UNIT 6
Trains, Stations & Directions
Trains, Stations & Directions
Lesson 5: Asking for Directions on the Street
みちをきく — Finding Your Way Outside
⏱️ About 25 minutes ／ 📊 Level: Beginner (N5) ／ 🗣️ Speaking + Reading
Before You Start
You have reached your station — but getting from there to your actual destination still requires navigating streets, intersections, and landmarks. In this lesson you will learn how to ask anyone on the street for directions in Japanese, understand their answers, and ask them to repeat if needed.
What you will learn:
- Ask where a place is — 〇〇はどこですか
- Say where you want to go — 〇〇に行きたいです
- Ask how to get there — 〇〇までどう行きますか
- Ask if it is near or far — ここから近いですか
- Ask how many minutes — 何分ぐらいですか
- Understand direction answers — まっすぐ / 右 / 左 / 信号を
- Ask someone to repeat — もう一度お願いします
1. Key Phrases ／ きほんのフレーズ
すみません。
Sumimasen.
Excuse me.
〇〇はどこですか。
〇〇 wa doko desu ka.
Where is 〇〇?
〇〇に行きたいです。
〇〇 ni ikitai desu.
I want to go to 〇〇.
〇〇までどう行きますか。
〇〇 made doo ikimasu ka.
How do I get to 〇〇?
ここから近いですか。
Koko kara chikai desu ka.
Is it near from here?
何分ぐらいですか。
Nanpun gurai desu ka.
About how many minutes?
まっすぐ行ってください。
Massugu itte kudasai.
Please go straight.
信号を右に曲がってください。
Shingoo o migi ni magatte kudasai.
Please turn right at the traffic light.
もう一度お願いします。
Moo ichido onegaishimasu.
Please say it again.
2. Phrase Notes ／ ポイント
① Always start with すみません
On the street, すみません is essential — it politely gets a stranger’s attention. Without it, jumping straight into a question can feel abrupt in Japanese culture.
② 信号を右に曲がってください — landmark directions
Japanese people often use landmarks when giving directions. The most common are 信号 (traffic light) and 交差点 (intersection). The pattern is: landmark + direction.
信号を右に曲がってください。Turn right at the traffic light.
交差点を左に曲がってください。Turn left at the intersection.
この道をまっすぐ行ってください。Go straight on this road.
③ もう一度お願いします — when you don’t understand
Don’t be embarrassed to ask for a repeat. もう一度お願いします (“Please say it again”) and ゆっくりお願いします (“Slowly, please”) are essential survival phrases.
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don’t confuse 〇〇はどこですか (where is it?) with 〇〇までどう行きますか (how do I get there?). The first gets a simple location answer; the second gets turn-by-turn directions. Use both depending on what you need.
Don’t confuse 〇〇はどこですか (where is it?) with 〇〇までどう行きますか (how do I get there?). The first gets a simple location answer; the second gets turn-by-turn directions. Use both depending on what you need.
3. Common Places & Direction Words ／ ばしょとほうこう
Common Places ／ ばしょ
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| コンビニ | konbini | convenience store |
| 郵便局 | yuubinkyoku | post office |
| 銀行 | ginkoo | bank |
| 病院 | byooin | hospital |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | pharmacy |
| 市役所 | shiyakusho | city hall |
| 交番 | kooban | police box |
Direction Words ／ ほうこう
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| まっすぐ | massugu | straight |
| 右 | migi | right |
| 左 | hidari | left |
| 信号 | shingoo | traffic light |
| 交差点 | koosaten | intersection |
4. Conversation Practice ／ かいわ
💬 Conversation 1 — Where Is the Station?
💬 Conversation 2 — Convenience Store
💬 Conversation 3 — How to Get to the Post Office
💬 Conversation 4 — Near or Far + How Many Minutes?
💬 Conversation 5 — Asking Again
5. Vocabulary ／ たんご
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 道 | michi | road / street |
| 交差点 | koosaten | intersection |
| 信号 | shingoo | traffic light |
| 近い | chikai | near |
| 遠い | tooi | far |
| 何分 | nanpun | how many minutes |
| ぐらい | gurai | about / approximately |
| もう一度 | moo ichido | one more time |
| ゆっくり | yukkuri | slowly |
6. Check Your Understanding ／ クイズ
Think about each question first. Answers and explanations are shown below each one.
Q1. How do you ask “Where is the convenience store?”
A. コンビニは何時ですか。 B. コンビニはいくらですか。 C. コンビニはどこですか。 D. コンビニはありますか。
Answer: C
〇〇はどこですか = “Where is 〇〇?” Start with すみません to politely get someone’s attention first.
