Interpretation

Need help understanding what is being said, or conveying what you want to say? If Japanese isn’t your strong suit, don’t worry. We provide an interpretation service. We can accompany you to meetings or appointments where you may need help.

As well as our in-person interpretation service, we can also interpret for you over the phone, or make phone calls on your behalf.

Given that telecommuting has been on the rise since the pandemic, we have recently been using Zoom and Google Meet to interpret our clients’ online business meetings with their overseas business partners.

Examples of this service:

at city hall, the tax office (etc.)

There are many reasons you may need to go to city hall or another government institution. You may need to submit a “juminhyo” (proof of address) as part of an application, or you may need to go to Hello Work to submit proof of searching for a job in order to apply for a daycare, or you may have a side job and need to file your taxes separately from your company. Whatever the reason, we can locate the correct office, accompany you there, translate your request to the staff and help with any paperwork that might arise in the process.

at the bank

Banks in Japan can be quite a challenge. They have specific requirements and will not deviate from these. While some provide English support, many do not. If your company or landlord insists on using a regional bank, you will need to make an account whether there is English support or not. Omakase Helper can accompany you to the bank and support you in signing up for an account or signing up for a credit card. We can also help you submit applications for loans and financial support through the bank.

at a daycare or kindergarten

Before sending your child to a daycare or kindergarten, you probably want to take a look around and ask the teachers some questions. In order to do this, you must make an appointment in advance. We can make your appointment and accompany you to the school to interpret your questions and their answers. We can also accompany you to school events, parent-teacher interviews, information sessions, the interview session for “yochien” and any other necessary appointment. There are usually several meetings before enrollment, while once the child starts the school there are parent-teacher meetings twice a year.

at the driving center

If you wish to obtain a Japanese license, you have two options. You can apply for one from scratch, just like a Japanese person. Or, you can convert your license from a foreign license to a Japanese one. In either case, the driving center may require an interpreter if you cannot understand all of their instructions. We can book your appointment in advance and help you through the license process.

at a medical institution

When dealing with a medical issue, you want to be 100% sure that you manage to convey all the necessary information to the doctor, and that you understand everything the doctor tells you. Your health is of utmost importance and thus if you are not completely sufficient in Japanese then you may wish to request an interpreter to accompany you to your medical appointments or procedures. All details of your appointment will be kept confidential.

by phone interpretation

Sometimes you just have a quick question and need someone to ask for you in Japanese. We can help with this. We can call a clinic just to ask if they do X or Y, we can call an insurance company to see if they will cover something specific, we can interpret for you in a parent-teacher conference. Anything that can be done over the phone, we can do.

WHEN BUILDING OR BUYING A HOME

More and more people in Japan are buying land and building houses or purchasing apartments, but there are not many English-speaking builders or architects. We can contribute to your satisfaction with your new home and make your life more comfortable by dispatching interpreters who can accurately convey your requests regarding your new home to builders and architects. We can also help you set up the insurance for the house, or any other things that need setting up.

DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS

Divorce procedures vary considerably from country to country. In the process of divorce proceedings, there are a wide range of unavoidable problems such as custody, money, and residency status. Through our interpretation service, we can help you to interpret what you want to say to your spouse or lawyer, and what the other party wants to say to you, so that the divorce proceedings can proceed smoothly.

Pricing & Languages

Please note that the following rates include tax.

1) English interpretation

Telephone interpretation: 3,300 yen per 10 minutes

Dispatch interpretation: 6,600 yen per hour

2) Interpretation in other languages

Telephone interpretation: 3,300 yen per 10 minutes

Dispatch interpreter: 7,700 yen per hour

Please note that the above-mentioned prices of 6,600 yen and 7,700 yen are the minimum rates per hour.

Face-to-face interpretation is available for up to two customers at the same rate; for three or more people, an additional 1,100 yen per hour will be charged for each additional person (for example: two families that are friends enrolling in the same daycare).

For dispatched interpreters, transportation costs from the interpreter’s home to the dispatch location will be charged separately. Please note that dispatching interpreters may be difficult in some areas such as remote islands and remote areas

Available languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese

Cancellation Policy:

For interpreter services, in order to reserve the interpreter’s schedule, we kindly request an advance payment of one hour interpreting fees. Based on this point, the cancellation policy is as follows:

・Cancellations must be made in writing. Please inform us by email at info@omakase-helper.com.
・Up to 3 days before the interpretation: Full refund is available (transaction charges may apply).
・2 days before the interpretation: 70% of one hour of the interpretation fee will be refunded.
・The day before the interpretation: 50% of one hour of the interpretation fee will be refunded.
・The day of the interpretation: No refund. One hour of the interpretation fee will be charged.


Customer Reviews:

Here’s what our clients say:

I needed an interpreter for a medical appointment on very short notice. Chiharu-san responded quickly and had someone booked the same day. The interpreter was excellent and worked very well with the doctor. The service was extremely reasonably priced and I would definitely use them again!

Riley

Omakase Helper was really a support as I needed a few phone calls made to gather information for tax filings. They replied to my request quickly and I was able to get same-day answers!

Apryl

Omakase Helper helped me communicate with my landlord about move-out procedures, which was very helpful. They also translated for me at my daughter’s parent-teacher conference. It’s great to have an affordable and responsive service like this. I feel like I can navigate living in Japan with much less worry thanks to them, and I’ll definitely be using their services again in the future.

Brad

I needed translation help on a short notice for a bank contract, Omakase Helper responded quickly, understood the requirement and provided all needed support. Their service is reasonably priced and helpful. Definitely recommended!

SHUBHRANSHU

Takeshi from Omakase Helper was very responsive with a last-minute phone translation request, and helped our family in a difficult moment. We are very grateful for the quick response and comprehensive assistance.

JOANNA

I was in a situation where I needed to find an interpreter to help with a hospital visit in just 2 days, and omakase helper got back to me super quickly. The interpreter was incredibly kind and helpful!

LISA

I needed translation help on a short notice for a bank contract, Omakase Helper responded quickly, understood the requirement and provided all needed support. Their service is reasonably priced and helpful. Definitely recommended!

SHUBHRANSHU