目錄
The Japanese expression 「〜をはじめ」 means “starting with…” or “with … as a representative example.” The noun before it is usually something representative, prominent, or suitable to mention first within a larger group, and it is followed by other items of the same type. In a sentence such as 「東京をはじめ、多くの都市でイベントが行われます」, the focus is not only on Tokyo. Tokyo is presented first as a representative city, and the sentence then expands to include other cities as well. This is also where 「〜をはじめ」 is most easily confused with 「〜など」. While 「〜など」 simply gives examples, 「〜をはじめ」 also carries a sense of formal enumeration and representativeness. It is common in news reports, tourism descriptions, and business materials, but it is not always suitable when casually listing a few things in everyday conversation.
The representative nuance of Japanese 「〜をはじめ」: Why can’t it simply be translated as “for example”?
The core of 「〜をはじめ」 is representativeness. The noun that comes before it is usually not chosen at random. It is generally something important, representative, or especially easy to think of within the larger category. Expressions such as 「多くの〜」「全国の〜」「さまざまな〜」 often follow, creating the nuance of “starting with A, along with other items in the same category.”
For this reason, 「京都をはじめ、関西の観光地」 is not merely giving Kyoto as one example. Kyoto is placed in a representative position and used to introduce the broader category of tourist destinations in Kansai. If you are simply giving one or two examples, 「〜など」 is more natural. If you are writing a formal introduction or presenting a broader range, 「〜をはじめ」 creates a stronger and more formal effect.
Japanese 「〜をはじめ」 attachment rules: Three common forms explained
「〜をはじめ」 attaches to a noun, and what follows is usually a group belonging to the same category. Common forms include 「noun＋をはじめ」「noun＋をはじめとして」「noun＋をはじめとする＋noun」. It can appear in the middle of a sentence or modify the noun that follows. When writing, the categories on both sides should match; items that do not belong to the same type should not be forced together.
| Form | Attachment | Meaning | Example |
| 〜をはじめ | noun＋をはじめ | starting with / represented by | 東京をはじめ |
| 〜をはじめとして | noun＋をはじめとして | headed by / starting with, more formal | 社長をはじめとして |
| 〜をはじめとする | noun＋をはじめとする＋noun | represented by / including | 京都をはじめとする観光地 |
| What follows | a group of the same type | unrelated categories should not be mixed | cities, companies, dishes, personnel |
「〜をはじめ」 Usage ①｜Using a representative item to introduce the whole range
The most basic use of 「〜をはじめ」 is to place a representative item first and then expand to a larger range. This structure is common when introducing cities, events, companies, products, or cultural topics. It is more formal than 「〜など」 and gives a stronger sense of presenting an overview.
- Example: 東京をはじめ、多くの都市でイベントが行われます。
Kana: とうきょうを はじめ、おおくの としで イベントが おこなわれます。
Translation: Starting with Tokyo, events are held in many cities.
「東京をはじめ」 presents Tokyo as the representative city and then expands the scope to other cities. - Example: 京都をはじめ、関西には有名な観光地がたくさんあります。
Kana: きょうとを はじめ、かんさいには ゆうめいな かんこうちが たくさん あります。
Translation: Starting with Kyoto, Kansai has many famous tourist destinations.
Kyoto is not the only example; it represents the broader range of tourist destinations in Kansai. - Example: 寿司をはじめ、日本料理は海外でも人気があります。
Kana: すしを はじめ、にほんりょうりは かいがいでも にんきが あります。
Translation: Starting with sushi, Japanese cuisine is also popular overseas.
「寿司」 is a representative item within Japanese cuisine and is used to introduce the broader category.
「〜をはじめとして」 Usage ②｜Formally listing people, organizations, or items
「〜をはじめとして」 is a fuller and more formal form than 「〜をはじめ」. It is commonly used in business communication, speeches, formal addresses, and reports. It is often used when listing team members, guests, responsible organizations, or related items. The noun before it is usually the most representative person or organization in the group.
- Example: 社長をはじめとして、多くの社員が式典に参加しました。
Kana: しゃちょうを はじめとして、おおくの しゃいんが しきてんに さんかしました。
Translation: Starting with the company president, many employees attended the ceremony.
