Japanese Phrases for Taking a Taxi, Plus How Fares Work

A taxi in Japan is often the simplest way home after the last train, or the only option in rural areas. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) notes that in smaller places taxis can be scarce, but you can usually find one in front of a train station, and that outside the cities a taxi may be the only way to get around once public transport stops. You need very little Japanese to ride one, but a few phrases help, and knowing how the car itself works saves an awkward moment at the curb.

1. Before you get in: three things JNTO wants you to know

Reading the sign. JNTO says you can tell whether a taxi is free from the sign at the front of the car. It is usually written in Japanese, but the color also tells you: according to JNTO, a red light means the taxi is vacant, and a green light means it has a passenger.

The door opens by itself. JNTO says taxi doors are automatic, so do not try to open or close them yourself when getting in or out. Stand back, let the driver open it, and leave it for the driver to close.

No tip. JNTO says Japanese taxi drivers, like other service workers in Japan, neither accept nor expect tips.

2. Giving your destination

• このホテルまでお願いします。 [kono hoteru made onegaishimasu] "To this hotel, please." Say it while showing the address on your phone or a card.
• ＿＿までお願いします。 [＿＿ made onegaishimasu] "To ＿＿, please." Put any place name in the blank, such as a station: 東京駅までお願いします [toukyou-eki made onegaishimasu].

JNTO notes that some drivers in large cities speak foreign languages, but that if you are not going to a famous sight or hotel, it helps to show your destination written in Japanese. A hotel business card or a screenshot of the address in Japanese works well.

3. Asking about time and cost

• どのくらいかかりますか。 [dono kurai kakarimasu ka] "About how long will it take?" This can also be understood as "About how much will it cost?" depending on context.
• ＿＿までの料金はいくらですか。 [＿＿ made no ryoukin wa ikura desu ka] "How much is the fare to ＿＿?" This pattern is from JNTO's Tourist's Language Handbook, where the driver might answer ＿＿円です [＿＿ en desu], "It's ＿＿ yen."
• ＿＿まで、時間はどれくらいかかりますか。 [＿＿ made, jikan wa dore kurai kakarimasu ka] The handbook's fuller way to ask how long a trip takes. A typical reply is ＿＿分くらいです [＿＿ fun kurai desu], "About ＿＿ minutes."

4. Getting out

• ここで止めてください。 [koko de tomete kudasai] "Please stop here."

Then wait for the door to open on its own.

5. How fares are calculated

JNTO explains Japanese taxi fares this way:

• Metered by distance, except on fixed-fare routes to airports and some popular destinations.
• Night surcharge from 22:00 to 05:00.
• Highway tolls are paid by the passenger.
• Cards: credit cards are accepted in major cities, but in smaller regional towns a taxi may take cash only.

JNTO gives one example: a 7 km ride in Tokyo taking about 25 minutes costs roughly 2,500 to 3,000 yen in the daytime. That works out to somewhere around 360 to 430 yen per kilometer for that trip, a rough figure that is useful only for a sense of scale, since the real meter depends on the route and traffic.

JNTO also points out that taxis cost more than public transport, but for a group of three or four people traveling together, a taxi can be the more reasonable choice.

6. Airport taxis and fixed fares

JNTO describes fixed-fare options at major airports:

• Narita: fixed fares are set by zone within Tokyo. JNTO's advice is to ask the driver for the fixed fare when you get in, and to check the price beforehand since it is not a short trip.
• Haneda: a similar fixed-fare system covers most of the Tokyo area.
• Kansai and Itami: shared taxi shuttle services run to both airports from around the Kansai region.

7. Using an app instead

If you would rather not hail a cab at all, JNTO lists taxi apps that work in English after download: S.RIDE, Uber, DiDi, and GO. An app also solves the destination problem, since the address goes straight to the driver.

JNTO adds that many Tokyo taxi companies run sightseeing taxi tours, with similar services offered by companies across the country.

8. Putting it together

A full ride can be as short as this:

1. Look for a taxi showing the red vacant light, or look in front of the nearest train station.
2. Wait for the door. Get in and show your address: このホテルまでお願いします。
3. If you want an idea of time: どのくらいかかりますか。
4. When you arrive, or want to stop early: ここで止めてください。
5. Pay, say ありがとうございました [arigatou gozaimashita], "Thank you," and let the door close itself.

9. Key takeaways

• A red light means the taxi is vacant, and the doors are automatic, according to JNTO.
• ＿＿までお願いします gives your destination; show it in Japanese if it is not a famous place.
• どのくらいかかりますか asks how long; ＿＿までの料金はいくらですか asks the fare.
• ここで止めてください means "Please stop here."
• Expect a night surcharge from 22:00 to 05:00, and carry cash outside big cities.
• Tipping is not expected.