When you enter a shop in Japan, you soon hear a bright voice saying 「いらっしゃいませ」（いらっしゃいませ） [iɾaɕɕaimase]. Convenience stores, supermarkets, restaurants, clothes shops: everywhere, this voice welcomes customers with care.
People who come to Japan for the first time often wonder, “What should I answer to 「いらっしゃいませ」?” The answer is very simple. You do not need to reply. A small 「会釈」（えしゃく） [eɕakɯ], a light bow, is enough.
Then why do shop staff speak so politely? Behind this is the Japanese spirit of 「おもてなし」（おもてなし） [omotenaɕi], welcoming and caring for someone sincerely without asking for anything back. In this article, we learn shopping phrases and the feeling behind them through simple Japanese.
「おもてなし」 is a word that expresses Japanese service culture. It means taking care of customers with sincere attention so that they can spend their time comfortably.
The important point is that it does not ask for something back, such as a tip or a gift. In Japan, even when a shop gives polite service, customers do not give tips. Even so, staff greet customers with a smile and wrap products carefully.
This spirit connects with 「思いやり」（おもいやり） [omoijaɾi], consideration for others, which we learnt in Series 5. You think about the other person and want them to feel comfortable. That feeling appears in both words and behaviour.
Callout
「いらっしゃいませ」 is a sign of thanks to customers. It is not rude if you do not reply. A small nod is enough to show your feeling.
Customer-service language often uses special polite expressions. They may sound a little difficult, but if you know the forms, shopping becomes much easier.
Examples: 「お会計はこちらでお願いします。」 and 「お受け取りください。」 This form makes a request to a customer sound soft.
Note
Customers do not need to say these expressions themselves. It is enough to understand them when you hear them. When answering, 「はい」, 「お願いします」, or 「ありがとう」 will usually work.
The United States, the Philippines, Malaysia, and similar places. Staff may greet casually with “Hello”, and customers ask when they need something. There is an atmosphere of enjoying conversation.
The United States, Vietnam, India, and similar places. Good service is thanked with a tip. Japan does not have a tipping custom, and that care appears instead as 「おもてなし」.
Note
Cultural differences are not about good or bad. Every culture has its own way of valuing customers in that society.
− Clerk: 「いらっしゃいませ。」
− The customer gives a small bow and places the item at the register.
− Clerk: 「お会計は150円です。」
− Customer: 「はい、お願いします。」
− Clerk: 「ありがとうございました。またお越しください。」
− Customer: 「どうも。」
Expression
Point
「いらっしゃいませ。」
A welcoming greeting. No reply is needed.
「お願いします。」
A useful phrase when asking for payment or a procedure to be handled.
「どうも。」
A light way to say “thanks”. You can use it when leaving a shop.
「いらっしゃいませ」 is a welcoming greeting. No reply is needed; a light bow is enough.
Japanese customer service has the spirit of 「おもてなし」, which does not ask for anything back.
Polite expressions such as 「少々お待ちください」 and 「〜でよろしいでしょうか」 are fine if you can understand them when you hear them.
When you compare customer-service cultures around the world, Japan's feature of greeting customers with words becomes clear.
Next time: “Learning About Life in Japan Through Words (7)”. Suggested theme: baths and 「銭湯」（せんとう） [sentoː], Japanese public baths, and words for 「きれい好き」, liking cleanliness.
