Japanese for city hall: counter dialogue templates — TokyoHelp
Japanese for city hall: counter dialogue templates
Copy-and-say Japanese for the ward office (区役所/役場): opening lines, handing over your residence card, asking which counter, requesting easy/slow Japanese, numbers and dates, and confirming next steps — grouped by scene with readings and English meanings.
8 min readChecked against official sources 2026-06-16
For most newcomers, the scariest part of a ward office (区役所 / 役場, kuyakusho / yakuba) visit isn't the paperwork — it's not knowing what to say the moment you reach the counter. The good news: counter Japanese is highly formulaic. Memorise a handful of lines, match them to the scene, and you can get through most move-in, health-insurance and My Number errands smoothly. Below is a set of ready-to-say templates grouped by scene, each with a reading and the English meaning. And if you ever get lost, one phrase saves you: 「やさしい日本語でお願いします」 (Easy Japanese, please).
This is general information, not legal or case-by-case administrative advice. Exact documents, fees and deadlines depend on your own ward — check its official site or ask at the counter. The official links below let you verify everything.
Five lifesaver phrases to memorise first
やさしい日本語でお願いします。/ yasashii nihongo de onegai shimasu / 'Easy (plain) Japanese, please.' — the single most useful line.
ここに書いてください。/ koko ni kaite kudasai / 'Please write it here.' (point at paper/phone)
英語のパンフレットはありますか。/ eigo no panfuretto wa arimasu ka / 'Do you have an English leaflet?'
'Easy Japanese' (やさしい日本語) is plain Japanese the government has promoted since the 1995 Kobe earthquake — slow speech, short sentences, simple words. Many ward offices and hospitals accept the request, and asking is perfectly polite — it makes things easier for both sides.
Scene 1 · Walking in / opening line
Most offices have a general information desk (総合案内, sougou annai) near the entrance, or you take a numbered ticket. State your purpose:
すみません、〇〇の手続きをお願いします。/ sumimasen, ◯◯ no tetsuzuki o onegai shimasu / 'Excuse me, I'd like to do the ◯◯ procedure.' (swap in the errand below)
転入届を出したいです。/ tennyuu-todoke o dashitai desu / 'I'd like to submit a move-in notification.'
国民健康保険に加入したいです。/ kokumin kenkou hoken ni kanyuu shitai desu / 'I'd like to join National Health Insurance.'
マイナンバーカードの手続きに来ました。/ mai-nanbaa-kaado no tetsuzuki ni kimashita / 'I'm here for a My Number Card procedure.'
番号札を取りますか。/ bangou-fuda o torimasu ka / 'Should I take a numbered ticket?'
Related guides
Scene 2 · Asking which counter
Counters are split finely (resident registration, insurance & pension, tax, childcare…). When you don't know which desk:
〇〇の窓口はどこですか。/ ◯◯ no madoguchi wa doko desu ka / 'Where is the ◯◯ counter?'
転入の窓口は何番ですか。/ tennyuu no madoguchi wa nan-ban desu ka / 'Which number is the move-in counter?'
何階ですか。/ nan-gai desu ka / 'Which floor?'
ここで合っていますか。/ koko de atte imasu ka / 'Am I at the right counter?'
順番はどのくらい待ちますか。/ junban wa dono kurai machimasu ka / 'How long is the wait?'
Scene 3 · Handing over documents
When it's your turn, slide your documents across and name them. The two you'll use most are your residence card and My Number card:
在留カードです。/ zairyuu-kaado desu / 'This is my residence card.'
マイナンバーカードです。/ mai-nanbaa-kaado desu / 'This is my My Number card.'
パスポートです。/ pasupooto desu / 'This is my passport.'
転出証明書です。/ tenshutsu-shoumeisho desu / 'This is my move-out certificate (from the previous municipality).'
これで足りますか。/ kore de tarimasu ka / 'Is this enough?'
他に必要な書類はありますか。/ hoka ni hitsuyou na shorui wa arimasu ka / 'Do you need any other documents?'
When you move, the new address is usually written on the back of your residence card at the counter while you file the move-in notification — no separate queue. Follow the counter's instructions.
