How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese: Phrases & Template

Introducing yourself is the very first real conversation you will have in Japanese — and the great news is that Japanese self-introductions follow a predictable, learnable pattern. Whether you are meeting a classmate, joining a new workplace, or greeting a host family for the first time, knowing your jikoshoukai (自己紹介) gives you an immediate confidence boost that no amount of grammar drilling alone can replace.

This guide gives you the phrases, a personalised template, the cultural context, and a practice quiz to make your first Japanese introduction feel natural rather than nerve-racking.

What Is Jikoshoukai (自己紹介)?

Jikoshoukai (自己紹介, jikoshoukai) means "self-introduction." The word breaks down neatly: jiko (自己) means "self" and shōkai (紹介) means "introduction" or "presentation." In Japanese social and professional life, jikoshoukai is not just a formality — it is a small ritual that sets the tone for every relationship that follows.

You will encounter jikoshoukai in many situations: the first day of a language class, joining a new team at work, meeting someone at a language-exchange event, or even just being introduced to a friend of a friend.

A cultural note on bowing: When delivering your jikoshoukai in person, a bow accompanies the words. A 15°–30° bow is standard for casual settings like a classroom or language exchange. In a business or formal context, aim for 30°–45°, especially when exchanging business cards (meishi, 名刺) — offer and receive the card with both hands while bowing. The bow signals genuine sincerity, and even a small, deliberate nod makes a strong impression on a Japanese listener.

Essential Jikoshoukai Phrases

These 15 phrases are the building blocks of any self introduction in Japanese. Work through the table, then use it as a reference as you build your own template in the next section.

The verbs powering these phrases — きました, しています, すんでいます, べんきょうしています — are all covered in the guide to essential Japanese verbs. Notice that phrases like をしています and をべんきょうしています use the て form + います pattern; if you want a deeper look at how that construction works, the て form guide walks through it step by step.

Your Ready-to-Use Self-Introduction Template

Here is a seven-line template you can personalise right now. Fill in the brackets with your own information and you have a complete jikoshoukai.

はじめまして。
わたしは [YOUR NAME] です。
[YOUR COUNTRY] からきました。
いま [YOUR CITY] にすんでいます。
[YOUR AGE] さいです。
[YOUR JOB / STUDY] をしています。
よろしくおねがいします。

Worked example — a complete introduction:

はじめまして。わたしはリアです。カナダからきました。いまトロントにすんでいます。25さいです。デザイナーをしています。よろしくおねがいします。

Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Ria desu. Kanada kara kimashita. Ima Toronto ni sunde imasu. Nijūgo-sai desu. Dezainā o shite imasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Nice to meet you. I'm Ria. I'm from Canada. I live in Toronto now. I'm 25 years old. I work as a designer. Pleased to meet you.

You can add a hobby line between your job and your closing:

しゅみはりょうりです。
Shumi wa ryōri desu.
My hobby is cooking.

The next lesson — talking about your hobbies in Japanese — expands exactly this vocabulary so your self-introduction keeps growing.

Want to practise this template with real, live feedback? Book your Free Trial lesson on LINE and deliver your jikoshoukai to a native-speaking tutor — there is no better way to find out what actually sounds natural.

Formal vs. Casual: Which Should You Use?

Japanese has distinct registers, and your jikoshoukai shifts noticeably depending on the situation. The two examples below show exactly where the differences land.

Casual — language exchange, friends of friends, informal class:

はじめまして。わたしはトムです。イギリスからきました。にほんごをべんきょうしています。よろしく！

Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Tomu desu. Igirisu kara kimashita. Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu. Yoroshiku!

Nice to meet you. I'm Tom. I'm from the UK. I'm studying Japanese. Good to meet you!

Formal — business meeting, new workplace, school enrolment:

はじめまして。マリアともうします。スペインからきました。どうぞよろしくおねがいします。

Hajimemashite. Maria to mōshimasu. Supein kara kimashita. Dōzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Nice to meet you. My name is Maria. I have come from Spain. I look forward to your kind regards.

