Feel JAPAN with Yoko chan #04 | 美しい日本語 ― いただきます Itadakimasu: More Than “Let’s Eat”

You probably know the word Itadakimasu.

But do you know where it comes from?

If you have been to Japan, you have probably seen people put their hands together before eating.

It is often translated as "Let's eat," but it actually carries a much deeper meaning, something closer to:

"Thank you for this life that helps me live."

Where does it come from?

The word Itadakimasu comes from itadaki, the ancient custom of lifting food above one's head to show deep respect when receiving something sacred from the gods.

Ancient Japanese people believed that spirits resided in all things: plants, animals, and nature itself.

Saying Itadakimasu is a way to express two kinds of gratitude:

1. To the people who prepared the meal

2. To the ingredients whose lives sustain our own

My Life in the U.S.

I lived in the United States for about ten years.

There, I did not find a gesture or a word like Itadakimasu.

Instead, many Christian families have a prayer before the meal.

Everyone sits at the table, joins hands, and one person shares a short thank-you for the day.

The words and the gestures are different.

But the feeling is the same: gratitude for the food that makes our bodies.

Try it today!

You don't have to be Japanese to try this!

Before your next meal, try putting your hands together and saying "Itadakimasu" in a soft voice.

We say Itadakimasu at the start of a meal.

And at the end? That's another beautiful word, and I'll share it next time!

Let's Talk!

What words or traditions do you have before a meal in your country?

I would love to hear about your food culture!

「いただきます」という日本語を知っていますか？

食事の前に手を合わせて言う言葉で、英語ではよく「Let's eat」と訳されますが、実は「あなたの命をいただいて、私の命をつなぎます」という深い感謝が込められています。

語源は、神様や目上の人から神聖なものをいただく際に、頭の上（頂：いただき）に掲げて敬意を表した古い習慣にあります。

昔の人々は、植物や動物、自然のすべてに魂が宿ると信じていました。

「いただきます」は、食事を作ってくれた「人」への感謝と、命を分けてくれた「食材」への感謝を表す、日本人の大切な心の習慣です。

アメリカで10年暮らしたとき、日本のような言葉やしぐさはなく、代わりに食前のお祈りがありました。

言葉や行動は違っても、体をつくる食事に感謝する気持ちは同じですね。

Vocabulary

* Itadakimasu (いただきます): "I humbly receive" (said before a meal)

* Itadaki (頂): the top of the head; summit

* Kansha (感謝): gratitude / thankfulness

* Inochi (命): life

* Shizen no megumi (自然の恵み): blessings of nature

Want to explore Japanese food culture, traditions, and everydayJoin my Feel JAPAN lesson: Feel JAPAN ー日本文化レッスン〜日本の暮らし・食文化・風習〜 (English OK) New students can start with a 15-minute trial lesson for just 500 points.