JLPT N4 places and transport vocabulary covers 37 essential words — geography terms, road/traffic vocabulary, and train-travel words that go well beyond N5. This guide covers 30 of the most useful words across three categories, essential for reading Japanese travel and navigation passages.

This article is part of our JLPT N4 Complete Vocabulary Guide. Practice all 37 words with the N4 Places & Transport deck in Onigiri Anki.

Geography & Landmarks (10)

These words describe regions and notable places — common in N4 reading passages about travel and hometowns.

suburbs郊外kougai

私の家は郊外にあります。 — My house is in the suburbs.

port / harbor港minato

船は港に着きました。 — The ship arrived at the port.

island島shima

私たちは島で二日間いました。 — We stayed on the island for two days.

countryside田舎inaka

祖父母は田舎に住んでいます。 — My grandparents live in the countryside.

city / urban area都会tokai

都会はとてもにぎやかです。 — The city is very lively.

shrine神社jinja

あの山に小さい神社があります。 — There is a small shrine on that mountain.

temple寺tera

京都で寺を見ました。 — I saw a temple in Kyoto.

art museum美術館bijutsukan

美術館で絵を見たいです。 — I want to see pictures at the art museum.

zoo動物園doubutsuen

子どもたちは動物園にいます。 — The children are at the zoo.

Japanese inn旅館ryokan

昨日、旅館に泊まりました。 — I stayed at a Japanese inn yesterday.

Roads & Traffic (10)

Traffic and road vocabulary is essential for N4 listening passages about directions, accidents, and city navigation.

slope / hill坂saka

この坂は少し急です。 — This hill is a little steep.

highway高速道路kousoku douro

私たちは高速道路を走りました。 — We drove on the highway.

road道路douro

この道路をゆっくり走ってください。 — Please drive slowly on this road.

street / avenue通りtoori

この通りにいいカフェがあります。 — There is a good cafe on this street.

traffic light信号shingou

信号で待ってください。 — Please wait at the traffic light.

traffic / transportation交通koutsuu

今朝は交通が多いです。 — Traffic is heavy this morning.

accident事故jiko

道路で事故がありました。 — There was an accident on the road.

construction工事kouji

この道路で工事が始まります。 — Construction is starting on this road.

parking lot駐車場chuushajou

駅の近くに駐車場があります。 — There is a parking lot near the station.

gas stationガソリンスタンドgasorin sutando

ガソリンスタンドで止まります。 — I stop at the gas station.

Trains & Transport (10)

Japan's extensive train system means transport vocabulary — especially train types and ticket terms — appears constantly on the N4.

express train急行kyuukou

急行は九時に着きます。 — The express train arrives at nine.

limited express特急tokkyuu

京都まで特急に乗りました。 — I rode the limited express to Kyoto.

ship / boat船fune

川に船があります。 — The boat is on the river.

vehicle乗り物norimono

この乗り物はとても大きいです。 — This vehicle is very big.

seat席seki

この席は空いています。 — This seat is open.

round trip往復oufuku

往復の切符は高いです。 — The round-trip ticket is expensive.

one way片道katamichi

片道の切符は安いです。 — A one-way ticket is cheaper.

departure出発shuppatsu

電車の出発は九時です。 — The train's departure is at nine o'clock.

arrival到着touchaku

バスの到着は少し遅いです。 — The bus arrival is a little late.

entrance入り口iriguchi

入り口はあそこです。 — The entrance is over there.

Understanding Japanese Train Types

Japanese trains have a speed hierarchy that appears on the N4: 各駅停車 (local, stops everywhere) → 急行 (express, skips some stops) → 特急 (limited express, skips most stops, often requires an extra fee). Knowing this hierarchy helps with N4 listening passages about planning train trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 田舎 and 郊外?

田舎 (inaka) means countryside/rural area, often with a nostalgic or old-fashioned connotation. 郊外 (kougai) means suburbs — the developed area surrounding a city, closer to urban life than 田舎.

What is 往復 vs 片道?

往復 (oufuku) means round-trip. 片道 (katamichi) means one-way. Both terms are essential for buying train and bus tickets in Japan and appear regularly in N4 listening dialogues.

Practice All 37 N4 Places & Transport Words

Import the N4 Places & Transport deck into Onigiri Anki and master geography and travel vocabulary with spaced repetition.

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JLPT N4 Places & Transport Vocabulary: 37 Essential Words (2026)