How to Read a Japanese Menu: Common Kanji and Terms

A short list of cooking words, size labels and menu habits that turns a wall of characters into a confident order.

Published October 18, 2026 at 8:31 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Japanese menus become much easier once you recognize a few cooking-method characters, such as yaki for grilled, age for fried and ni for simmered, plus main ingredient words like gyu for beef and buta for pork. Learn size terms, set meal labels and tax notes too. Photos, plastic food displays and ticket machines also help when you cannot read every character.

Start With the Cooking Method

Many Japanese dish names end with a word that tells you how the food is cooked. Learning a handful of these gives you a big head start. The character for grilled or pan-fried (焼) is read yaki, as in yakitori or yakiniku. The character for fried (揚), read age, appears in karaage and tempura-style dishes.

Other common endings include ni (煮), meaning simmered, as in nimono; itame (炒), meaning stir-fried; and mushi (蒸), meaning steamed. Words with the character for raw (生), read nama, indicate fresh or uncooked items, and also appear on draft beer menus. The character for boiled, read yude or yuderu, appears less often. Dishes ending in the character for rice or meal, read meshi or gohan, usually come with rice, while the character for noodles, read men, signals a noodle dish.

When a name combines two parts, the first part often tells you the main ingredient and the second tells you how it is cooked. For example, a dish named with the characters for chicken and fried is chicken karaage. Seeing this pattern lets you decode unfamiliar dishes with surprisingly little vocabulary.

Main Ingredient Characters

A few characters appear again and again. The character for beef (牛) is read gyu or ushi, pork (豚) is buta, and chicken (鶏) is tori. The character for fish (魚) is sakana or uo, and shrimp (海老) is ebi. Vegetables (野菜) are yasai, and eggs (卵) are tamago. Learning to spot them on shop signs also helps you guess what a restaurant specializes in.

Seafood has many specific names, and familiar ones include maguro for tuna, sake for salmon, and ika for squid. Noodle types include men or the specific words ramen, udon and soba. Rice appears as gohan or meshi. Soup appears as shiru or suimono. Fish names are often written in hiragana or katakana as well as kanji, so a mix of scripts on one menu is normal.

You do not need to memorize everything. Take a screenshot of a short list, or use a translation app that reads text through the camera. Even recognizing five or six characters can help you avoid ordering something you do not want, and it makes menus feel less daunting. A saved note on your phone with ten key words is usually enough for most casual meals.

Set Meals, Bowls and Sizes

Many casual restaurants offer teishoku (定食), or set meals, which include a main dish, rice, miso soup and pickles. The characters for teishoku appear on boards outside restaurants. A bowl meal is called don (丼), as in gyudon or katsudon. These are practical, filling and economical choices. The set is usually served at once on a tray, so there is no waiting between courses.

Size words are useful. Nami (並) means regular, omori (大盛) means large portion, and tokumori (特盛) means extra large. Rice refills are sometimes free, and menus may say so. Sets might also list a la carte items called tanpin (単品), for those who want only the main dish. At some restaurants, a larger rice portion is free, which is worth knowing if you are hungry.

If you want something lighter, look for small portions or half sizes, which appear with words such as han or sho. When in doubt, ask staff or point to a photo. Restaurants usually have a standard portion that suits most diners, so you are rarely at risk of ordering far too much.

Drinks, Courses and Fixed Charges

Drink menus often appear on separate pages or a second list. The characters for beer, sake, tea and water are common, as are words for hot and cold. Hot tea is often listed with the character for hot, and iced tea with the character for ice. If a drink list looks confusing, ask for a recommendation by naming the style you like, such as light beer or sweet sake.

All-you-can-drink and all-you-can-eat plans are labeled nomihodai (飲み放題) and tabehodai (食べ放題). These usually have time limits and fixed prices. Course menus are called course, and often require reservations. Check what is included before you commit. Most plans include a time limit, often around ninety minutes or two hours, and a last-order call before the end.

At izakaya, you may receive a small appetizer called otoshi (お通し), which comes with a table charge. It is a standard practice and not a mistake. Prices on menus may be listed with or without tax, so look for words meaning tax included or tax excluded. Staff can explain if you are unsure.

Using Pictures, Samples and Tickets

Many restaurants help non-readers with picture menus. Photographs show what each dish looks like, and numbers or letters make ordering easy. Pointing at a photo is perfectly acceptable. Some restaurants also provide English translation sheets or tablets. Menu numbers are especially helpful because you can say or point to the number.

Plastic food displays outside restaurants are another aid. These realistic models show the dishes and often list prices. You can point to the model or take a photo and show staff. This practice is a popular feature of Japanese dining culture. Looking at the models before you go in helps you choose with confidence.

Ticket machines are used at many casual restaurants. You insert money, press a button for your dish and give the ticket to staff. Buttons usually show a photo or name. If there is no English, press the button matching the picture. Staff are used to helping and will assist if needed.

Seasonal and Daily Specials

Menus often include specials marked with a character for today or a word for seasonal. The characters for today's special may appear on a whiteboard. These dishes use ingredients at their best and are good choices when you want to try something local. Handwritten notes and small signs on the wall are often where the most interesting items hide.

Seasonal items might be marked with an indication of the time of year, such as spring or autumn, or by featuring ingredients like bamboo shoots or chestnuts. Chefs often prepare a limited quantity, so they may sell out. Ask staff what they recommend. A word for new or fresh before an ingredient often indicates the first harvest of the year.

When traveling, look for regional specialties that appear only in certain areas. Menus might highlight local fish, vegetables or regional noodles. Using a camera translation app helps you understand details, and the staff will usually appreciate your interest. Local specialties are often printed in bold or listed on a separate page.

Allergies, Dietary Needs and Politeness

If you have allergies or dietary restrictions, learn how to say them in Japanese or carry a written card. Terms for eggs, milk, wheat, shrimp, crab, soba and peanuts are legally labeled on packaged foods, though restaurants may not provide the same detail. Ask staff politely about ingredients. A printed card in Japanese listing your allergies is more reliable than speaking from memory.

Be aware that many broths use fish stock and many sauces contain meat or seafood. Vegetarian dishes may still include these hidden elements. Explaining your needs clearly and kindly goes a long way. Some restaurants can adjust a dish, while others cannot. Asking directly about dashi is helpful, since it appears in so many dishes.

When ordering, say sumimasen to call staff, and use please when asking. A calm, polite approach is appreciated. Do not worry about mistakes. Staff understand that visitors may not read the menu and tend to be patient and helpful. A small bow and a smile help, and staff typically respond kindly to the effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which characters are worth learning first?

Start with cooking methods such as yaki (grilled), age (fried) and ni (simmered), plus ingredient words like gyu (beef), buta (pork), tori (chicken) and sakana (fish).

What does teishoku mean?

It means a set meal, usually a main dish with rice, miso soup and pickles.

Is it okay to point at pictures?

Yes. Pointing at photos or plastic food models is normal and welcomed.

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More guides from Tokyo Paul: Lunch Sets in Japan: Value Meals Worth Seeking, Shokuhin Sampuru: Japan's Plastic Food Displays and Tachigui Soba: Standing-Only Noodle Counters at Stations.