There are a variety of ways to roast a Japanese for a good dose of laughter.
From their pop culture, and languages, to historical and superstitious beliefs, down to their obsession with sushi and Anime, makes it the perfect recipe for some funny Japanese jokes.
So if you are looking to roast a Japanese friend, colleague, or neighbor, I have curated a list of 20 funny roasts you can say to your Japanese friend.
The list contains puns, clever jokes, one-liners, and sarcastic lines that reflect the values and beliefs of a Japanese person. They are relatable and will also make everyone giggle.
Here are 20 Funny Roasts for a Japanese
- You look sweet but do you know your ancestors were suicide bombers?
- Most Japanese people look alike, almost like God did copy and paste in creating you guys.
- Thank God we have you around paying the janitor won’t be necessary since you love to clean.
- Seeing a black Japanese person is so rare I could have argued there was a black Jesus.
- You are so good with the keyboard, I thought all Japanese could do was clean, not type.
- What’s a rollicking good time for Japanese- Sushi party
- You can never hear a Japanese say “Sayonara” to Sushi.
- Doesn’t it seem strange for you to be named AI with no artificial intelligence?
- One way to identify Japanese- I hear your last name is a restaurant menu.
- You are so Japanese, you can’t eat pasta without miso soup.
- For the Japanese, Godzilla is a house pet.
- Japanese probably commute with Samurai.
- “Haiku”, and my Japanese friend said sorry. Probably thought I sneezed.
- How do you bring bad luck to a Japanese wedding – By leaving your chopsticks standing upright in a bowl.
- ” Deru Kugi wa utareru”; I probably should let it stick out a little more.
- Why did the Japanese student fail his exam? Because he wrote everything in Kanji
- What do you call a Japanese restaurant with no customers? “A nirvana”
- On another look, you appear like an anime or maybe it is the other way around.
- Scared to make you mad, you might have been a ninja in your past lives.
- You are so polite and respectful, you could probably apologize for someone else’s mistake.
1. You look sweet but do you know your ancestors were suicide bombers?
If you wish to make the spiky hairs on a Japanese person stand upright, then this is the perfect roast to use for them.
This roast draws a historical allusion to the Japanese forefathers who were involved in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and further crafts a naughty joke around it.
Starting as a compliment even makes it more deceptive that the Japanese will not have the idea of what next is coming, and in a twinkle, the subsequent lines drop like sour on the tongue.
Make sure when delivering this roast, you deliver with a smile and most importantly they are consented to.
- I would have taken you as an angel with the way you look but you are from the lineage of suicide bombers.
2. Most Japanese people look alike, almost like God did copy and paste in creating you guys.
Again, a historical allusion to create a biological inference about a Japanese person. You will agree with me that all Japanese people look alike whether they are blood-related or not, innit?
Okay, there is the belief that the bombing incidents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki affected the biological composition of the Japanese people, and that made every Japanese look alike.
So that is why you see a Japanese, with the same face structure, height, etc.
Use this biological assumption to creatively roast a Japanese person. It is a witty roast that will elicit laughter from your listeners.
- Looking for you amid a hundred Japanese is like looking for your cup of water in an ocean.
3. Thank God we have you around paying the janitor won’t be necessary since you love to clean.
Another witty joke welded around Japanese culture. The Japanese love to clean and tidy wherever they are. It is more like a culture than an obligation.
Jokingly tell your Japanese colleague that he could fill in for the company’s Janitor since they love to clean. Trust me you are getting a hit on the head.
- Why should the organization lack a janitor when we have a born cleaner?
4. Seeing a black Japanese person is so rare I could have argued there was a black Jesus.
Here is a hilarious roast to poke fun at your Japanese neighbor. A good roast to chip in between tea dates with them.
The joke is on the fact that there are rarely black Japanese and seeing one is just as equivalent as seeing a black Jesus.
- The word “melanin” is alien to you
5. You are so good with the keyboard, I thought all Japanese could do was clean, not type.
A humorous roast to poke fun at a Japanese who is a typist. The joke is that Japanese are good cleaners therefore, they should only display expertise at cleaning jobs.
It is just a silly joke to poke fun at their culture and also elicit laughter.
- I see you are on a keyboard; does that need some cleaning too?
6. What’s a rollicking good time for Japanese- Sushi party
The roast is making a pun on the phrase “rollicking good time”, which is a way to describe something fun. The joke is that sushi is often rolled up, so it’s being used to create a pun.
Use this relatable roast to tease a Japanese person and watch them giggle hard.
- What is a good fun time for a Japanese person? Sushi Party.
7. You can never hear a Japanese say “Sayonara” to Sushi.
Another traditional joke for your Japanese friend. The roast is a play on the phrase “sayonara”, which is a Japanese word meaning “goodbye”.
The joke is on their obsession with Sushi which is a traditional Japanese food.
You know every Japanese person loves sushi? Go ahead and make a sushi joke on them.
- You would rather they take your life than say ” Sayonara to Sushi”.
