Japanese Features Japanese Streets Navigation Tips

Navigating Japan

Did you know that you need a map to get from point A to point B in Japan? Some people would say that we do not need it as long as we can speak Japanese. If you get lost, simply ask someone on the street for directions in Japanese! However, navigating Japan is not so simple, especially if you can't speak Japanese.















For instance, consider the case when you plan to meet up with your friends in the US, you might say "let's meet at the corner of street A and street B," right? In Japan, you would have to say "near the traffic intersection called such and such" and further elaborate on the meeting place by describing significant landmarks, such as schools, parks, and office buildings.

Although big Japanese cities, especially in their downtown areas, have street names for their "boulevards," even medium-sized suburban towns do not have street signs. Once you get lost in those no-street-sign areas, you would have to keep looking for the traffic intersection feeling very frustrated. You have no idea which way, either north or south, you should keep going until you find a small sign of the traffic intersection.

Without being fluent in Japanese, you cannot make sense of what people say to help you out without having a map in your hand. Even when you want to go back to the place where you have been before, you still need a map. Until you fully develop a precise mental map of the place and its surroundings (e.g., what the name of the traffic intersection is and tall, conspicuous landmarks), you could easily get lost.

As more and more posts are added to this blog, we hope that we can provide useful tips on some of the nuances of Japanese life to help readers navigate Japan without getting lost!