Lonely Planet: The world's number one travel guide publisher* Although you can get by in Japan without speaking the language, knowing just a few phrases can help you make friends, enjoy service with a smile, and discover richer, more rewarding experiences. Score a table in Tokyo's famous fish market, join the power-ballad belters at a late-night karaoke bar, or sip on sake with newly found friends in a centuries-old Kyoto brewery.