How to Say ‘Welcome.’ in Japanese
ようこそ。
you koso
[yoh koh-soh]
💬 Usage Tip: [ようこそ] means "welcome," but at a ward office staff are more likely to use polite service phrases than this exact word.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In real ward office interactions, you may hear [いらっしゃいませ] less often than in shops, and often just a polite greeting instead.
Phrase Breakdown
よう
you
[yoh]
welcome
First part of ようこそ, a greeting meaning welcome.
ようこそ、区役所へ。
Welcome to the ward office.
こそ
koso
[koh-soh]
indeed welcome / emphatic part
Second part of ようこそ. It strengthens the welcoming expression.
ようこそ、と言われました。
I was told, “Welcome.”
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