by situation: register, Loppi printer and vegan ingredient questions. Keep this Japanese konbini phrases guide open while you shop — you will need it faster than expected.
Anyone buying from a Japanese convenience store for the first time will notice quickly that it is not a normal supermarket. At the register, several questions come in quick succession: would you like a bag, should this be heated up, do you have a points card. It sounds manageable. It feels different when the queue behind you is growing and you have no answer ready.
The Loppi terminal for tickets and parcels adds another layer. So does the moment when you are holding a product and want to know what is in it. This guide is sorted by situation so you can open the right section in the store.
Japanese Konbini Phrases: At the Register
Konbini checkout is short and almost always the same. Bag, heating, points card: the same questions every time:
Staff says
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| いらっしゃいませ | Irasshaimase | Welcome (no response needed) |
| 袋はご利用ですか？ | Fukuro wa goriyou desu ka? | Would you like a bag? |
| 温めますか？ | Atatamemasu ka? | Shall I heat this up? |
| ポイントカードはお持ちですか？ | Pointo kaado wa omochi desu ka? | Do you have a points card? |
| ○○円になります | ○○ en ni narimasu | That will be ○○ yen |
| 以上でよろしいですか？ | Ijou de yoroshii desu ka? | Is that everything? |
| ありがとうございました | Arigatou gozaimashita | Thank you (when leaving) |
Japanese Konbini Phrases for the Printer: Loppi and Kiosk
Mochi had applied for concert tickets through the online lottery system and got one. Ticket distribution in Japan works differently from most other countries, as far as Mochi understands it: everyone who wants a ticket enters the same draw, not a race to buy first. Winners get to buy. What follows is a time window: pay, print, done. Let it close and the ticket moves on to someone else.
The Loppi machine at the konbini is built for exactly that. It looked simple enough.
Mochi had landed the day before, found the konbini around the corner, and decided: the ticket could wait until tomorrow. Too tired today. Tomorrow came. The interface was in Japanese. The staff member did their best, but what they were explaining took a while to piece together. The purchase window had closed the previous day. The ticket was gone.
The phrases below would not have fixed the timing. But they would have made that conversation shorter, and the realization come a little faster.
The multi-copy machines can print tickets, photos, transport passes and documents. Most have an English option but not for everything:
You say
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| チケットを印刷したいのですが | Chiketto o insatsu shitai no desu ga | I would like to print a ticket |
| このマシンの使い方を教えてもらえますか？ | Kono mashin no tsukaikata o oshiete moraemasu ka? | Could you show me how to use this machine? |
| エラーが出ています | Eraa ga dete imasu | There is an error showing |
| QRコードを読み取ってください | Kyuu-aru koodo o yomitotte kudasai | Please scan the QR code |
| 英語に切り替えられますか？ | Eigo ni kirikaeraremasu ka? | Can this be switched to English? |
Japanese Konbini Phrases for Asking About Vegan Ingredients
Japanese ingredient lists are in Japanese, and not everything a vegan traveler needs to know makes it onto the label. Fish-based seasoning can appear simply as “seasoning”, with no mention of fish. It happens more often than you’d expect. These phrases are for asking directly when something is unclear.
You say
| 日本語 | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| これに肉は入っていますか？ | Kore ni niku wa haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain meat? |
| 魚のだしは使っていますか？ | Sakana no dashi wa tsukatte imasu ka? | Is fish stock used in this? |
| 卵は入っていますか？ | Tamago wa haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain egg? |
| 乳製品は入っていますか？ | Nyuuseihin wa haitte imasu ka? | Does this contain dairy? |
| アレルギー表示はどこですか？ | Arerugii hyouji wa doko desu ka? | Where is the allergen information? |
For a deeper look at reading Japanese food labels as a vegan, the post on how to eat vegan in Japan covers the key kanji to look out for. The vegan konbini guide goes shelf by shelf.
For other situations where you need language help, the restaurant phrase guide and the hotel phrase guide cover the rest. All language posts are in the Language Tips category. These Japanese konbini phrases are organized by situation so you find what you need instantly. Japanese konbini phrases for vegan ingredient questions are in the last section. Print or save these Japanese konbini phrases before you land.