How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese: Self-Introduction for Any Situation

Your self-introduction — 自己紹介 (じこしょうかい, jiko-shōkai) — is the first impression you make in Japanese. Whether you are meeting classmates on your first day of language school, joining a company as a new employee, or chatting at a language-exchange meetup, the way you introduce yourself sets the tone for every relationship that follows. Japanese self-introductions follow a recognizable structure that feels almost ceremonial — and once you understand the logic behind each phrase, you can adapt it to any situation with confidence. This guide walks you through every essential phrase, shows you the difference between casual and formal registers, gives you complete ready-to-use scripts, and flags the most common mistakes English speakers make.

Step 1 — はじめまして: Opening the Introduction

Every Japanese self-introduction opens with はじめまして (hajimemashite). The phrase comes from the verb はじめる (hajimeru, “to begin”) and literally means “This is the first time we are meeting.” There is no shorter casual substitute — native speakers use it across all registers, from a school hallway to a corporate boardroom. It is always the very first thing you say.

Important: Once you have met someone before, do not use はじめまして again. It is strictly for first meetings. Using it a second time implies you have forgotten the person entirely — which can feel rude.

Yuka

はじめまして！ゆかです。よろしくお願いします！ (Hajimemashite! Yuka desu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!) — Nice to meet you! I’m Yuka. Looking forward to getting to know you!

Rei

こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします！レイです。(Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu! Rei desu.) — Likewise! I’m Rei. Nice to meet you too!

Step 2 — Saying Your Name: Casual vs Formal

This is where most textbooks mislead beginners. If you have studied Japanese from a textbook, you were probably taught: 私の名前は〇〇です (Watashi no namae wa 〇〇 desu). While that sentence is grammatically correct, native speakers almost never say it in a self-introduction. It sounds stilted and over-explained — like saying “The name that belongs to me is…” in English.

と申します (to mōshimasu) is the humble form (謙譲語, kenjōgo) of と言います (to iimasu, “to be called”). Using humble forms about yourself while speaking to someone in a professional context shows awareness of Japanese business etiquette. If you are not in a business context, 〇〇です is always the right choice.

Casual example:

はじめまして。エマです。オーストラリアから来ました。
Hajimemashite. Ema desu. Ōsutoraria kara kimashita.
Nice to meet you. I’m Emma. I’m from Australia.

Formal example (business meeting):

はじめまして。田中太郎と申します。ABC商事の営業部から参りました。
Hajimemashite. Tanaka Tarō to mōshimasu. ABC Shōji no eigyōbu kara mairimashita.
Nice to meet you. My name is Tanaka Taro. I am from the sales department of ABC Trading.

Step 3 — Where You Are From, What You Do, and Your Hobbies

After your name, a Japanese self-introduction typically includes three kinds of personal information: your origin (出身, shusshin), your occupation or role (職業, shokugyō / 学生, gakusei), and optionally a hobby (趣味, shumi). Adding a hobby makes your introduction feel warm and human — and gives the other person an easy conversation hook.

Saying Where You Are From

Examples: アメリカから来ました (Amerika kara kimashita — I’m from America) / カナダのトロント出身です (Kanada no Toronto shusshin desu — I’m from Toronto, Canada).

Stating Your Occupation or Role

Adding a Hobby (趣味)

Adding a hobby is optional but highly recommended — especially in casual introductions. It immediately gives the listener something to respond to, which makes conversation flow naturally. The pattern is: 趣味は〇〇です (Shumi wa 〇〇 desu — My hobby is 〇〇) or 〇〇が好きです (〇〇 ga suki desu — I like 〇〇).

趣味は音楽を聴くことです。
Shumi wa ongaku o kiku koto desu.
My hobby is listening to music.

アニメと料理が好きです。
Anime to ryōri ga suki desu.
I like anime and cooking.

Yuka

趣味を入れると、会話が続きやすくなりますよ！好きな食べ物や映画でもOKです。(Adding a hobby makes conversation flow much more naturally! You can also mention a favorite food or movie.)

Step 4 — よろしくお願いします: The Untranslatable Closer

Every Japanese self-introduction ends with よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu). This phrase has no direct English equivalent, which is why English speakers often underestimate its importance. It expresses goodwill, a request for kindness, and an acknowledgement of the new relationship all at once. Ending an introduction without it feels abrupt — like hanging up a phone call without saying goodbye.

How to respond when someone says よろしくお願いします to you:

こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。
Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Likewise, nice to meet you. (Literally: “It is from my side as well.”)

Complete Scripts — Casual, Formal, and Classroom

Here are three complete self-introduction scripts you can adapt immediately. Study the structure, swap in your own details, and practice saying each one out loud.

Script A: Language Exchange / Casual Meetup

はじめまして。ルーカスです。ドイツのベルリンから来ました。今は東京に住んでいます。ITエンジニアをしています。趣味は料理とハイキングです。日本語を勉強しています。よろしくお願いします！

Hajimemashite. Rūkasu desu. Doitsu no Berurin kara kimashita. Ima wa Tōkyō ni sunde imasu. IT enjinia o shite imasu. Shumi wa ryōri to haikingu desu. Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu!