「社長」 is the representative figure in the company, and the sentence then extends to the employees as a whole. - Example: 研究者をはじめとして、さまざまな専門家が議論に加わりました。
Kana: けんきゅうしゃを はじめとして、さまざまな せんもんかが ぎろんに くわわりました。
Translation: Starting with researchers, a variety of specialists joined the discussion.
This type of sentence is common in formal reports and shows that a wide range of participants was involved. - Example: 地元企業をはじめとして、多くの団体が協力しました。
Kana: じもときぎょうを はじめとして、おおくの だんたいが きょうりょくしました。
Translation: Starting with local companies, many organizations provided support.
「地元企業」 represents one of the cooperating parties, and the sentence then expands to multiple organizations.
「〜をはじめとする」 Usage ③｜Modifying the following noun to form a formal descriptive phrase
「〜をはじめとする」 is followed by a noun and means “including … as a representative example” or “represented by ….” It is common in tourism descriptions, product introductions, news reports, and formal written language. This form closely connects the representative item with the broader category, giving the sentence a more written and formal feel.
- Example: 京都をはじめとする観光地には、多くの旅行者が訪れます。
Kana: きょうとを はじめとする かんこうちには、おおくの りょこうしゃが おとずれます。
Translation: Tourist destinations including Kyoto receive many visitors.
「京都をはじめとする観光地」 indicates that Kyoto is only the representative example and that other tourist destinations are also included. - Example: 米をはじめとする農産物の価格が上がっています。
Kana: こめを はじめとする のうさんぶつの かかくが あがっています。
Translation: The prices of agricultural products, including rice, are rising.
「米」 is the representative item, while 「農産物」 is the broader category. - Example: 英語をはじめとする外国語の需要が高まっています。
Kana: えいごを はじめとする がいこくごの じゅようが たかまっています。
Translation: Demand for foreign languages, including English, is increasing.
English is a representative foreign language, while the sentence also refers to demand for other foreign languages.
Complete comparison of 「〜をはじめ」「〜など」「〜を中心に」
「〜をはじめ」 focuses on presenting a representative item and expanding to a broader range. 「〜など」 simply gives examples and is more neutral, making it common in everyday speech as well. 「〜を中心に」 means that something develops around a particular item as its center, so the focus is more concentrated. All three can mention examples, but the focus of the sentence differs.
| Comparison | 〜をはじめ | 〜など | 〜を中心に |
| Core meaning | introduces a range through a representative item | ordinary example | centered around a particular item |
| Register | relatively formal | neutral, also common in everyday speech | neutral to formal |
| Representativeness | strong | not necessarily present | strong sense of centrality |
| Example | 東京をはじめ、多くの都市 | 東京などの都市 | 東京を中心に展開する |
▌Representative listing｜Use 「〜をはじめ」 in formal introductions
❌ Too ordinary: 東京など、多くの都市で開催されます。
✅ Formal: 東京をはじめ、多くの都市で開催されます。
If Tokyo is the representative city, using 「をはじめ」 makes the sentence more formal and gives it a clearer sense of broader scope.
▌Ordinary examples｜Use 「〜など」 for casual listing
❌ Overly formal: りんごをはじめ、果物を買いました。
✅ Natural: りんごなどの果物を買いました。
If you are simply giving an everyday example of fruit, 「など」 is more natural than 「をはじめ」.
▌A central focus｜Use 「〜を中心に」 when something is centered on one item
❌ The focus is unclear: 東京をはじめ、活動を展開します。
✅ Natural: 東京を中心に活動を展開します。
If the activities are mainly concentrated in Tokyo rather than Tokyo serving as a representative item in a broader list, 「を中心に」 is more precise.
How 「〜をはじめ」 is actually used in Japanese tourism and business contexts
「〜をはじめ」 frequently appears in Japanese tourism copy, news reports, company introductions, and event coverage. It allows one highly representative item to introduce a broader range, giving the sentence the feel of an overview. It is more formal than 「など」 and cleaner than listing every item individually.
▌Situation ①｜Introducing tourism in Kansai
A：京都をはじめ、関西には歴史的な街が多いです。
きょうとを はじめ、かんさいには れきしてきな まちが おおいです。
Starting with Kyoto, Kansai has many historic cities.
B：奈良や大阪も有名ですね。
ならや おおさかも ゆうめいですね。
Nara and Osaka are famous too.
📌 Grammar Point: 「京都をはじめ」 uses Kyoto as a representative example of the many historic tourist destinations in Kansai.
