Asking for Directions

Japanese Basic Conversation 1

Chapter 10 · Asking for Directions

🧭 Asking for Directions — みちをきく

This is one of the most practical chapters of the course. You'll learn to ask where something is, to understand the simple directions you're given, and to say that you're lost. Romaji is shown under every line of Japanese.

① Where Is the Station? — えきはどこ？

A: すみません、えきはどこですか。 Sumimasen, eki wa doko desu ka. Excuse me, where is the station?

B: あそこです。 Asoko desu. Over there.

A: ありがとうございます。 Arigatō gozaimasu. Thank you.

② Straight, Then Right — まっすぐ、みぎ

A: すみません、ゆうびんきょくはどこですか。 Sumimasen, yūbinkyoku wa doko desu ka. Excuse me, where is the post office?

B: まっすぐいって、みぎにまがってください。 Massugu itte, migi ni magatte kudasai. Go straight, then turn right, please.

A: まっすぐ、みぎ、ですね。 Massugu, migi, desu ne. Straight, then right, correct?

B: はい、そうです。 Hai, sō desu. Yes, that's right.

③ Near or Far? — ちかいですか

A: ここからちかいですか、とおいですか。 Koko kara chikai desu ka, tōi desu ka. Is it near or far from here?

B: ちかいです。あるいてごふんです。 Chikai desu. Aruite gofun desu. It's near. Five minutes on foot.

④ Next to the Convenience Store — となり

A: トイレはどこですか。 Toire wa doko desu ka. Where is the toilet?

B: コンビニのとなりです。 Konbini no tonari desu. Next to the convenience store.

A: ありがとうございます。 Arigatō gozaimasu. Thank you.

⑤ I'm Lost — みちがわかりません

A: すみません。みちがわかりません。 Sumimasen. Michi ga wakarimasen. Excuse me. I don't know the way.

B: どこにいきたいですか。 Doko ni ikitai desu ka. Where do you want to go?

A: えきにいきたいです。 Eki ni ikitai desu. I want to go to the station.

B: こちらです。 Kochira desu. This way.

⑥ On the Left — ひだりがわ

A: ホテルはどこですか。 Hoteru wa doko desu ka. Where is the hotel?

B: ひだりがわです。ぎんこうのまえです。 Hidarigawa desu. Ginkō no mae desu. On the left side. In front of the bank.

A: わかりました。ありがとうございます。 Wakarimashita. Arigatō gozaimasu. I understand. Thank you.

🗝️ Key Phrases — たいせつなひょうげん

Situation	Japanese	Notes
Where is …?	〜はどこですか … wa doko desu ka	えきはどこですか
Go straight, please	まっすぐいってください massugu itte kudasai	set phrase for now
Turn right / left, please	みぎ / ひだりにまがってください migi / hidari ni magatte kudasai	set phrase for now
Is it near or far?	ちかいですか、とおいですか chikai desu ka, tōi desu ka
Five minutes on foot	あるいてごふんです aruite gofun desu
I don't know the way	みちがわかりません michi ga wakarimasen
I want to go to …	〜にいきたいです … ni ikitai desu	set phrase for now
It's on the left / right side	ひだりがわ / みぎがわです hidarigawa / migigawa desu

📍 Here, There and Over There — ここ、そこ、あそこ

The same three-way pattern as これ / それ / あれ in the last chapter, now for places.

Place word	Meaning	Polite version
ここ koko	here (near me)	こちら kochira
そこ soko	there (near you)	そちら sochira
あそこ asoko	over there	あちら achira
どこ doko	where?	どちら dochira

🧭 Directions and Positions — ほうこうといち

Direction / position	Japanese	Notes
left	ひだり hidari
right	みぎ migi
straight on	まっすぐ massugu
next to	となり tonari	コンビニのとなり
in front of	まえ mae
behind	うしろ ushiro
inside	なか naka
above / on	うえ ue
below / under	した shita
corner	かど kado	つぎのかど = the next corner

🏙️ Places You Will Look For — ばしょ

Place	Japanese	Notes
station	えき eki
post office	ゆうびんきょく yūbinkyoku
bank	ぎんこう ginkō
park	こうえん kōen
convenience store	コンビニ konbini
bus stop	バスてい basutei
traffic light	しんごう shingō
police box	こうばん kōban	a good place to ask the way
hospital	びょういん byōin
toilet	トイレ toire

Pattern: [Landmark] の + [Position] To say where something is, put the landmark first, then の, then the position word: コンビニのとなり ("next to the convenience store"), ぎんこうのまえ ("in front of the bank"), えきのうしろ ("behind the station"). Then add です.

