Features
Read a Japanese menu: names, meal sets and chef’s choice
Keep Japanese dish names visible while comparing meal sets, individual dishes and questions to ask with SeEat.
SeEat editorial · Reviewed ·
Start here
Photograph Japanese menu headings and dish names together, including kana and kanji you cannot read. SeEat can help you compare the explanations; first decide whether you want a listed dish, a meal set or a chef-selected experience.
From the menu to your choice
1. Photograph or upload
Open SeEat and capture a readable menu page, including headings and notes.
2. Understand each dish
Compare original names, explanations and AI reference images in English, Chinese or Spanish.
3. Decide what to order
Compare dishes for your taste, check the printed menu and confirm important details with staff.
Keep the original Japanese writing
Practice examples: “ラーメン” — ramen; “うどん” — udon; “焼き魚” — grilled fish. Kana or kanji is not itself a clue that a dish is raw, cooked or suitable for your diet. Read the dish explanation and keep the original text for pointing.
定食 and お任せ describe different choices
JNTO explains 定食 (teishoku) as a meal set, generally combining a main item with rice, soup and side dishes. Ask what this particular set includes before adding separate dishes.[1]
お任せ (omakase) entrusts the meal selection to the chef. Confirm the format and any restrictions with the restaurant before choosing it; a translated menu cannot tell you what the chef will serve that day.[2]
Questions to use while pointing
“メニューをお願いします。” (Menyū o onegaishimasu.) — the menu, please. “これは何ですか？” (Kore wa nan desu ka?) — what is this? “これをお願いします。” (Kore o onegaishimasu.) — this, please.
Use pointing for the item, but explain dietary requirements separately and confirm staff understand them. An AI image or label cannot settle those questions.
Before you order
Does a reference image show the exact set?
No. Ask which items are included and check the original menu. Reference images explain a type of dish; they are not photographs of this restaurant’s meal.
Do I need an account or a subscription?
The web app checks available menu credits before creating a menu. When credits are exhausted, it can ask you to sign in or show subscription options. Check the app for your current allowance and plan; unlimited free use is not promised.
Are images and dietary labels verified by the restaurant?
No. Images are AI-generated references, not photographs of the restaurant’s dishes. Explanations and dietary or allergen labels can be inaccurate. Confirm any important ingredient or preparation detail with staff before ordering.
Sources
- Japan National Tourism Organization. Useful Japanese Vocabulary: Teishoku. Accessed
- Japan National Tourism Organization. Luxury Travel in Japan. Accessed
Use it with the menu in front of you
Compare a few dishes and choose what appeals to you. AI images are references; confirm ingredients, preparation and dietary requirements with the restaurant.