The Japanese term for ‘greeting’ is aisatsu (挨拶 / あいさつ). Aisatsu refers not only to the phrases used when meeting someone, but also gestures and actions that come alongside them. Having these few aisatsu under your belt will be a great help upon your arrival in Japan!

The Japanese word for “greeting” is “ aisatsu ” (挨拶), and it encompasses everything from the simplest hello to the most formal goodbye. Many of the greetings below have grammar components that are easily omitted or changed to make a greeting formal or casual, but the most common variants are listed.