Field trip · Survival Japanese
A little Tokyo Metro adventure
Your mission: ride one stop with Mizuki, from Shibuya to Omotesando. Collect the signs, catch the announcements, and finish with a pocketful of Japanese. No ticket needed for this adventure.
Our practice trip
Ginza Line · G01 → G02 · one stop
渋谷
しぶや
Shibuya
表参道
おもてさんどう
Omotesandō
The letter tells you the line; the number tells you the station. These are station numbers, not platform numbers.
Listen buttons use your device’s Japanese voice, not station recordings. Voice availability depends on your browser.
Beep! Into the station
Mizuki has packed a tiny notebook. First discovery: a station is a little city of signs. Find the entrance, then the ticket gates. Have a ticket or an IC card ready before you walk through.
駅
えき
eki
station
地下鉄
ちかてつ
chikatetsu
subway
入口
いりぐち
iriguchi
entrance
きっぷ
kippu
ticket
ICカード
アイシーカード
ai shī kādo
IC smart card
改札
かいさつ
kaisatsu
ticket gates / ticket check
Your tiny mission
Which of these signs marks the ticket gates?
Peek at the answer
Kaisatsu! It means the ticket check or gates. An entrance only gets you into the station building.
Follow the little G
Today we follow the Ginza Line from G01 to G02, toward Asakusa. Look for the line, direction, and platform together. Mizuki circles G02 in the notebook: that is our stop!
銀座線
ぎんざせん
Ginza-sen
Ginza Line
浅草方面
あさくさほうめん
Asakusa hōmen
toward Asakusa
ホーム
hōmu
platform
のりば
noriba
boarding place
上り
のぼり
nobori
toward the line’s designated starting point
下り
くだり
kudari
away from the line’s designated starting point
Your tiny mission
Does “nobori” tell you to climb the stairs?
Peek at the answer
No. It describes a train’s direction along its line. For our trip, look for the Ginza Line toward Asakusa.
Ding-dong! Listen to the doors
The chime sounds. Time to listen, not race! These are useful announcement patterns. Let people off first, keep clear of the doors, and wait for the next train if boarding is closing.
ドアが閉まります
ドアがしまります
doa ga shimarimasu
The doors are closing.
ご注意ください
ごちゅういください
gochūi kudasai
Please be careful.
足元にご注意ください
あしもとにごちゅういください
ashimoto ni gochūi kudasai
Please watch your step.
駆け込み乗車はおやめください
かけこみじょうしゃはおやめください
kakekomi jōsha wa oyame kudasai
Please do not rush onto the train.
Your tiny mission
You hear “doa ga shimarimasu”. What is about to happen?
Peek at the answer
The doors are closing. Stand clear; this is not an invitation to jump aboard!
Catch your station’s name
Mizuki’s ears perk up: “tsugi wa…” introduces the next stop. Listen for Omotesando. You do not need to decode the whole announcement to catch the useful bit.
次は表参道です
つぎはおもてさんどうです
tsugi wa Omotesandō desu
The next stop is Omotesando.
まもなく
mamonaku
soon / shortly
お出口は右側です
おでぐちはみぎがわです
odeguchi wa migigawa desu
The doors open on the right.
左側
ひだりがわ
hidarigawa
left side
乗り換え
のりかえ
norikae
transfer / change trains
終点
しゅうてん
shūten
last stop / terminus
優先席
ゆうせんせき
yūsenseki
priority seating
Your tiny mission
Which station comes next in our practice announcement?
Peek at the answer
Omotesando! Swap the station name in the pattern to practise another journey.
Out into the city
We made it! Find the exit information before leaving the paid area. Tokyo Metro uses yellow exit guides; match the exit number to your destination. If your fare needs adjusting, look for the adjustment machine or ask station staff.
出口
でぐち
deguchi
exit
精算
せいさん
seisan
fare adjustment
エレベーター
erebētā
elevator / lift
トイレ
toire
toilet / restroom
出口はどこですか
でぐちはどこですか
deguchi wa doko desu ka
Where is the exit?
ありがとうございます
arigatō gozaimasu
Thank you. (polite)
Your tiny mission
Are an exit and a transfer the same thing?
Peek at the answer
No. An exit leads toward the street; a transfer leads to another line. Check the signs before following the crowd.
One stop. So many little victories.
You found the platform, heard your stop, and spotted the exit. Next time you ride, pick three expressions to listen for. That is a real-world lesson already.
Your pocket word collection
Every Japanese word and expression from our adventure, together for one last look. Cover the meanings and see what you remember.
| Japanese · reading | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 渋谷しぶや | Shibuya | Shibuya |
| 表参道おもてさんどう | Omotesandō | Omotesando |
| 駅えき | eki | station |
| 地下鉄ちかてつ | chikatetsu | subway |
| 入口いりぐち | iriguchi | entrance |
| きっぷきっぷ | kippu | ticket |
| ICカードアイシーカード | ai shī kādo | IC smart card |
| 改札かいさつ | kaisatsu | ticket gates / ticket check |
| 銀座線ぎんざせん | Ginza-sen | Ginza Line |
| 浅草方面あさくさほうめん | Asakusa hōmen | toward Asakusa |
| ホームホーム | hōmu | platform |
| のりばのりば | noriba | boarding place |
| 上りのぼり | nobori | toward the line’s designated starting point |
| 下りくだり | kudari | away from the line’s designated starting point |
| ドアが閉まりますドアがしまります | doa ga shimarimasu | The doors are closing. |
| ご注意くださいごちゅういください | gochūi kudasai | Please be careful. |
| 足元にご注意くださいあしもとにごちゅういください | ashimoto ni gochūi kudasai | Please watch your step. |
| 駆け込み乗車はおやめくださいかけこみじょうしゃはおやめください | kakekomi jōsha wa oyame kudasai | Please do not rush onto the train. |
| 次は表参道ですつぎはおもてさんどうです | tsugi wa Omotesandō desu | The next stop is Omotesando. |
| まもなくまもなく | mamonaku | soon / shortly |
| お出口は右側ですおでぐちはみぎがわです | odeguchi wa migigawa desu | The doors open on the right. |
| 左側ひだりがわ | hidarigawa | left side |
| 乗り換えのりかえ | norikae | transfer / change trains |
| 終点しゅうてん | shūten | last stop / terminus |
| 優先席ゆうせんせき | yūsenseki | priority seating |
| 出口でぐち | deguchi | exit |
| 精算せいさん | seisan | fare adjustment |
| エレベーターエレベーター | erebētā | elevator / lift |
| トイレトイレ | toire | toilet / restroom |
| 出口はどこですかでぐちはどこですか | deguchi wa doko desu ka | Where is the exit? |
| ありがとうございますありがとうございます | arigatō gozaimasu | Thank you. (polite) |