Question
I’m traveling around Japan next month and I keep noticing people putting their hands together and saying something quietly before they start eating. I want to do the same at restaurants and at my host family’s house, but I’m not sure what the word actually means. What does itadakimasu mean?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
いただきます。
Itadakimasu.
Thank you for the meal. (said before eating)
Itadakimasu is the short greeting you hear right before a meal begins. The closest English feeling is “thank you for the meal, I’m about to start.” It comes from a humble verb meaning “to receive,” so when you say it you’re quietly acknowledging that someone made this food possible. The thanks aren’t aimed at one person — they go out to the cook, the farmer, and the plants and animals on your plate.
Say it just before the first bite, with a small nod and your hands lightly together if you like. A soft itadakimasu to yourself is enough at a restaurant, but at a host family’s table, say it clearly so they hear you. After the meal, the matching phrase is ごちそうさまでした gochisousama deshita.