〇〇はどこですか = “Where is 〇〇?” Start with すみません to politely get someone’s attention first.
Q2. What does 「ここから近いですか。」 mean?
A. Is it expensive here? B. Is it near from here? C. Is it spicy? D. How much is it?
Answer: B
ここから = “from here.” 近いですか = “is it near?” Pair with 何分ぐらいですか to get more detail.
ここから = “from here.” 近いですか = “is it near?” Pair with 何分ぐらいですか to get more detail.
Q3. What does 「何分ぐらいですか。」 mean?
A. How many people? B. What time? C. About how many minutes? D. How much?
Answer: C
何分 = how many minutes. ぐらい = about/approximately. Answers: 5分ぐらいです, 10分ぐらいです, etc.
何分 = how many minutes. ぐらい = about/approximately. Answers: 5分ぐらいです, 10分ぐらいです, etc.
Q4. What does 「信号を右に曲がってください。」 mean?
A. Turn left at the traffic light. B. Go straight at the intersection. C. Turn right at the traffic light. D. Stop at the traffic light.
Answer: C
信号 = traffic light. 右に曲がってください = please turn right. 左 = left. 右 = right.
信号 = traffic light. 右に曲がってください = please turn right. 左 = left. 右 = right.
Q5. You didn’t understand the directions. What do you say?
A. ありがとうございます。 B. ごちそうさまでした。 C. もう一度お願いします。 D. お会計をお願いします。
Answer: C
もう一度お願いします = “Please say it again.” You can also add ゆっくりお願いします (“slowly, please”) for extra clarity.
もう一度お願いします = “Please say it again.” You can also add ゆっくりお願いします (“slowly, please”) for extra clarity.
Q6. How do you ask for directions to the pharmacy?
A. 薬局はいくらですか。 B. 薬局をください。 C. 薬局はどこですか。 D. 薬局は何時ですか。
Answer: C
薬局はどこですか = “Where is the pharmacy?” Use 〇〇までどう行きますか if you want step-by-step directions instead.
薬局はどこですか = “Where is the pharmacy?” Use 〇〇までどう行きますか if you want step-by-step directions instead.
7. Match the Meaning ／ れんしゅう
駅はどこですか。 → ______
駅に行きたいです。 → ______
駅までどう行きますか。 → ______
ここから近いですか。 → ______
何分ぐらいですか。 → ______
右に曲がってください。 → ______
もう一度お願いします。 → ______
Choices: A. Please turn right. B. I want to go to the station. C. Please say it again. D. Where is the station? E. How do I get to the station? F. About how many minutes? G. Is it near from here?
Answers: 駅はどこですか = D ／ 駅に行きたいです = B ／ 駅までどう行きますか = E ／ ここから近いですか = G ／ 何分ぐらいですか = F ／ 右に曲がってください = A ／ もう一度お願いします = C
🚀 Mini Mission
Today’s mission: Practice asking for street directions in Japanese.
Try this complete sequence with your teacher:
すみません。〇〇はどこですか。／ ここから近いですか。／ 何分ぐらいですか。／ ありがとうございます。
📘 Review ／ まとめ
In this lesson you learned how to ask for directions on the street in Japan. The most important phrases are:
すみません。(Excuse me.)
〇〇はどこですか。(Where is 〇〇?)
何分ぐらいですか。(About how many minutes?)
もう一度お願いします。(Please say it again.)
〇〇はどこですか。(Where is 〇〇?)
何分ぐらいですか。(About how many minutes?)
もう一度お願いします。(Please say it again.)
💡 もう一度お願いします is one of the most important phrases in Japan. Never hesitate to use it — people will always repeat or simplify their directions for you.
FAQ
Q. What if someone on the street doesn’t know the way?
They may say わかりません (“I don’t know”) or ちょっと… (hesitation). Don’t worry — just say ありがとうございます and try the next person. Police boxes (交番) are excellent places to ask for directions — the officers are trained to help.
Q. What is a 交番 and can I ask for directions there?
A 交番 (police box) is a small police station found in neighborhoods throughout Japan. Officers there are required to help with directions and general public assistance. Simply walk in and say: すみません。〇〇に行きたいです.
Q. What does 少し遠いです mean, and how far is “a little far”?
少し遠いです = “It is a little far.” In practice, this usually means 10–20 minutes on foot. Follow up with 何分ぐらいですか to get a more specific estimate — and decide whether to walk or take a taxi.
🚃 Practice with a real teacher
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