The Loppi machine looked simple enough. Mochi had landed the day before, spotted the konbini down the street, and decided: ticket tomorrow. Tomorrow came. The interface was in Japanese. The staff member did their best, but what they were saying took a while to piece together. Turned out the purchase window had closed the previous day.
The phrases below would not have fixed the timing. But they would have made that conversation shorter, and the realization a little faster.
What You’ll Hear
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) |
At the Printer: Loppi and Kiosk Machines
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? |
Asking About Vegan Ingredients
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.