Q&A for How to Greet People in Japan

The distance between your feet and theirs should be around two or three feet.

You should say: Ohio go-zai-mas, and then bow. That is the formal greeting in Japan. Just say Ohio like you would say the state Ohio.

If you are meeting elders or family in Japan, I would recommend a slight bow and a hello. Introduce yourself by your full name. Bow at either a 15 degree angle or 30 degree angle.

Give a 90 degree bow and call them by their last name and add a "sama" at the end.

Saying "Kon'nichiwa, genkidesuka" which is "こんにちは、元気ですか" is how it's said in Japan. The pronunciation could be difficult, but you can hear it on google, once you search it to know how it is to be said. If you need more translations, install an English to Japan Dictionary or buy one. Some of them even have audios' available and can help you say more sentences in Japanese.

You should introduce yourself with your surname first. For example, if you were John Smith, you would say: "Hello, I am Smith John". When introducing other people, you add a -san to the end of their name. you would say "Hello, this is Smith Sue-san."

The suffix -san is usually used formally and is often used when meeting someone for the first time. It is usually used with someone's family name.

Senpai is generally used in work and school. If the person is a teacher, you would use Sensei. If you're in business, you would use Sama. If you're referring to someone as Mr./Mrs./Ms., you would use San.

There isn't any one thing you could cook for anybody of any specific culture that everybody within that culture would like. There's more to this person than simply being Japanese; your guest is an individual with an individual's tastes and preferences. Some people enjoy the familiarity of their favorite dish from home, while others like to explore new culinary options when abroad. It's best to simply ask your guest, "What foods do you like?" and plan accordingly rather than assume there's a specific food that all people from Japan like.

You can greet each other by bowing. Or by saying Hajimemashite, if they do not understand English, which means "How do you do?" Another thing you could say is, Konnichiwa which means "Hello."

If it is completely formal it would be a good idea to say: Ohayo Gozaimasu with a little bow for males or bowing the head for females.

Yes. As explained above, handshakes are not as common in Japan as in many other places, but if a handshake is proffered, you can certainly accept it.