Scene 4 · 'Write it down / slower / easy Japanese'
When you can't follow or they speak too fast, these rescue you. Staff are used to foreign residents asking — say it confidently:
やさしい日本語でお願いします。/ yasashii nihongo de onegai shimasu / 'Easy Japanese, please.'
Months are just digit + 月: June = roku-gatsu. Western years work fine: 2026 = nisen-nijuu-roku-nen.
Money: ◯◯円 (en). 「いくらですか。」/ ikura desu ka / 'How much is it?'
何時までですか。/ nan-ji made desu ka / 'Until what time are you open?'
いつまでに出せばいいですか。/ itsu made ni daseba ii desu ka / 'By when do I need to submit this?'
これは無料ですか。/ kore wa muryou desu ka / 'Is this free of charge?'
Move-in notifications and National Health Insurance enrolment usually carry a 'within 14 days of moving in' deadline (confirm with your ward's site). Edogawa City's official page states that failing to file a move-in notification without a valid reason can incur a fine of up to ¥50,000. If you're unsure about a deadline, ask at the counter early rather than waiting.
Scene 6 · Confirming next steps / wrapping up
Don't rush off when you're done. The key is confirming what comes next and when to come back:
次は何をすればいいですか。/ tsugi wa nani o sureba ii desu ka / 'What should I do next?'
次はどこの窓口に行けばいいですか。/ tsugi wa doko no madoguchi ni ikeba ii desu ka / 'Which counter do I go to next?'
今日はこれで終わりですか。/ kyou wa kore de owari desu ka / 'Is that everything for today?'
受取りはいつですか。/ uketori wa itsu desu ka / 'When do I come to pick it up?'
郵送で届きますか。/ yuusou de todokimasu ka / 'Will it arrive by post?'
ありがとうございました。/ arigatou gozaimashita / 'Thank you.' (standard sign-off when finished)
What to bring
▢Residence card (在留カード) — shown for nearly every procedure.
▢My Number card or notification card (マイナンバーカード／通知カード).
▢Passport (パスポート).
▢Personal seal (印鑑) — still used for some procedures; bring it to be safe.
▢Move-out certificate (転出証明書) from your previous municipality — needed when moving between cities/wards.
▢Cash/coins — certificate fees and premiums may be paid on the spot; some counters don't take cards.
▢Phone with a translation app, and the errand name saved in Japanese for reference.
Drill these until they're automatic with Nihongo Ride
Memorising templates is only step one — counter talk depends on the words coming out without thinking. Our own app, Nihongo Ride, is an offline, ad-free Japanese typing-and-vocab app: every word shows kana, optional romaji and English/Chinese meanings, with SM-2 spaced repetition to target your weak spots — handy for cementing high-frequency counter words like 窓口 (counter), 転入 (move-in), 在留 (residence) and 手続き (procedure). A few minutes before you head to the ward office and you'll feel far steadier on the day.
My Japanese is weak — can I get everything done at the ward office in English only?
It depends on the ward. Many Tokyo wards offer foreign-language consultation desks or interpretation phones, but not every counter has an interpreter. The safest approach: bring your documents, have a translation app ready, and say at the counter 'やさしい日本語でお願いします' (Easy Japanese, please) — it's a government-promoted approach and staff are usually happy to oblige.
What do I do when I can't understand the staff?
Use these three: 'もう一度お願いします' (once more), 'ゆっくり話してください' (speak slowly), 'ここに書いてください' (write it here). If that still fails, ask them to write the key numbers, dates and counter numbers, and photograph it.
Going alone is nerve-racking — can someone come with me?
Yes. This article is information and doesn't do the paperwork for you — but you can post a request on TokyoHelp to have a nearby neighbour come along to the ward office for free and help you listen and confirm. Accompaniment and phone-call help are both within scope; use the button below to post one.
Does the move-in notification really have to be filed within 14 days?
Most ward offices require move-in registration within 14 days of moving in, and health-insurance enrolment is often filed within the same window (confirm on your ward's site). Edogawa City's official page states that failing to file without a valid reason can incur a fine of up to ¥50,000. If unsure, go to the counter early to confirm.
