Essential Japanese Travel Phrases

Survival basics

Five phrases that carry you from the arrivals gate to your first bowl of ramen. Open with すみません and doors open with it.

1. 1 こんにちは konnichiwa — Hello
2. 2 すみません sumimasen — Excuse me
3. 3 ありがとう arigatou — Thank you
4. 4 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?
5. 5 これはいくらですか。 kore wa ikura desu ka — How much is this?

Getting around

Trains, buses and taxis — Japan's transport is famously punctual, and these phrases plug you straight into it.

1. 6 えき eki — Train station
2. 7 でんしゃ densha — Train
3. 8 バス basu — Bus
4. 9 タクシー takushii — Taxi
5. 10 このバスはえきにいきますか kono basu wa eki ni ikimasu ka — Does this bus go to the station?
6. 11 タクシーをよんでください takushii o yonde kudasai — Please call a taxi

Tickets and trains

From the ticket window to the platform. Rail is the best way around Japan — these phrases keep you moving through it.

1. 12 きっぷ kippu — Ticket
2. 13 かたみちきっぷをください katamichi kippu o kudasai — A one-way ticket, please
3. 14 おうふくきっぷをください oufuku kippu o kudasai — A round-trip ticket, please
4. 15 つぎのでんしゃはなんじですか tsugi no densha wa nanji desu ka — What time is the next train?
5. 16 どこでのりかえたらいいですか doko de norikaetara ii desu ka — Where should I transfer?
6. 17 ホーム hōmu — Platform

Flights, passports and luggage

The airport phrases that matter — including the sentence you'll hear before you say a word of Japanese.

1. 18 くうこう kuukou — Airport
2. 19 パスポートをみせてください pasupōto o misete kudasai — Please show your passport

   You'll hear this at immigration — now you'll recognize it.

3. 20 にもつはどこですか nimotsu wa doko desu ka — Where is my luggage?
4. 21 ひこうきがおくれている hikouki ga okurete iru — The plane is delayed

At the hotel

Check in, get the key, ask about checkout — the full hotel loop in four phrases.

1. 22 ホテルをよやくした hoteru o yoyaku shita — I booked a hotel
2. 23 チェックインしたいのですが chekkuin shitai no desu ga — I'd like to check in
3. 24 へやのかぎをください heya no kagi o kudasai — Please give me the room key
4. 25 チェックアウトはなんじですか chekkuauto wa nanji desu ka — What time is check-out?

In real life: buying a train ticket