If you’ve ever traveled to Japan or have read about the restaurant industry in Japan, then you surely know the legendary conveyer-belt sushi chain, Sushiro. Serving up plates of $1 sushi ordered on a tablet and delivered by cart, Sushi is a favorite of locals and foreign travelers alike.

You don’t need to know much Japanese to enjoy Sushiro’s delicacies. Learn these essential phrases and you’ll have a flawless sushi experience every time. Your belly will thank us later.

Learn each set of phrases by context, or skip to the MUST-KNOW phrases if you’re in a rush. Click “save” to study anytime.

TLDR: Must-Know Phrases

Learn these to have your bare-bones needs covered.

Now that you’ve got your essentials covered, let’s go more in-depth. Starting with the moment you walk into Sushiro ready to use your new Japanese language skills.

Getting a table or booth

As soon as you walk in, you’ll see a small waiting area with a touchscreen and several TVs displaying the upcoming numbers. Change the language to English and get a waiting number. If you’re confused, ask a staff member, Sumimasen, omachi wa ikura desu ka? (Excuse me, how long is the wait?).

They’ll ask you, būsu (booth) or teibur (table). If you’re solo, or just want to start eating sushi faster, tell them būsu o onegaishimasu (booth please).

When you sit down, you’ll see a small touchscreen with hundreds of sushi options in Japanese. If you’re having trouble switching the device to English, press the help button and ask a staff member, “Sumimasen, Eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka?” (Excuse me, is there an English menu?)

Navigating your meal

If you’re overwhelmed by the choices, you can’t go wrong asking for the waiter’s recommendation. To ask for someone’s recommendation in Japanese, ask, “Osusume wa nan desu ka” (What do you recommend)?

If you’re in a smaller location, where you can see the chef preparing sushi, put your sushi journey in his hands by asking, O-makase onegaishimasu. (I'll leave it up to you.) When you say this, the chef will serve you his choice of sushi. This is rare at conveyer-belt sushi restaurants like Sushiro, but it will serve you well at smaller places.

Paying & expressing gratitude

When your stomach is full and your plates are stacked high, press “checkout” or ask the waiter for the bill: “O-kaikei onegaishimasu.”

If you’re splitting with a friend, simply ask “betsu betsu de onegaishimasu” when you take your receipt to the payment counter. Card or cash is accepted at Sushiro, but if you want to double check you can ask, “Kaado wa daijoubu desu ka?” (Is card okay?)

As is customary in Japan, a simple “Gochisosama deshita” is enough to express your gratitude.

That’s it! Study these Japanese phrases and you’ll be ready to experience Sushiro to the max. Click the “save” icon next to each phrase to add them to your Lingoza study list.