The difference lives in two places:

• Name line: です (casual) → ともうします (formal/humble)
• Closing line: よろしく！(casual) → どうぞよろしくおねがいします (formal)

When in doubt, use the formal version. In Japanese culture it is far better to be slightly over-polite than accidentally blunt. You can always relax the register once the relationship is established.

If you are at a language exchange or meeting other learners, add this line before your closing:

にほんごをいちねんべんきょうしています。
Nihongo o ichi-nen benkyō shite imasu.
I have been studying Japanese for one year.

Adjust the number freely — ろくかげつ (roku-kagetsu, six months) or にねん (ni-nen, two years) work just as well.

If any of the verb forms above look unfamiliar, the introduction to Japanese verb basics will make the underlying patterns click quickly.

Common Mistakes in Japanese Self-Introductions

From a teaching perspective, these are the errors that come up again and again with English-speaking learners.

1. Overusing わたし Once you open with わたしは___です, Japanese grammar assumes you are the subject unless stated otherwise. Repeating わたし before every sentence — "わたしは25さいです。わたしはデザイナーです…" — sounds unnatural and mechanical. After the first line, drop it entirely.

2. Using よろしく alone in a formal setting よろしく is the casual short form — perfectly fine between peers. Saying just "yoroshiku!" to a new boss or senior colleague, however, can read as flippant. Always close with the full よろしくおねがいします (or どうぞよろしくおねがいします) in any professional or first-meeting context.

3. Rushing through はじめまして Learners often sprint through the opening greeting as if it were a throwaway line. In Japanese, はじめまして carries real weight — it marks this as a first meeting and sets the register for everything that follows. Say it clearly, hold a brief pause, then continue.

4. Mixing polite and casual verb endings A common trap is opening with polite ___です and then slipping into dictionary-form verbs mid-introduction. Keep every verb in the ～ます / ～です form throughout a formal jikoshoukai. Consistency in register is what sounds natural and considered.

5. Forgetting the physical element In written guides, the bow is easy to overlook. In real life, a perfectly worded jikoshoukai delivered with no bow feels cold to a Japanese listener. Even on a video call, a small, deliberate nod of the head communicates respect — never skip it.

Practice Quiz

Test yourself before you put your jikoshoukai into the world. Answers are at the bottom.

① Fill in the blank with your own information

② What does it mean in English?

③ Translate into Japanese

Answers

②

③

FAQ

What is jikoshoukai?

Jikoshoukai (自己紹介, jikoshoukai) is the Japanese word for self-introduction. It refers to the short, structured speech you give when meeting someone new — covering your name, origin, job or study, and a polite closing phrase. The format is used in classrooms, workplaces, social gatherings, and language-exchange events.

What does よろしくおねがいします really mean?

There is no perfect English translation. Literally it asks the other person to "regard you favourably," but in practice it functions as "pleased to meet you," "I look forward to working with you," or "thank you in advance" depending on context. It is one of the most versatile and important phrases in spoken Japanese.

Is よろしくおねがいします formal or casual?

It sits in the polite-but-broadly-usable middle. よろしく alone is casual — fine for peers and friends. どうぞよろしくおねがいします is the most formal version, used in business meetings and with senior colleagues. When meeting someone for the first time in any setting, always use at least よろしくおねがいします.

Do I have to mention my age in a Japanese self-introduction?

Age is commonly included in Japanese self-introductions — particularly in group settings like classrooms or new workplace orientations — because it helps establish social hierarchy and how to address each other. In casual one-on-one settings you can leave it out without offence, but including it shows cultural awareness and often earns a warm response.

Continue Learning

You have just built your first complete jikoshoukai — the foundation of real Japanese conversation. Keep the momentum going:

• Previous lesson: Revisit your grammar foundations with the cumulative review and quiz if you want a solid base before moving on.
• Next lesson: Learn how to talk about your hobbies in Japanese — the natural next line in any self-introduction.

This article is Lesson 71 of the Kind Japanese 100-day beginner curriculum.