Asking for Directions in Japanese: Reading and Listening Practice

Getting Around in Japanese

Asking and understanding directions is one of the most practical Japanese skills. These dialogues and vocabulary drills will help you navigate Japanese streets, stations, and buildings.

Dialogue 1: Finding the Station

りょこうしゃ： 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?

つうこうにん： あのしんごうを みぎに まがって、まっすぐ いってください。あるいて ごふんぐらい です。
(Ano shingou wo migi ni magatte, massugu itte kudasai. Aruite gofun gurai desu.) — Turn right at that traffic light, then go straight. It’s about 5 minutes on foot.

りょこうしゃ： ありがとうございます！
(Arigatou gozaimasu!) — Thank you!

Dialogue 2: Finding a Restaurant in a Building

A： すみません、このビルの レストランは なんかいに ありますか。
(Sumimasen, kono biru no resutoran wa nankai ni arimasu ka.) — Excuse me, what floor is the restaurant on in this building?

B： さんがいです。エレベーターで のぼってください。
(Sangai desu. Erebeetaa de nobotte kudasai.) — It’s the 3rd floor. Please take the elevator up.

Direction Vocabulary

Common Direction Patterns

Reading Exercise: Decode the Route

Read the following directions and draw the route:

えきをでて、まっすぐ いってください。さいしょの しんごうで みぎに まがります。すこし あるくと、ひだりに コンビニが あります。そのとなりが わたしの うちです。

(Leave the station and go straight. Turn right at the first traffic light. Walk a little and you’ll see a convenience store on the left. My house is next to it.)

Yuka & Rei Follow a Directions Text

Reading and listening get better when you also reflect and discuss. Here is how Yuka and Rei unpack the key ideas from this topic — notice the questions Yuka asks, because they’re probably the same ones you had.

Yuka

Rei, in the directions reading I kept seeing みぎとひだり but I always second-guess myself. Any memory trick?

Rei

For みぎ (right): the character 右 has a mouth (口) on the bottom right — your mouth is on your right when you face it. For ひだり (left): 左 has a craft tool shape — imagine a left-handed tool. Silly, but it sticks!

Yuka

And まっすぐ — I read it but I’m not sure how to say it confidently.

Rei

まっすぐ — straight ahead. Say it as: ‘MASS-goo’. It appears in nearly every directions text, so hearing it is great practice. Also essential: かどをまがる (turn at the corner), しんごうをわたる (cross the traffic light).

5 Practice Sentences — Read These Aloud

These sentences use core vocabulary from this article. Read each one aloud at least three times to lock in the sound pattern.

1. えきはどこですか？まっすぐいってください。
   Where is the station? Please go straight ahead.
2. つぎのかどをみぎにまがってください。
   Please turn right at the next corner.
3. しんごうのところをひだりにまがります。
   Turn left at the traffic light.
4. このみちをまっすぐいくと、みぎがわにあります。
   If you go straight down this road, it’s on the right side.
5. すみません、ちかてつのいりぐちはどこですか？
   Excuse me, where is the subway entrance?

Your Turn! Leave Your Answer in the Comments

Reading and listening improve fastest when you also produce. Try writing 2–3 sentences summarising what you read, or create your own short text on the same topic using vocabulary from this article.

Post it in the comments — other learners will read it and it helps everyone. Log in to save your comment history and join the Top Commenters ranking in the sidebar!

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