Translation guide
A Christian place of worship, typically smaller than a church, or a room within a larger building for private prayer or small services.
A standalone building used for Christian worship, often smaller than a main church.
General term for a chapel, emphasizing its function as a worship hall. Suitable for most contexts.
山の上に小さな礼拝堂があります。
There is a small chapel on the hill.
Loanword from English, commonly used for wedding chapels or chapels in hotels and schools. Sounds modern and familiar.
ホテルのチャペルで結婚式を挙げました。
We had our wedding ceremony at the hotel chapel.
Usually means 'church,' but can be used for a chapel in casual speech when the distinction isn't important. Use with caution.
May cause confusion if you specifically mean a chapel rather than a full church.
あの小さな教会は礼拝堂として使われています。
That small church is used as a chapel.
A dedicated room inside a hospital, school, prison, or other institution for private prayer or small services.
Literally 'worship room,' used for chapels inside hospitals, airports, or other facilities. Neutral and clear.
病院の礼拝室で祈りを捧げました。
I prayed in the hospital chapel.
Also used for rooms within buildings, especially in schools or hotels. Common in modern contexts.
学校のチャペルで毎朝礼拝があります。
There is a service every morning in the school chapel.
Sometimes used loosely for a small place of worship in other religions, but this is rare in Japanese.
For non-Christian contexts, avoid 'chapel.' Use terms like 神殿 (shinden) for a shrine, 仏堂 (butsudō) for a Buddhist hall, or 祈りの場 (inori no ba) for a generic prayer space.
この神殿は小さな礼拝の場として使われています。
This shrine is used as a small place of worship.
礼拝堂 (reihaidō) specifically refers to a chapel, often smaller or part of a larger complex. 教会 (kyōkai) is the general word for a church building. Use 礼拝堂 when you want to emphasize the chapel's size or function as a subsidiary worship space.
In Japan, many hotels and wedding venues have chapels specifically for Christian-style weddings. These are almost always called チャペル (chaperu), not 礼拝堂.