8. Doesn’t it seem strange for you to be named AI with no artificial intelligence?
A hard jab on your Japanese friend. The joke is in the name context of the Japanese.
The Japanese love to name their children AI, a leeway for a savage comment like saying they are AI but lack artificial intelligence.
This roast is capable of upsetting your Japanese friend but keep calm, we will pacify them with some roast layered with good humor.
- You are Japanese, of course, and your name starts with “AI” but you lack artificial intelligence.
9. One way to identify Japanese- I hear your last name is a restaurant menu.
Another hilarious joke to make about the Japanese tradition of naming things. When you go to Japanese restaurants, you hear funny restaurant names like Hanasushi Restaurant, Sushi Samurai, Udon Universe, Yakitori Yard, etc.
The joke is on the basis that some Japanese restaurants give their restaurant a family name.
Using a make-believe roast is a great way to tease a Japanese person. Tease them to the point of crying by saying you found out that they own the biggest restaurant in Tokyo when you know they don’t.
- Bingo! Guess who I found out owns the biggest restaurant in Tokyo- our Japanese friend.
10. You are so Japanese, you can’t eat pasta without miso soup.
A subtle tease of their traditions. This is a joke about how miso soup is a traditional Japanese dish, and how it might seem strange to some people to eat it with pasta. The humor is in the unexpected pairing of these two foods.
- Pasta without miso soup is like a day without your Sushi.
11. For the Japanese, Godzilla is a house pet.
Want to playfully roast your Japanese friend in a gathering? Go easy on them using this light-hearted pun.
This roast is playing on the fact that Godzilla is a famous Japanese movie monster. The humor comes from the idea of someone having such a huge, destructive creature as a pet.
- Someone told me you keep Godzilla as a pet.
12. The Japanese probably live with Samurai.
Another funny roast to poke fun at the Japanese. The Japanese are the ones that have the Ninja, Nintendo, and the Samurai.
This joke is playing on the fact that samurai were traditional Japanese warriors, and they haven’t been around for a long time. The humor is in the idea of someone thinking they still exist.
Saying they still live with ancient beings will certainly make them laugh.
- I was told you see samurai every day.
13. “Haiku”, and my Japanese friend said sorry. Probably thought I sneezed.
A witty pun to use for your Japanese friend. “Haiku” is a traditional form of Japanese poetry, and saying your friend thinks you sneezed is a creative way of calling them stupid.
This will hit them hard if they comprehend wits easily.
14. How do you bring bad luck to a Japanese wedding – By leaving your chopsticks standing upright in a bowl?
A deep traditional Japanese joke on a Japanese. The roast uses a historical fable to draw a humorous effect on a Japanese person.
Japanese believe that at a wedding, you don’t leave chopsticks standing upright in a bowl as it might bring bad luck for the wedding.
15. ” Deru Kugi wa utareru”; I probably should let it stick out a little more.
Another funny tease to say to the Japanese that will make them a little bit mad. In Japan, there’s a traditional saying that goes, “Deru kugi wa utareru.”
It means, “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” It’s a reminder to always fit in and not draw attention to yourself.
Inferring that you will your nails stick out a bit implies you are pulling their legs and it could be a bit annoying to the Japanese.
16. Why did the Japanese student fail his exam? Because he wrote everything in Kanji
Cleverly roast a Japanese person who doesn’t understand English. “Kanji” is the Japanese writing system that uses Chinese characters.
It can be very difficult to learn, even for native Japanese speakers. The joke is that they wrote everything in kanji, which would be nearly impossible to read.
Saying they wrote in Kanji especially if it is an international exam is a creative way of calling them stupid and a joke on the Japanese language.
17. What do you call a Japanese restaurant with no customers? “A nirvana”
Another clever pun to prick our Japanese friends. First, “nirvana” is a Buddhist term for a state of complete bliss or enlightenment.
So the joke is that a Japanese restaurant with no customers would be the ideal, or “nirvana,” state for a restaurant.
18. On another look, you appear like an anime or maybe it is the other way around.
This is a humorous statement to roast your friend who is obsessed with watching anime. Tell them they are already looking like anime because of their constant watch of Anime.
You can be more creative in your roast in an instance where your Japanese friend knocks at the door and in a bid to enter, you shut the door on them.
When they ask why you didn’t allow them to enter, playfully tell them:
- Sorry, I was startled. I thought an Anime just visited me in the afternoon.
19. Scared to make you mad, you might have been a ninja in your past lives.
“Scared to make you mad, you might have been a ninja in your past lives” is another playful tease to use on a Japanese. It’s a crafty joke on Japanese pop culture. Ninjas are weapons of men and women who assassinate people.
This joke will draw laughter from your friend because it is very relatable.
- I’m afraid to annoy you. I don’t want to see someone later in the midnight putting on black-on-black trying to kill me.
20. You are so polite and respectful, you could probably apologize for someone else’s mistake.
Playfully poke fun at polite Japanese at your workplace. Japanese are culturally inclined folks and they are respectful people.
Using this savage expression to tease them is a good way to lighten up the atmosphere.