Nice to meet you. I’m Lucas. I’m from Berlin, Germany. I live in Tokyo now. I work as an IT engineer. My hobbies are cooking and hiking. I’m studying Japanese. Nice to meet you!

Script B: University Classroom Introduction

はじめまして。ソフィアと申します。ブラジルのサンパウロ出身です。今学期から日本語学科の学生です。将来、日本で働きたいと思っています。趣味はアニメを見ることと日本料理を作ることです。どうぞよろしくお願いします。

Hajimemashite. Sofia to mōshimasu. Burajiru no Sanpauro shusshin desu. Kongakki kara nihongo gakka no gakusei desu. Shōrai, Nihon de hatarakitai to omotte imasu. Shumi wa anime o miru koto to nihon ryōri o tsukuru koto desu. Dōzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

Nice to meet you. My name is Sofia. I’m from São Paulo, Brazil. I’m a Japanese language student starting this semester. In the future, I hope to work in Japan. My hobbies are watching anime and making Japanese food. I look forward to getting to know you.

Script C: Business / Professional Setting

はじめまして。山田太郎と申します。ABC商事の営業部から参りました。主に海外クライアントとの取引を担当しております。本日はどうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

Hajimemashite. Yamada Tarō to mōshimasu. ABC Shōji no eigyōbu kara mairimashita. Omo ni kaigai kuraianto to no torihiki o tantō shite orimasu. Honjitsu wa dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.

Nice to meet you. My name is Yamada Taro. I am from the sales department of ABC Trading. I primarily handle transactions with overseas clients. I look forward to working with you today.

Rei

Script C uses 参りました (mairimashita) instead of 来ました (kimashita) — that’s the humble form of “came.” In business Japanese, using humble forms about your own actions shows respect. It’s one of the key signals that you understand keigo!

Common Mistakes English Speakers Make

These are the errors that appear most frequently among English-speaking learners. Each one has a simple fix once you understand the underlying logic.

Choosing the Right Register — Decision Flowchart

One of the biggest challenges for learners is knowing which version of each phrase to use. Use this flowchart every time you prepare an introduction:

Are you meeting this person for the FIRST TIME?
│
├─ YES → Use はじめまして to open.
│
└─ NO  → Use お久しぶりです (haven't seen in a while)
           or こんにちは (general greeting).

↓

Is the setting FORMAL or PROFESSIONAL?
(job interview, business meeting, first day at new company)
│
├─ YES → Name: 〇〇と申します。
│         Origin: 〇〇から参りました。
│         Close: どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
│
└─ NO  → Is it SEMI-FORMAL?
           (classroom, language school, meeting a teacher)
           │
           ├─ YES → Name: 〇〇です。
           │         Origin: 〇〇から来ました。
           │         Close: どうぞよろしくお願いします。
           │
           └─ NO  → CASUAL
                      (friends of friends, language exchange, peers)
                      Name: 〇〇です。 / 〇〇だよ。
                      Origin: 〇〇から来ました。
                      Close: よろしくお願いします。 / よろしく！

The golden rule: when in doubt, use the semi-formal level. よろしくお願いします and 〇〇です are appropriate in the vast majority of real-world situations a learner will encounter.

Quick Quiz — Test Your Introduction Skills

Fill in the blank to complete each sentence. Answers are below — try each one before checking!

Question 1. You are meeting someone for the first time. What is the very first thing you say?

___。

Question 2. You are at a business meeting. How do you say “My name is Kim” in the most appropriate way?

キム___。

Question 3. Fill in the particle: イギリス___来ました。

Question 4. Your hobby is reading books (本を読む). How do you say “My hobby is reading”?

趣味は本を___ことです。

Question 5. How do you respond when someone says よろしくお願いします to you?

___、よろしくお願いします。

Question 6. In a casual language-exchange setting, which closing is more appropriate?
(a) よろしく。    (b) よろしくお願いします。    (c) どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。

Answers:

1. はじめまして — This is the universal opener for all first meetings. There is no shorter version that works as a replacement.
2. キムと申します — と申します is the humble form used in formal/business contexts. At a casual meetup, キムです is fine.
3. から (kara) — The pattern is [place] + から来ました. から marks the starting point or origin.
4. 読む (yomu) — 趣味は本を読むことです. The verb in dictionary form + こと turns the verb into a noun (“the act of reading”).
5. こちらこそ (Kochira koso) — こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします means “Likewise, nice to meet you.” こちらこそ means “it is from my side too.”
6. (b) よろしくお願いします — よろしく alone is very casual (close friends), and どうぞよろしくお願いいたします is business formal. The middle option fits a language exchange perfectly.

Summary — Your Complete Self-Introduction Template

A strong self-introduction does not need to be long. Two to four sentences delivered clearly and confidently — with はじめまして at the start and よろしくお願いします at the end — will always make a great first impression in Japan. Practice your script out loud until it flows naturally, then adapt it to the situation in front of you.

Keep Learning

Once your self-introduction is solid, these articles will help you keep the conversation going naturally in Japanese:

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