# What're they saying when we go into the sushi restaurant?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 6, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930 "2007-01-06T14:20:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/1 "2007-01-06T14:20:17Z")

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Whernever I go into an authetic sushi joint with Mrs. RickJay and The Small Girl, they say something that sounds like “Hosh ma say.”

What might that mean?

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/2 "2007-01-06T14:31:41Z")

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_Irasshaimase!_

It means, Welcome!

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**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/3 "2007-01-06T17:08:59Z")

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What’s the appropriate response to this? Nod and smile?

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**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/4 "2007-01-06T17:25:06Z")

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“_Arigato_”, thank you.

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/5 "2007-01-06T17:29:45Z")

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[QUOTE=Renee]  
What’s the appropriate response to this? Nod and smile?  
[/QUOTE]  
A general greeting, such as “Konnichiwa” (“Good Day”), or “Konbonwa” (“Good Evening”) is appropriate, though “Irasshaimase” is \*welcome \* in the sense of “Welcome to my business” and is said when ever someone comes through the door. Unless you are greeted face to face, a verbal response is not really necessary, and a nod and a smile is fine.

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**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/6 "2007-01-06T18:15:17Z")

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[QUOTE=Renee]  
What’s the appropriate response to this? Nod and smile?  
[/QUOTE]

“You want me to _what_? My goodness!”  
At least that’s what I say.

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**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatre-they-saying-when-we-go-into-the-sushi-restaurant/386930/7 "2007-01-07T02:38:26Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> What’s the appropriate response to this?

“And a big howdy-doo back atchya!”