Japanese Greetings and Introductions

Basic Greetings

• "Konnichiwa" translates to "Good day" or "Hello," and is used during the daytime.
• "Ohayou gozaimasu" means "Good morning" (formal), while "Ohayou" is the casual version.
• "Konbanwa" means "Good evening."
• "Oyasumi nasai" means "Good night" (formal), while "Oyasumi" is the casual version.

Self-Introduction

• "Hajimemashite" means "Nice to meet you," and is always said when meeting someone for the first time.
• "Watashi wa [name] desu" translates to "I am [name]," with "Watashi wa" meaning "I" or "As for me," and desu being a polite sentence ending.
• "Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu" means "Please take care of me" or a more formal "Nice to meet you," and is said after introducing yourself.

Asking "How are you?"

• "Genki desu ka?" means "How are you?" (casual).
• "O-genki desu ka?" means "How are you?" (polite).
• "Hai, genki desu" translates to "Yes, I'm well."
• "Maa maa desu" translates to "I'm okay."
• "Iie, chotto..." means "No, not really…"

Classroom Etiquette (Kiritsu-Rei-Chakuseki)

• "Kiritsu" means "Stand up," with everyone standing at the start of class.
• "Rei" means "Bow," with everyone bowing to show respect.
• "Chakuseki" means "Sit down," with everyone sitting after bowing.

Polite and Casual Speech

• Polite speech uses "desu" and "ka."
• "Genki desu ka?" means "How are you?" (polite).
• "Genki?" means "How are you?" (informal/casual).

Titles and Addressing People

• "San" (さん) is used as Mr./Ms. for people you don’t know well or in formal contexts, such as "John-san" (Mr. John); it cannot be used for yourself.
• "Sensei" (先生) is used for teachers, professors, or experts, such as "Tanaka-sensei" (Mr./Ms. Tanaka, the teacher).

Classroom Phrases (Attendance)

• "Shusseki wo torimasu" means "I will take attendance" (said by the teacher).
• Students respond with "Hai" (はい) = "Yes" when their name is called.
• "[Name]-san wa kesseki desu" means "[Name] is absent".

Important Vocabulary and Phrases

• "Arigatou gozaimasu" means "Thank you very much" (polite), with "Arigatou" being the casual version.
• "Sumimasen" translates to "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry."
• "Gomen nasai" means "I'm sorry" (more formal).
• "Hai" (はい) means "Yes."
• "Iie" (いいえ) means "No."

Commonly Used Japanese Phrases

• "O-negai shimasu" means "Please" (when asking for a favor).
• "Daijoubu desu" means "It's okay" or "I'm fine."
• "Wakarimasu" means "I understand."
• "Wakarimasen" means "I don't understand."
• "Eigo ga hanasemasu ka?" means "Can you speak English?"

Geography of Japan

• Japan is an island nation in East Asia, east of the Korean Peninsula and China.
• Japan experiences four distinct seasons due to its longitude.
• Japan is an archipelago, consisting of 14,125 islands, with only about 260 inhabited.
• The four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

The Four Main Islands

• Hokkaido is the northernmost island with cold winters; its capital is Sapporo, known for snow festivals and parks.
• Honshu is the largest and most populous, housing major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, and Mount Fuji.
• Kyushu is the third-largest and southernmost, influenced by its proximity to the Asian continent; Fukuoka is a major city known for street food (Yatai).
• Shikoku is the smallest of the four, between Honshu and Kyushu, and is known for temples and natural beauty.

Tectonic Plates and Earthquakes

• Japan sits on the boundary of four major tectonic plates: Pacific, North American, Eurasian, and Filipino.
• The movement of these plates causes frequent earthquakes, making seismic activity a significant part of life.
• Earthquakes can cause tsunamis, which are destructive ocean waves.

Key Landmarks and Locations

• Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain at 3,776 meters, an active volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage site on Honshu.
• Tokyo, the capital, is on Honshu's eastern coast, combining modern and historical elements.
• Kyoto, on Honshu, is known for traditional temples, gardens, and sites like Kinkaku-ji and Fushimi Inari Taisha.
• Osaka, a major city in Honshu, is known for food culture and the Dotonbori entertainment district.
• Hiroshima, on Honshu's western side, is known for the Peace Memorial Park.
• Nara is known for deer roaming freely in Nara Park and the Great Buddha statue in Tōdai-ji Temple.
• Fukuoka, on Kyushu, is famous for Yatai (street food stalls).
• Otaru, on Hokkaido, is known for its canal and historic warehouses.
• Ritsurin Garden, in Takamatsu, Shikoku, is a historical Japanese garden.

Key Terms

• Archipelago: A group or chain of islands, such as Japan's 14,125 islands.
• Tectonic Plates: Large pieces of the Earth's crust that move and cause seismic activity.
• Volcano: A mountain formed by the eruption of molten rock.
• Earthquake: A sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements in the Earth's crust.
• Tsunami: A series of large ocean waves caused by the displacement of water.