Do this now
Follow these steps in order.
- 01
Wait until the meal is ready and the group is about to begin.
- 02
Say “itadakimasu” once, in a normal voice, before taking the first bite.
- 03
Follow the host’s timing rather than forcing everyone into a ritual.
- 04
After finishing, say “gochisousama deshita” to the host or restaurant staff.
- 05
Use “arigato gozaimasu” as a simple alternative when the longer phrase feels uncertain.
- 06
Treat both phrases as gratitude, not as a joke, chant or demand for a response.
What to know
Itadakimasu is said before eating
JNTO identifies itadakimasu as one of the essential dining phrases and explains it as being glad to receive the meal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Web Japan gives the core meaning as receiving the food.
Say it when you are ready to begin, usually after everyone has been served. It is directed toward the meal and the people and effort behind it rather than used as a greeting to one specific waiter.
What to know
Its meaning is wider than “let’s eat”
MAFF explains that itadaku originally meant placing something on the head and later developed the meanings “to receive” and “to partake.” In a meal greeting, it expresses gratitude to nature, food producers and the people who prepared the food.
Translations such as “let’s eat,” “thanks for the food” or “I humbly receive” each show only part of the idea. Use the Japanese phrase without expecting a single English sentence to reproduce every nuance.
What to know
Gochisousama deshita is said after eating
When the meal is over, gochisousama deshita expresses thanks for the food and the hospitality. Web Japan notes the literal image of a feast, while JNTO loosely renders the phrase as thanks for the food.
At a restaurant, you can say it to staff when returning a tray, paying or leaving. At a home, direct it toward the host or cook after the group finishes.
What to know
The phrase recognizes the effort behind the meal
MAFF explains that chiso refers to someone busily preparing a meal. Gochisousama therefore carries appreciation for the work, time and care that brought the food to the table.
The polite completed form gochisousama deshita suits the end of a meal. You may hear shorter forms among family or close friends, but the full form is the safe choice for a traveler.
What to know
These greetings are not a religious test
Official explanations emphasize receiving food and thanking nature and people. A visitor does not need to adopt a belief, clap, bow deeply or copy a prayer posture to use the phrases respectfully.
Some people briefly place their hands together, while others simply speak. Follow the setting and avoid presenting one gesture as compulsory in every Japanese home or restaurant.
What to know
Match the group’s timing
JNTO advises that groups normally wait until everyone has food before starting. If a host raises a glass, gives an explanation or asks the group to wait, follow that cue.
When dishes arrive at different times and the host invites you to start, a quiet itadakimasu is enough. Do not let the phrase make hot food go cold or turn service into a ceremony.
What to know
Travelers are welcome to use the phrases, but perfection is unnecessary
Use a natural voice and say the phrase once. Staff may smile, acknowledge it or continue working; no set verbal reply is required.
If pronunciation feels difficult, arigato gozaimasu communicates thanks clearly. Respect comes from the tone and behavior around the meal, not from demonstrating vocabulary.
What to know
Pronounce the useful forms clearly
Itadakimasu can be broken into i-ta-da-ki-ma-su. In ordinary speech, the final “u” may sound light. Gochisousama deshita can be paced as go-chi-so-o-sa-ma de-shi-ta.
Romanization varies between gochisousama and gochisosama. Both point to ごちそうさま; listening to the host and speaking without exaggeration matters more than copying one spelling.
If that does not work
Use the fallback.
- If everyone has already started, begin quietly rather than interrupting the table for a late group greeting.
- If you forget itadakimasu, do not restart the meal; thank the host naturally afterward.
- If you cannot pronounce gochisousama deshita, say arigato gozaimasu.
- If food arrives at different times, follow the host or staff’s invitation about when to begin.
- If you are unsure whether to put your hands together, a small nod and the spoken phrase are enough.
- If a casual group uses a shorter form, you can still use the full polite form.
Before you need it
Save this offline.
- Before eating: itadakimasu
- After eating: gochisousama deshita
- Simple alternative: arigato gozaimasu
- The core idea: gratitude for food, nature, producers, cooks and hosts
- The timing rule: follow the host and wait for the group when appropriate
Primary evidence
Official sources used
Open these pages again before travel. External links lead to the responsible Japanese authority or transport organization.
