How to Say ‘Welcome.’ in Japanese
ようこそ。
you koso
[yoh koh-so]
💬 Usage Tip: [ようこそ] means "welcome." You may hear it less at a ward office than in shops, but it is still easy to understand.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Government staff more often start with a polite service phrase than a warm shop-style welcome, so this may feel a little more formal in real life.
Phrase Breakdown
よう
you
[yoh]
welcome
A greeting used to welcome someone warmly.
日本へようこそ。
Welcome to Japan.
こそ
koso
[koh-so]
indeed; emphatic part of welcome expression
Part of the set phrase ようこそ, meaning welcome.
こちらへようこそ。
Welcome this way.
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