Snow Nihongo
Written on November 1st , 2023 by Eliot Cochrane
Snow Nihongo
Simple Japanese For The Slopes
A ski trip to Japan is on the bucket list for millions of skiers all over the world. The culture, atmosphere, food, and people make Japan a special place for people to visit. With a welcoming vibe and a culture that is like no other in the skiing world, Japan is the place to visit.
With Japanese resorts like Niseko, Hakuba, and Naeba taking the crown of “Most Recognized” ski resorts in Japan, these areas will likely have English-speaking staff. But interacting with the locals in their native language is a good way to make new friends!
Don’t be intimidated!
Japan can be enjoyed just as much as anyone else even with limited English and gestures! But a little Japanese can go a long way. In this post, we will take a dip into the world of Japanese culture and the Japanese language on the ski hill. There are better guides for more travel-centric phrases, so we will focus on the on-mountain experience.
Photo: Night skiing at Inagawa Ski Area in Yuzawa, Akita.
Greetings
Like any country, a solid greeting is a good way to make friends. Here we will cover the basic greetings and self-introductions as well as generic answers to common questions.
| English | Romanization | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Konnichiwa | こんにちは |
| Goodbye | Sayounara | さようなら |
| Good morning | Ohayou gozaimasu | おはようございます |
| Good evening | Konbanwa | こんばんは |
| Good night | Oyasumi | おやすみ |
| Yes | Hai | はい |
| No | Iie | いいえ |
| Excuse me | Sumimasen | すみません |
| Sorry | Gomennasai | ごめんなさい |
| Please | Onegaishimasu | お願いします |
| Thank you | Arigatou gozaimasu | ありがとうございます |
| That’s OK / I’m OK | Daijoubu desu | 大丈夫です |
| I’m name | Watashi wa name desu | 私は name です |
| How are you? | Genki desuka? | 元気ですか？ |
| I’m fine | Genki desu | 元気です |
| I’m sleepy | Nemui desu | 眠いです |
| I’m from place | place kara kimashita | place から来ました |
| Nice to meet you | Yoroshiku onegaishimasu | よろしくお願いします |
| I don’t understand Japanese | Nihongo ga wakarimasen | 日本語がわかりません |
| Do you speak English? | Eigo wo hanasemasu ka? | 英語を話せますか？ |
Getting Around
Most of the time there will be a readily accessible map or Google Translate is just a tap away. But many ski areas are also out of cell range, so having a few basic phrases to get around is helpful too.
| English | Romanization | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| I want to go to place | place ni ikitai desu | place に行きたいです |
| Where is place? | place wa doko desuka? | place はどこですか？ |
| Is it near here? | Koko kara chikai desuka? | ここから近いですか？ |
| Can I have a map, please? | Chizu wo kudasai | 地図をください |
| Gondola | Gondola | ゴンドラ |
| Double Chairlift | Pea lifuto | ペアリフト |
| Quad Chairlift | Kuaddo lifuto | クアッドリフト |
| Magic Carpet | Majikku Kāpetto | マジックカーペット |
| Ski Patrol | Patorōru | パトロール |
| Ticket | Chiketto | チケット |
| Food court | Fūdo kōto | フードコート |
Photo: Early morning light at Appi Ski Resort in Hachimantai, Iwate.
Conditions
Next, we will cover terms related to the conditions and slope or when listening to the staff in the morning as they describe the snow report. Many of the ski specific keywords follow their foreign counterparts.
| English | Romanization | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | Paudā | パウダー |
| Icy | Aisu bān | アイスバーン |
| Ski slope | Gerende | ゲレンデ |
| Thin cover | Usui | 薄い |
| Deep cover | Fukai | 深い |
| Sunny | Hare | 晴れ |
| Cloudy | Kumori | 曇り |
| Rainy | Ame | 雨 |
| Snowy | Yuki | 雪 |
| Heavy snow | Omoi yuki | 重い雪 |
| Light snow | Karui yuki | 軽い雪 |
| Man-made snow | Jinkō yuki | 人工雪 |
| Temperature | Ondo | 温度 |
| Warm | Atatakai | 温かい |
| Cool | Suzushi | 涼しい |
| Hot | Atsui | 熱い |
| Cold | Samui | 寒い |
Ski Stuff
This is where we will take a look into ski equipment and also some of the fitting terms that resort staff might use. These tips can help give the staff a better understanding of what’s needed from them.
| English | Romanization | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Rental Shop | Rentaru | レンタル |
| Equipment | Dougu | 道具 |
| Helmet | Herumetto | ヘルメット |
| Goggles | Gōguru | ゴーグル |
| Ski Jacket | Sukī jaketto | スキージャケット |
| Gloves | Gurōbu | グローブ |
| Ski Pants | Sukī zubon | スキーパンツ |
| Socks | Kutsushita | 靴下 |
| Boots | Būtsu | ブーツ |
| Poles | Sutokku | ストック |
| Skis | Sukī | スキー |
Cool Comments
| English | Romanization | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| Nice! | Naisu | ナイス |
| That’s cool! | Kakkoī | カッコいい |
| Great jump! | Yoi jyanpu | 良いジャンプ |
| That’s steep! | Kyū desu | 急です |
Photo: Japanese textbooks that never got used.
Have Fun
When push comes to shove, the most important thing is to have fun. Not knowing Japanese is OK and you will have plenty of fun. Some things just have no borders.
But just like how the Japanese are friendly and kind, we should do the same for them. Saying ‘please’ (onegai shimasu) and ‘thank you’ (arigatou gozaimasu) go a long way for you and those to come in the future.
After Thoughts
As someone who has lived in Japan for 10 years now, I’ve seen a lot of people come and go. Even just staying for 1 year is enough for some and that’s okay. But many of them leave for one reason: lack of friends.
This always hurts me because the Japanese people are so welcoming, but the times that you feel like a native will be nearly non-existent. Always getting treated a little differently can feel awkward. Some days it’s a real help, and other days it is a real struggle. But when it comes down to it, making friends is the best thing to do for yourself mentally and physically too.
Making friends is what life is all about and not having perfect Japanese is not going to stop it. Get after it!
Photo: Two volunteers sitting on a chairlift at Appi Ski Resort.
