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How do you politely ask 'Excuse me. Where is the toilet?' in Japanese?

Sumimasen. Toire wa doko desu ka. (すみません。トイレはどこですか。)

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  1. Sumimasen. Toire wa doko desu ka. (すみません。トイレはどこですか。) ✔
  2. Sumimasen. Eki wa doko desu ka. (すみません。駅はどこですか。)
  3. Sumimasen. Hoteru wa doko desu ka. (すみません。ホテルはどこですか。)

Why: Toire means toilet and doko means where. The other two ask where the station and the hotel are. Start with sumimasen to get someone's attention politely.

Huh, didn't know that: NHK says to ask for directions with the pattern '[place] wa doko desu ka.'

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Japan's toilets have more buttons than my TV remote. I needed a phrasebook just to sit down.
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References

Answer: Sumimasen. Toire wa doko desu ka. (すみません。トイレはどこですか。). Toire means toilet and doko means where. The other two ask where the station and the hotel are. Start with sumimasen to get someone's attention politely.

  1. NHK WORLD-JAPAN Easy Japanese, Lesson 1 www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/lesson/en/lessons/01.html
    Sumimasen. Toire wa doko desu ka. Excuse me. Where is the toilet?
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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