It’s no secret that learning a few Japan-specific terms is an easy way to boost your rep as a savvy traveler. Having a few catchphrases up your sleeve will also go a long way when you want to communicate during your escapades in this island country. So let’s take it back to basics with a few everyday words and phrases that you can use in a broad range of contexts while wandering Japan:
Kissaten「喫茶店」：a coffee parlor or diner
We will save our obsessive ruminations on the holy Kissaten for another post, but in short, Kissatens differ from your run-of-the-mill cafes in that the old ones are typically strongly rooted in the past aesthetically, and are perhaps best understood as time capsules of the Showa era - everything from the decor to the tableware to the music is gloriously dated. Think payphones inside the cafe, old posters, vinyl records, servers in bow ties, cigarette vending machines, etc. In fact, Kissatens were actually created in the 20th century as quiet places for people to drink coffee and engage in intellectual conversations.
You can also use the word カフェ (cafe) to refer to… you guessed it, cafes! However, the term Kissaten is a bit more all-encompassing in that it refers to places that serve both coffee and whole meals, and is great for showing off some non-katakana Japanese.
Kyukei「休憩」：taking a break or rest
We typically use this with the word ちょっと (chyotto) in front of Kyuukei, to say “a small break.” Great for when your feet are tired from all that walking and you want to sit down or hop into a 喫茶店 (:0)
Osanpo「お散歩」：taking a walk/stroll
Kyoto is all about Sanpo life. In fact, when you’re in Kyoto you might spot signs that say 京散歩 (kyosanpo) which means “walking around Kyoto.” Cool that they made up a whole word just for Kyoto’s legendary sanpo-status.
Hashi「橋」：bridge
And while walking around downtown, you’re very likely to come across several of these bad bois, specifically the bridges that go over Kamogawa and get a lot of foot traffic! You can also go under a 橋 or two if you take a stroll by the Kamogawa riverside.
Eigakan「映画館」：movie theater
Apart from the popular MOVIX and Toho Cinemas, Kyoto has a surprisingly strong Indie-cinema scene. One 映画館 we especially like is Demachiza, a small cinema in the Demachiyanagi strip mall! It shows niche short films as well as both popular and cult films, old and new, and has a cozy, vintage feel. The Demachiza lobby also doubles as a very cute bar, cafe, and bookstore, as well.
Tekito「テキトウ」：a way to describe someone who is carefree or noncommittal.
We love this word because we all want to embody this term when the weather gets nice. This can also be used as a way to tell someone to act in the way they see fit, or to say that you did something carelessly or randomly. A good example is if someone wants to buy you coffee and asks, “what kind do you want?” You can respond “テキトウ” (de onegai (please)). You can also say that you bought coffee “テキトウ” (ni).
So confusing!!! It’s a rather hard word to master but one that is used often.
Stay tuned for more of KABIN’s fave vocabulary and phrases that we hope will add more ease and fun to your adventures. As always, safe travels! 良い旅を！