▌Situation ②｜Introducing guests at an event
A：市長をはじめ、多くの関係者が式典に出席しました。
しちょうを はじめ、おおくの かんけいしゃが しきてんに しゅっせきしました。
Starting with the mayor, many related parties attended the ceremony.
B：かなり大きなイベントだったようですね。
かなり おおきな イベントだったようですね。
It sounds like it was quite a large event.
📌 Grammar Point: 「市長をはじめ」 places the mayor in the representative position and expands the scope to the other attendees.
▌Situation ③｜Introducing company products
A：米をはじめとする食品の輸出が増えています。
こめを はじめとする しょくひんの ゆしゅつが ふえています。
Exports of food products, including rice, are increasing.
B：海外での需要が高まっているのですね。
かいがいでの じゅようが たかまっているのですね。
So demand overseas is increasing.
📌 Grammar Point: 「米をはじめとする食品」 uses rice as a representative item within the broader category of food products.
Cultural Notes:
- 「〜をはじめ」 often appears in formal introductory writing and can make a sentence sound more like news or report-style prose.
- The noun before it should ideally be representative. If you are merely giving an example, 「など」 is more natural.
- The group following 「〜をはじめ」 should belong to the same category as the noun before it; otherwise, the classification becomes unclear.
How should Japanese 「〜をはじめ」 be understood in comparison with Korean 「-을/를 비롯해」?
◆ Similar grammar: Korean 「-을/를 비롯해」
The Korean expression 「-을/를 비롯해」 also means “starting with…” or “including … as a representative example,” and it is frequently used in formal introductions, news reports, and reports. Its nuance is very close to Japanese 「〜をはじめ」. Both first present a representative item and then expand to a broader range.
- Example: 도쿄를 비롯해 많은 도시에서 행사가 열려요.
Romanization: do-kyo-reul bi-rot-hae ma-neun do-si-e-seo haeng-sa-ga yeol-lyeo-yo
Translation: Starting with Tokyo, events are held in many cities.
「도쿄를 비롯해」 is close to Japanese 「東京をはじめ」. - Example: 사장을 비롯해 많은 직원이 참석했어요.
Romanization: sa-jang-eul bi-rot-hae ma-neun jig-wo-ni cham-seok-hae-sseo-yo
Translation: Starting with the company president, many employees attended.
Korean also places the representative person first and then expands to the broader group of participants. - Example: 쌀을 비롯한 농산물 가격이 올랐어요.
Romanization: ssa-reul bi-rot-han nong-san-mul ga-gyeo-gi ol-lat-sseo-yo
Translation: The prices of agricultural products, including rice, went up.
「비롯한」 can modify the noun that follows and is close to Japanese 「をはじめとする」.
◆ Core difference from 「〜をはじめ」:
Japanese 「〜をはじめ」 and Korean 「-을/를 비롯해」 are both relatively formal and function in very similar ways. The difference is that Japanese commonly uses several forms, including 「をはじめ」「をはじめとして」「をはじめとする」, while Korean uses forms such as 「비롯해」 and 「비롯한」 depending on the position in the sentence.
A straightforward way to determine whether Japanese 「〜をはじめ」 fits is to first check whether the noun before it can represent the larger group that follows, and then confirm that both sides belong to the same category. If you simply want to give a few examples, 「〜など」 is more natural. If an activity or range is mainly concentrated in one place, 「〜を中心に」 is more precise. When you need to formally introduce an entire group of related items, 「〜をはじめ」 is the appropriate choice. When writing tourism descriptions, news summaries, or company materials, separating these three functions first helps prevent category mismatches or unnecessarily formal wording.
FAQs
「〜をはじめ」 means “starting with…” or “represented by….” It is used to introduce a broader group of the same type through a representative item.
It attaches to a noun, as in 「東京をはじめ」「社長をはじめ」「寿司をはじめ」. What follows is usually a group belonging to the same category.
「〜など」 is ordinary example-giving and does not necessarily imply representativeness. 「〜をはじめ」 indicates that the item before it is representative and is also more formal in tone.
Their meanings are similar, but 「〜をはじめとして」 is a fuller form and is often used in formal speeches, reports, addresses, and written introductions.
「〜をはじめとする」 is followed by a noun and means “represented by…” or “including…,” as in 「京都をはじめとする観光地」.