Theme 2: Local Area, Holiday and Travel — Travel, Accommodation & Directions
Welcome to your study notes for Travel and Tourist Transactions! Whether you are preparing for your Speaking role-play, Listening test, Reading paper, or Writing exam in Pearson Edexcel GCSE Japanese (1JA0), mastering this topic is essential. You will learn how to navigate public transport, book accommodation, and ask for or give clear directions. Let's break everything down step-by-step so you can approach your exam with confidence!
---1. Modes of Transport & Travel Vocabulary
To talk about journeys, you need to know the core transport types, places, and action verbs.
Vehicles & Places
- 車 (くるま) — car
- バス — bus
- 電車 (でんしゃ) — train
- 地下鉄 (ちかてつ) — subway / underground
- 新幹線 (しんかんせん) — bullet train
- 飛行機 (ひこうき) — airplane
- 船 (ふね) — boat / ship
- 自転車 (じてんしゃ) — bicycle
- タクシー — taxi
- 駅 (えき) — station
- 空港 (くうこう) — airport
- バス停 (バスてい) — bus stop
- 切符 (きっぷ) — ticket
- 乗り場 (のりば) — boarding point / platform
Key Verbs for Travelling
- 乗る (のる) — to ride / board / get on
- 降りる (おりる) — to get off / alight
- 乗り換える (のりかえる) — to transfer / change trains or buses
Grammar Rule 1: Method of Transport with で (de)
To say you travel by a certain vehicle, attach the particle で to the vehicle name:
Formula: [Transport] で 行きます / 来ます / 帰ります
- Example: 新幹線で行きます。 (I will go by bullet train.)
- Example: バスで来ました。 (I came by bus.)
⚠️ Crucial Exception — Walking on Foot:
When walking, do not use で! Instead, use the te-form of the verb to walk: 歩いて (あるいて).
Correct: 歩いて行きます。 (I go on foot / I walk.)
Incorrect: 歩いてで行きます。
Grammar Rule 2: Boarding vs. Getting Off Particles
Pay close attention to these two particles, as examiners love testing them:
- Getting on a vehicle uses に: [Vehicle] に 乗る (e.g. 電車に乗ります — I get on the train).
- Getting off a vehicle or leaving a station uses を: [Vehicle / Station] を 降りる (e.g. バスを降ります — I get off the bus).
Key Takeaway: Use で for vehicles (by train = 電車で), remember 歩いて has no で, and remember に 乗る (get on) vs. を 降りる (get off).
---2. Talking About Journey Duration & Distance
When planning trips in speaking and writing tasks, you will often need to state how long a journey takes from one place to another.
Grammar Rule 3: から (from) ... まで (to/until)
Formula: [Place A] から [Place B] まで [Transport] で [Time] かかります。
- から = from
- まで = to / until
- かかります = takes (time / money)
Example:
東京から京都まで新幹線で二時間かかります。
(It takes two hours from Tokyo to Kyoto by bullet train.)
Quick Review: Combine your particles in order: Place A から Place B まで Transport で Duration かかります.
---3. Accommodation & Hotel Bookings
In Paper 2 (Speaking Role Play) and Paper 4 (Writing), you may need to book a room or understand accommodation details.
Core Accommodation Vocabulary
- ホテル — Western-style hotel
- 旅館 (りょかん) — traditional Japanese inn
- ユースホステル — youth hostel
- 部屋 (へや) — room
- 予約 (よやく) — reservation / booking
- 予約する (よやくする) — to book / make a reservation
- シングル — single room
- ツイン — twin room
- 禁煙 (きんえん) — non-smoking
- 喫煙 (きつえん) — smoking
Counting Nights: The 〜泊 (はく / ぱく) Counter
To specify how many nights you are staying, use the counter 〜泊:
- 一泊 (いっぱく) — 1 night (Note the sound change from ichi to ippaku!)
- 二泊 (にはく) — 2 nights
- 何泊 (なんぱく) — How many nights?
Useful Booking Phrases
- シングルルームを予約したいんですが… (I would like to book a single room, but...)
- 禁煙の部屋をお願いします。 (A non-smoking room, please.)
- 一泊いくらですか。 (How much is it for one night?)
Key Takeaway: Distinguish between ホテル (hotel) and 旅館 (りょかん) (Japanese inn), and always check your sound changes for 一泊 (いっぱく).
---4. Asking For and Giving Directions
Giving clear directions requires spatial terms, landmark names, and joining instructions together using the 〜て (te-form) of verbs.
Spatial Words & Positions
- 右 (みぎ) — right
- 左 (ひだり) — left
- まっすぐ — straight ahead
- 前 (まえ) — in front / before
- 後ろ (うしろ) — behind
- 隣 (となり) — next to
- 近く (ちかく) — near / nearby
- 向こう (むこう) — opposite / over there
- 間 (あいだ) — between
Landmarks & Street Features
- 交差点 (こうさてん) — intersection / crossroads
- 角 (かど) — corner
- 信号 (しんごう) — traffic light
- 橋 (はし) — bridge
- 道 (みち) — street / road
Useful Navigation Phrases
- 右・左に曲がる (みぎ・ひだりにまがる) — to turn right / left
- 道を渡る (みちをわたる) — to cross the street
- まっすぐ行く (まっすぐいく) — to go straight ahead
Ordinal Numbers with 目 (め)
To say "first corner" or "second traffic light", add 目 (め) to general counters:
- 一つ目 (ひとつめ) — 1st (e.g. 一つ目のかど = the first corner)
- 二つ目 (ふたつめ) — 2nd (e.g. 二つ目の信号 = the second traffic light)
- 三つ目 (みっつめ) — 3rd
Grammar Rule 4: Linking Route Steps with 〜てください
Connect instructions chronologically using the 〜て form, and finish politely with 〜てください:
Example:
まっすぐ行って、二つ目のかどを右に曲がってください。
(Go straight, and please turn right at the second corner.)
Movement Particle Notice:
When you pass through, turn along, or cross over a space, use the particle を with the movement:
• 交差点を右に曲がる (Turn right at the intersection)
• 橋を渡る (Cross over the bridge)
Asking for Directions (Polite Question Starters)
- すみません、[Place] は どこですか。 (Excuse me, where is [Place]?)
- すみません、[Place] は どこに ありますか。 (Excuse me, where is [Place] located?)
- [Place] へ 行きたいんですが… (I'd like to go to [Place], but... [could you help?])
- [Place] まで どうやって 行きますか。 (How do I get to [Place]?)
Key Takeaway: Use 一つ目 / 二つ目 for 1st / 2nd, link your sentences with the 〜て form, and use を for turning at corners (かどを曲がる) or crossing bridges/roads (道を渡る).
---5. Common Pitfalls & Exam Tips
- Don't mix up に and を with transport: Remember that you get into a vehicle with に 乗る, but leave it behind with を 降りる.
- No で with walking: Never say
歩いてで行く. Write 歩いて行く. - Watch the night counter pronunciation: "1 night" is 一泊 (いっぱく), not
いちひゃくorいちまく. - Remember 目 (め) for ordinal steps: Write 二つ目のかど (second corner), not just
二つのかど(which means two corners). - Role-play Register: In Paper 2 (Speaking), always speak politely to hotel clerks and station staff using です / ます and 〜てください.