Casual — to friend
Cultural · Dining
You
日本のお店では、よくお茶を出してくれますよね。あれが「おもてなし」の心なんです。
にほんのおみせでは、よくおちゃをだしてくれますよね。あれが「おもてなし」のこころなんです。
Japanese shops often serve you green tea, don't they. That's the spirit of omotenashi — genuine hospitality.
Romaji: Nihon no o-mise dewa, yoku o-cha wo dashite kuremasu yo ne. Are ga 'omotenashi' no kokoro na n desu. / Reply Romaji: Hontou ni! Ureshii kimouchi ga shimasu.
Reply
本当に！嬉しい気持ちがします。
ほんとうに！うれしいきもちがします。
Truly! It makes me feel so welcome.
Gesture & etiquette
A warm, appreciative expression when explaining this — you're pointing out something beautiful about Japanese culture. This is a great moment to invite the learner to reflect on a specific experience they may have had.
「おもてなし」(omotenashi — wholehearted hospitality) means anticipating the guest's needs without being asked. Green tea is offered not because it's requested but because the host wants you to feel at ease. The concept became widely discussed internationally after Tokyo's 2020 Olympics bid speech. It is considered one of Japan's most defining cultural values.