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TAXI!: Phrases for Hailing a Cab in Japanese :Japan is known throughout the world for its punctual and reliable public transportation. However, there are times when you’re too busy to figure out train routes, you’re in a hurry, or the trains are shut down for the night. In these situations you need to hail a taxi. Today, we’re going to learn a few phrases to help you communicate with your driver better so that you can get where you need to go—and quickly!    

Before you get in the taxi…

Your plane has just arrived at the airport in Tokyo. It’s four in the morning in your home country, but in Japan the sun hasn’t even set yet. You’re tired and just want to get to your hotel for a quick nap before your conference call in five hours. You head to the airport information desk and ask them where you can catch a taxi.

Phrases for Hailing a Cab in Japanese

Examples

Doko de takushī o hiroemasu ka？
(Where can I get a taxi?)

The friendly attendant directs you to the taxi stand down the escalator. The door to the first available taxi swings open, and you get in and tell the driver your hotel. He knows exactly where it is, and off you go! 

After your nap and conference call, you have to meet a client for lunch near Tokyo Tower. You’re not sure how far away from your hotel it is, so you telephone the front desk to ask them.

Tōkyō Tawā ni ikitai n desu ga… 
(I’d like to go to Tokyo Tower.)

The clerk is excited that you’ve decided to visit there. She says it’s a beautiful area and tries to go there at least once every two weeks. You then ask how long it takes to get there.

Tōkyō Tawā made dono kurai (jikan) kakarimasuka？
(How long does it take to get to Tokyo Tower?)

She says by train it takes 10 minutes, but by taxi it’s 25 minutes. You decide that you don’t want to risk getting lost and being late to your lunch, so you opt for the taxi.

Tōkyō Tawā made wa ikura kakarimasu ka？
(How much does it cost to go to Tokyo Tower?)    

She says that it’s about 4,000 yen by taxi—around $40 USD. You decide that this is a fair enough price considering you don’t have to tip in Japan.

Takushī o yonde moraemasu ka？
(Could you please call me a taxi?)

She calls you a taxi, and one pulls right up to the front entrance of the hotel. You have some heavy luggage with you and approach the driver’s window to ask him to put it in the trunk for you.

Nimotsu ga arimasu. Toranku ni tsunde moraemasu ka？
(I have luggage. Could you please put it in the trunk?)

The driver gets out of the car and impresses you with how strong and able-bodied he is for someone who sits in a taxi all day. He loads everything in, and you’re ready to head off!

Inside the taxi…

As you ride away from the hotel, you realize that you forgot to bring your pen and schedule planner. You remember seeing a convenience store a few blocks away, and you ask the driver to take you there.

Migi (hidari) ni magatte kudasai. 
(Please turn right [left].) 
(NOTE: Migi means “right” in Japanese, and hidari means “left.”)

You see the convenience store with its green and blue fluorescent lights up ahead.

Konbini ni ikitai n desu ga. Massugu ni okonatte kudasai. 
(I want to go to the convenience store. Please keep going straight.) 
(NOTE: Massugu means “straight.”)

The driver drops you off at the convenience store, and you approach the driver’s side window again to make sure he knows that you’ll be right back.

Koko de matte ite moraemasu ka？
(Could you wait here for me, please?)

The driver nods. You go in and get your pen and schedule planner, come back out, and get back into the taxi. You glance at your watch and see that it took longer in the convenience store than you anticipated.

Isoide moraemasu ka? 12-ji madeni tsukanakereba naranai node... 
(Could you hurry up, please? I need to get there by 12 o’clock...) 
(NOTE: “Twelve” in Japanese is “jū-ni,” so “twelve o’clock” would be “jū-ni-ji.”)

As you get closer to your destination, you glance out the window to see Tokyo Tower jutting up into the sky before you. As you look back down, you recognize the client you’re supposed to meet walking along the sidewalk. He looks at his phone and then turns and enters a restaurant through a glass door. That looks like the place you’re supposed to meet him, so you tell the driver that you’d like to be let off here. 

Koko de daijōbu desu. 
(Here is fine.)

The driver stops, and you hand him your credit card. You want a receipt, though, so that your company can reimburse you.

Ryōshū-sho o moraemasu ka？
(Could you give me a receipt?) 
(NOTE: “Ryōshū-sho” means “receipt.”)

You take your receipt, get out of the taxi, and join your client for lunch. During that lunch, you sign a multi-billion-dollar deal, and you make A MILLION DOLLARS! 

Hopefully, anyway!

In conclusion, taking a taxi anywhere in Japan is a piece of cake as long as you know some key words and phrases. Use the scenario and table in this article as a reference guide, and surely you’ll be in for smooth sailing in your Japanese taxi adventures!

Good luck, and get out there and practice!

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