The Top 10 Survival Japanese Phrases When Asking for Directions / Navigating a Station

Japanese stations can be huge, busy, and full of signs you don’t have time to decode. The good news is that station conversations are predictable: you ask where something is, which platform, which exit, and whether you need a transfer.

These 10 phrases cover 90% of real-life navigation.

The Top 10 Survival Japanese Phrases for Directions & Stations

1) “Excuse me.”

Japanese: すみません。

Romaji: sumimasen.

Use it when: Starting any question—polite and essential.

2) “Where is ~?”

Japanese: 〜はどこですか？

Romaji: ~ wa doko desu ka?

Use it when: Looking for the station, a line, an exit, toilets, elevators, etc.

Examples

Japanese: トイレはどこですか？

Romaji: toire wa doko desu ka?

Japanese: 改札（かいさつ）はどこですか？

Romaji: kaisatsu wa doko desu ka? (Where are the ticket gates?)

3) “How do I get to ~?”

Japanese: 〜へはどうやって行（い）きますか？

Romaji: ~ e wa dō yatte ikimasu ka?

Use it when: You know the destination but not the route.

Example

Japanese: 渋谷（しぶや）へはどうやって行（い）きますか？

Romaji: Shibuya e wa dō yatte ikimasu ka?

4) “Which line should I take?”

Japanese: どの線（せん）に乗（の）ればいいですか？

Romaji: dono sen ni noreba ii desu ka?

Use it when: You’re unsure which train company/line to use.

More specific

Japanese: 〜線（せん）はどこですか？

Romaji: ~ sen wa doko desu ka? (Where is the ~ line?)

5) “Which platform is it?”

Japanese: 何番線（なんばんせん）ですか？

Romaji: nan-bansen desu ka?

Use it when: You need the platform number fast.

Also common

Japanese: ホームはどこですか？

Romaji: hōmu wa doko desu ka? (Where is the platform?)

6) “Which exit should I use?”

Japanese: どの出口（でぐち）がいいですか？

Romaji: dono deguchi ga ii desu ka?

Use it when: Stations have many exits (especially in Tokyo).

Very useful station word

Japanese: 出口（でぐち）

Romaji: deguchi (exit)

7) “Is this train going to ~?”

Japanese: この電車（でんしゃ）は〜に行（い）きますか？

Romaji: kono densha wa ~ ni ikimasu ka?

Use it when: You’re on the platform and want to confirm before boarding.

More precise

Japanese: この電車（でんしゃ）は〜方面（ほうめん）ですか？

Romaji: kono densha wa ~ hōmen desu ka? (Is this toward ~?)

8) “Do I need to transfer?”

Japanese: 乗（の）り換（か）えは必要（ひつよう）ですか？

Romaji: norikae wa hitsuyō desu ka?

Use it when: You want to know if it’s direct.

Related word

Japanese: 乗（の）り換（か）え

Romaji: norikae (transfer)

9) “How many stops?”

Japanese: 何駅（なんえき）ですか？

Romaji: nan-eki desu ka?

Use it when: You want to count stops and avoid missing your station.

More explicit

Japanese: 〜まで何駅（なんえき）ですか？

Romaji: ~ made nan-eki desu ka? (How many stops to ~?)

10) “Could you show me on the map?”

Japanese: 地図（ちず）で見（み）せてもらえますか？

Romaji: chizu de misete moraemasu ka?

Use it when: You want a clear visual (works great with Google Maps).

Quick version

Japanese: 地図（ちず）で見（み）せてください。

Romaji: chizu de misete kudasai.

English: Please show me on the map.

Quick Station Dialogue (Copy & Practice)

You: すみません。改札（かいさつ）はどこですか？

sumimasen. kaisatsu wa doko desu ka?

English: Excuse me. Where is the ticket gate?

Staff: あちらです。

achira desu. (Over there.)

You: ありがとうございます。渋谷（しぶや）へはどうやって行（い）きますか？

arigatō gozaimasu. Shibuya e wa dō yatte ikimasu ka?

English: Thank you. How do I get to Shibuya?

You: どの線（せん）に乗（の）ればいいですか？

dono sen ni noreba ii desu ka?

English: Which line should I take?

You: 何番線（なんばんせん）ですか？

nan-bansen desu ka?

English: Which platform number is it?

You: 乗（の）り換（か）えは必要（ひつよう）ですか？

norikae wa hitsuyō desu ka?

English: Is a transfer necessary?

Station Vocabulary That Makes Everything Easier

Learn These 6 Words First

Japanese: 改札（かいさつ）

Romaji: kaisatsu (ticket gates)

Japanese: 出口（でぐち）

Romaji: deguchi (exit)

Japanese: 方面（ほうめん）

Romaji: hōmen (direction/bound for)

Japanese: 乗（の）り換（か）え

Romaji: norikae (transfer)

Japanese: ホーム

Romaji: hōmu (platform)

Japanese: 階段（かいだん）／エレベーター

Romaji: kaidan / erebētā (stairs / elevator)

FAQs: Asking for Directions in Japan

What’s the most polite way to start a question?

Japanese: すみません。

Romaji: sumimasen.

It’s perfect for stations: polite, normal, and widely used.

How do I ask someone to repeat slowly?

Japanese: すみません、もう一度（いちど）ゆっくりお願い（おねが）します。

Romaji: sumimasen, mō ichido yukkuri onegai shimasu.

What if I only know the destination in English?

Japanese: すみません、〜（えいご）で大丈夫（だいじょうぶ）ですか？

Romaji: sumimasen, ~ (eigo) de daijōbu desu ka?

Or simply show your phone map and say:

Japanese: ここに行（い）きたいです。

Romaji: koko ni ikitai desu. (I want to go here.)