Hi, I’m Kyota, the author of Amazon Best Sellers [Folk Tales of Japan], [Underdogs of Japanese History], and [Horror Tales of Japan]. Instagram profile: @themetroclassic
Some stations in Japan are labyrinths where even locals can get lost. But if you ask a Japanese person the way, they may evade you because they’re not confident with their English and don’t want to be seen struggling to speak the language. Embarrassing themselves in public is the most dreadful situation for a Japanese person. But if they are spoken to politely in Japanese, even with simple words, many of them will try their best to help as their sense of social responsibility will trigger them to. Here’s how to ask the way: すみません、[Destination] ってこっちですか？ Sumimasen, [Destination] tte kocchi desuka? Excuse me, is [Destination] this way? 銀座線 Ginza sen is the name of a subway line in this example. If you’re headed towards the right direction, the reply will be something like: そうです。こっちです。 Sou desu. Kocchi desu. Yes, it’s this way. Or, if you’re headed towards the wrong direction: 違います。こっちです。 Chigaimasu. Kocchidesu. No, it’s this way. But because you’re in a complicated labyrinth that defies verbal directions, the Japanese person might just decide to take you there 😂. Brace up when you use Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, or Umeda Station 🥹👍. Hi, I’m Kyota, the author of Amazon Best Sellers [Folk Tales of Japan] and [Underdogs of Japanese History]. Please check out my books at ☺️: https://lnkd.in/gmv5jqmj https://lnkd.in/gKzK44eW #japan #japanese #japaneselanguage #japaneseculture #traveltips #japantravel #travel
Getting around in Japan: Asking the way in a station
https://www.youtube.com/
2015 -> I can never forget my experience when I was trying to get to the Tokyo Big Sight for a convention. A Gentleman on the train got down with me and walked me to the right hall, bowed and left to go back to the train station and resume his journey. And all, because I asked him for directions and he didn't speak English. I managed to get his email id and sent him a Thank You mail later.
Emilio G.
6mo
Don’t give up on me arrow san! I have been through the tube and the metros and the subway and learned to appreciate arrow san and the locals help.
Gonzalo A. Peña
6mo
“Don’t give up on me, Arrow-San”, “Let’s walk together” … freaking #brilliant 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 😂
I've been 一緒に行きましょう'd twice and I'll 一生 never forget the kindness <m(__)m>
Neil Dowds
6mo
Thanks again Kyota San, I will remember this if I ever do get to Kyoto in Springtime! Best wishes, Neil
Rick Brown
6mo
So you want to talk train stations? I can read Japanese so when I step off the train and get out of the station, I don’t get this sensation. The sensation that I get is this. And when I heard it, I truly understood. For visitors or even foreign residents who don’t get around much by using local trains, when you get off at a local station and step out of the station, many have told me the landscape looks all the same. Can’t tell the difference from STN A to B. Come to think of it. I suspect people feel the same about large stations too. Perhaps try getting off at every JR loop station and test yourself. Some are obvious but I bet many are just a blurr.
Derek Dawkins
6mo
Even meet me outside "shop name" may not work in some Japanese stations. I once missed my shinkansen because I was waiting for my friend outside the "other" Mozart Cafe at Ueno... Fortunately 35 years later everyone has 'keitai' to stay in touch! So 'sumimasen, Mozart wa kochi desu ka' was not enough.
Meredith Severin
6mo
Verified experience. I've been lost so many times, but if you ask nicely in Japanese, you'll find a way.
Jane Bering
6mo
You make my days, Kyota-san! Arrow-san, don’t fail me now 😂
Principal @ CII; growth, innovation, strategy, operations
6moMy father's experience matched with the second part but not the first. This was in the 90s. He was lost in a train station and asked a young man for directions. The young man didn't know English but using a mix of signs, place names etc took him along to the right place.