🔤 Three More Verbs — どうし

Verb	Present (polite)	Negative	Past
to turn (まがる)	まがります magarimasu	まがりません magarimasen	まがりました magarimashita
to cross (わたる)	わたります watarimasu	わたりません watarimasen	わたりました watarimashita
to walk (あるく)	あるきます arukimasu	あるきません arukimasen	あるきました arukimashita

📖 Vocabulary — ごい

20 key words. Read the Japanese first, then check the romaji.

#	Japanese	Romaji	English	Type
1	ここ	koko	here	noun
2	そこ	soko	there	noun
3	あそこ	asoko	over there	noun
4	ひだり	hidari	left	noun
5	みぎ	migi	right	noun
6	まっすぐ	massugu	straight on	adj
7	まがります	magarimasu	to turn	verb
8	わたります	watarimasu	to cross	verb
9	えき	eki	station	noun
10	ゆうびんきょく	yūbinkyoku	post office	noun
11	ぎんこう	ginkō	bank	noun
12	こうえん	kōen	park	noun
13	バスてい	basutei	bus stop	noun
14	しんごう	shingō	traffic light	noun
15	かど	kado	corner	noun
16	となり	tonari	next to	noun
17	まえ	mae	in front of; before	noun
18	うしろ	ushiro	behind	noun
19	ちかい	chikai	near	adj
20	とおい	tōi	far	adj

Real Japanese Tip — Ask at the こうばん Japan has little police boxes called こうばん on almost every neighbourhood corner, and the officers inside are very used to helping lost people and visitors. If you cannot find your way, find a こうばん: they will draw you a map or point you in the right direction.

Addresses and Landmarks Most Japanese streets have no names: addresses are by district and block number. So directions are given by landmarks (ぎんこうのまえ, コンビニのとなり) and turns (みぎ, ひだり). That is why the position words in this chapter matter so much.

Traffic Drives on the Left Traffic in Japan drives on the left, as in the UK, so you'll feel at home as a pedestrian from Scotland: look right first when you cross the road. Some crossings also play a short tune or chirp from the しんごう (traffic light) when it is safe to cross.

こちら, そちら, あちら こちら, そちら and あちら are the polite versions of ここ, そこ and あそこ. A shop assistant will say こちらです ("this way, please") as they guide you.

Kanji Spotlight — 上下前後上 (ue, jō) is above and 下 (shita, ka) is below: easy to read, since one has the line above and the other below. 前 (mae, zen) is before, in front and 後 (ushiro, go) is behind, after. Together they give position words such as 駅の前 (in front of the station). Have a look at each: 上 ▸ · 下 ▸ · 前 ▸ · 後 ▸. You'll also meet 右 (migi, right) and 左 (hidari, left) on signs.

✍️ Try It Yourself — れんしゅう

Say each answer out loud first, then click to check.

1. Ask where the station is.

Show answer

えきはどこですか。

2. Say "The post office is next to the bank."

Show answer

ゆうびんきょくはぎんこうのとなりです。

3. Tell someone to go straight and turn left.

Show answer

まっすぐいって、ひだりにまがってください。

4. Say you don't know the way and want to go to the hotel.

Show answer

みちがわかりません。ホテルにいきたいです。

5. Where do you go if you are lost in Japan?

Show answer

The こうばん (police box).

6. What does こちらです mean when a shop assistant says it?

Show answer

"This way, please."

Coming Up in Chapter 11 Booking a hotel: よやく (reservation), saying how many nights and people, check-in and check-out, and the polite phrases that hotel staff use.

Asking for Directions