JLPT N5 · Vocabulary by topic
JLPT N5 Japanese Travel Vocabulary
Train stations, airports, hotels, and asking for directions — the survival travel vocabulary at N5.
Why this list
Travel vocabulary is the most immediately useful N5 cluster for anyone planning a trip to Japan. Train stations, the JR Pass, the airport, the hotel front desk — all of it leans on these 25 words.
Pair this list with the four travel phrase patterns (~は どこですか, ~を ください, ~まで お願いします, すみません) and you can navigate Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka without an interpreter app on every street corner.
The 25 words
| Kanji | Kana | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 駅 | えき | eki | train station |
| 電車 | でんしゃ | densha | train |
| 新幹線 | しんかんせん | shinkansen | bullet train |
| 地下鉄 | ちかてつ | chikatetsu | subway |
| バス | バス | basu | bus |
| タクシー | タクシー | takushī | taxi |
| 飛行機 | ひこうき | hikōki | airplane |
| 空港 | くうこう | kūkō | airport |
| 切符 | きっぷ | kippu | ticket |
| ホテル | ホテル | hoteru | hotel |
| 旅館 | りょかん | ryokan | traditional Japanese inn |
| 部屋 | へや | heya | room |
| 予約 | よやく | yoyaku | reservation |
| 観光 | かんこう | kankō | sightseeing |
| 地図 | ちず | chizu | map |
| 道 | みち | michi | road, way |
| 右 | みぎ | migi | right |
| 左 | ひだり | hidari | left |
| 前 | まえ | mae | in front of |
| 後ろ | うしろ | ushiro | behind |
| 近く | ちかく | chikaku | near |
| 遠く | とおく | tōku | far |
| すみません | すみません | sumimasen | excuse me; thanks |
| お願いします | おねがいします | onegaishimasu | please |
| ありがとうございます | ありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | thank you (formal) |
Common questions
Can I get around Japan with just JLPT N5 vocabulary?+
Yes, for transit, hotels, and basic navigation. The JR ticket vending machines have English. Where Japanese is required (small ryokan, rural buses, some onsen) the vocabulary on this list plus a phrasebook covers most situations.
How do I ask 'where is X' in Japanese?+
Use [X] はどこですか (X wa doko desu ka). The most common is 駅はどこですか (where is the station). The answer usually points (with まっすぐ for 'straight ahead') or names a landmark (ローソンの前 — in front of the Lawson convenience store).
Should I learn katakana for travel?+
Yes — most foreign place names, hotel names, and brand names appear in katakana. Pure-hiragana travel is hard because most signage in tourist areas is bilingual katakana + romaji.
Related
The 25words above are part of Inku's 515-card N5 deck, all with bundled pronunciation audio and FSRS spaced review. Try Inku free for 7 days.