How can I politely ask for directions to a specific product in a Japanese supermarket
Must-Know Japanese Phrases for Shopping in Japan: How can I politely ask for directions to a specific product in a Japanese supermarket
To politely ask for directions to a specific product in a Japanese supermarket, you can say:
すみません、[product name] はどこにありますか？
Sumimasen, [product name] wa doko ni arimasu ka?
(Excuse me, where is [product name]?)
- Start with すみません (Sumimasen) which means “Excuse me” to get attention politely.
- Use はどこにありますか？(wa doko ni arimasu ka?) which means “where is it?” for the product.
- You can insert the product name before は. For example, if looking for umbrellas, say 傘 (kasa).
If you want to be more polite, you can also say:
[product name] はどちらにございますか？
[product name] wa dochira ni gozaimasu ka?
(Where might [product name] be?)
This uses the more respectful ございます (gozaimasu) instead of あります (arimasu).
Example:
すみません、お茶はどこにありますか？
Sumimasen, ocha wa doko ni arimasu ka?
(Excuse me, where is the tea?)
This phrasing is common and polite for asking store staff directions to a product in a supermarket in Japan.