How to read a Japanese menu.

Japanese menus mix three writing systems and are often handwritten or posted on the wall as strips of paper. Here is what to expect, from ticket machines to set meals, and the dishes worth knowing.

Before you sit down: the ticket machine

Many ramen, udon and curry shops have a ticket machine (shokken-ki) by the door. You pay at the machine, press the button for your dish, and hand the ticket to the staff. The buttons are usually in Japanese only, so photograph the machine before you start feeding it coins. The top-left button is often the house specialty.

Words that shape the order

定食 Teishoku: a set meal, a main dish with rice, miso soup and pickles. Usually the best value at lunch.
大盛り Ōmori: a large portion, sometimes free and sometimes a small extra charge. 並 Nami is regular.
時価 Jika: market price, common for fish and sushi. Ask before ordering.
お通し Otōshi: a small appetizer brought automatically at an izakaya, which also works as a seating charge. It is normal, not a mistake.
お任せ Omakase: "I leave it to you", the chef's selection.

Tipping is not expected in Japan, and menu prices include tax. The price on the menu is what you pay; at an izakaya, the otōshi will appear on the bill.

Dishes you will meet

Japanese has no strong stressed syllable, so say each syllable evenly.

ラーメン Ramen rah-menWheat noodles in broth. The broth type comes first: shōyu (soy), shio (salt), miso or tonkotsu.
豚骨 Tonkotsu ton-kot-suRich, milky broth made by boiling pork bones for hours.
焼き鳥 Yakitori yah-kee-toh-reeGrilled chicken skewers, seasoned shio (salt) or tare (sweet soy glaze).
カツ丼 Katsudon kah-tsu-donBreaded pork cutlet simmered with egg and onion over rice.
親子丼 Oyakodon oh-yah-koh-donChicken and egg over rice. The name means "parent and child".
お好み焼き Okonomiyaki oh-koh-noh-mee-yah-keeSavory pancake of cabbage and batter with toppings, grilled on a hot plate.
うどん Udon / 蕎麦 Soba oo-don / soh-bahThick wheat noodles / thin buckwheat noodles, served hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauce.
鰻 Unagi oo-nah-geeFreshwater eel grilled with a sweet soy glaze, usually over rice.
抹茶 Matcha mah-chaPowdered green tea, also used in desserts and ice cream.

Why word-for-word translation fails here

Many Japanese dish names are poetic or compressed: oyakodon is "parent-and-child bowl", and a literal translation of a ramen shop's menu can read like a riddle. MenuSnapp reads kanji, hiragana and katakana, keeps the names you would see on a Japanese restaurant menu at home, and explains what each dish actually is.

Useful phrases

お会計お願いします (oh-kai-kei oh-ne-gai-shi-mas): the bill, please.
これをください (ko-re oh ku-da-sai): this one, please. Say it while pointing at the menu.