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DAY 03

Where is 〜? — asking for places and directions

Why this matters

In Niseko, the moment you can ask 'where is the lift ticket counter' instead of pointing, your workday halves. The same pattern asks for toilets, buses, lockers, the staff room, and the izakaya your coworker just recommended.

01

Today's goals

  • ✓『〜はどこですか』で場所を聞ける(トイレ・バス・リフト券売り場など)
  • ✓こ／そ／あ系(ここ・そこ・あそこ、こちら・そちら・あちら)を使い分けられる
  • ✓方向語(まっすぐ・右・左・前・うしろ・となり)を聞き取れる
  • ✓『2かいです』『エレベーターのとなりです』のような返事から目的地にたどり着ける
02

How it works

Pattern: [place] は どこ です か。 — Where is [place]?

  • ·トイレ は どこ です か。 — Where is the toilet?
  • ·リフト券売り場 は どこ です か。 — Where is the lift ticket counter?
  • ·バスのりば は どこ です か。 — Where is the bus stop?

Answering uses the こ/そ/あ series. These are the "here/there/over-there" markers.

  • ·ここ (koko) — here (near me)
  • ·そこ (soko) — there (near you)
  • ·あそこ (asoko) — over there (far from both)

Polite versions are こちら / そちら / あちら. Staff almost always use the polite versions. You will hear あちらです (over there) more than あそこです at hotels.

Direction words:

  • ·まっすぐ — straight
  • ·右 (みぎ) — right
  • ·左 (ひだり) — left
  • ·前 (まえ) — in front
  • ·うしろ — behind
  • ·となり — next to

Common phrases you'll hear back:

  • ·まっすぐ 行って、右 です。 — Go straight, then it's on the right.
  • ·あちら です。 — Over there (with a gesture).
  • ·2 かい です。 — It's on the 2nd floor.
  • ·エレベーター の となり です。 — Next to the elevator.
03

Words & patterns

vocabどこdoko

where

vocabここkoko

here (near me)

vocabそこsoko

there (near you)

vocabあそこasoko

over there (far)

vocabこちらkochira

this way / here (polite)

vocabあちらachira

that way / over there (polite)

vocabまっすぐmassugu

straight (ahead)

vocab右みぎmigi

right

vocab左ひだりhidari

left

vocabとなりtonari

next to

vocabトイレtoire

toilet

vocabリフト券売り場リフトけんうりばrifutoken'uriba

lift ticket counter

vocabバスのりばbasunoriba

bus stop

grammar〜はどこですか~hadokodesuka

Where is 〜? Core location question.

  • トイレはどこですか。
    toirehadokodesuka.
    — Where is the toilet?
  • ロッカーはどこですか。
    rokkāhadokodesuka.
    — Where are the lockers?
dialogueヒラフのスキー場でリフト券を探す

Looking for the lift ticket counter at Hirafu

Aすみません、リフト券売り場はどこですか。
sumimasen,rifutoken'uribahadokodesuka.
— Excuse me, where is the lift ticket counter?
Bまっすぐ行って、右です。
massuguitte,migidesu.
— Go straight, then it's on the right.
Aありがとうございます。
arigatōgozaimasu.
— Thank you.
04

Drills

Q01translate_x2ja

Translate: 'Where is the bus stop?'

Q02pick

A clerk says 『2かいです』. What did they mean?

Q03reorder

Order the words: どこ / は / ですか / トイレ

Q04listen_fill

Fill in: 『エレベーターの ____ です』 (= next to the elevator)

Q05translate_ja2x

まっすぐ行って、左です。

Q06output_free

You're a new lodge staff member. A guest asks 『温泉はどこですか』. The onsen is on the 2nd floor, next to the elevator. Write your reply in Japanese.

05

Common pitfalls

Using あそこ to a guest instead of あちら
CAUSE The textbook teaches あそこ first
FIX In any customer-facing job in Niseko, upgrade to あちら/こちら/そちら. It's a one-word change that lifts the whole sentence into service register.
Hearing 『みぎ』 and 『ひだり』 and freezing
CAUSE Short words with no distinctive consonants
FIX Pair them with a physical gesture every time you drill. Say みぎ while raising your right hand; the body remembers faster than the ear.
Dropping ですか and sounding abrupt
CAUSE トイレ、どこ？ works but is very casual
FIX Keep は and ですか in customer / coworker contexts. Save the shortened form for close friends.
Tomorrow

Tomorrow: hotel check-in. The 2-minute conversation that gives you your room key.