Geography isn’t just a school subject-it’s what you grab when you’re telling someone which street your hotel is on, or describing the view from the top of the mountain. This list hands you around 168 practical Japanese geography words, from countries and oceans to everyday location vocabulary you’ll actually need in real conversations.
Whether you’re planning a trip, reading a map, or just want to stop pointing and start talking, these words will help. No fluff, just useful vocabulary for Japanese learners at any stage.
Pack your curiosity and your best map-reading eyes, because we’re heading into place names, landforms, and all the words you need to talk about the world in Japanese. Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable Japanese Geography vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Japanese Geography flashcards.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Japanese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
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| Word | Type | Meaning | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ａから見えます | geography term | be visible from | 岬から島が見えます。 | The island can be seen from the cape. |
| ＡにはＢが多いです | geography term | have many | この地域には山が多いです。 | This region has many mountains. |
| Ａに囲まれています | geography term | be surrounded by | その村は山に囲まれています。 | The village is surrounded by mountains. |
| ＡはＢにあります | geography term | be located in/at | 湖は町の東にあります。 | The lake is east of the town. |
| Ａを流れています | geography term | flow through | 川は谷を流れています。 | The river flows through the valley. |
| あの川は海に流れています。 | noun | That river flows into the sea. | That river flows into the sea. | That river flows into the sea. |
| この地図には湖と森が書かれています。 | noun | This map shows a lake and a forest. | This map shows a lake and a forest. | This map shows a lake and a forest. |
| この地域には高い山が多いです。 | noun | This area has many tall mountains. | This area has many tall mountains. | This area has many tall mountains. |
| この島は本土から遠いです。 | noun | This island is far from the mainland. | This island is far from the mainland. | This island is far from the mainland. |
| その火山は今も活動しています。 | noun | active volcano | その火山は今も活動しています。 | That volcano is still active. |
| 上 | noun | above | 山の上 | on top of the mountain |
| 下 | noun | below | 橋の下 | under the bridge |
| 下町 | geography term | old downtown area | 下町の雰囲気が好きです。 | I like the atmosphere of the old downtown area. |
| 丘 | noun | hill | 小さな丘の上に公園があります。 | There is a park on top of the small hill. |
| 中央 | geography term | center | 川は市の中央を流れています。 | The river flows through the center of the city. |
| 交差 | noun | intersection; crossing | この道の交差は危ない。 | The intersection on this road is dangerous. |
| 交差点 | noun | intersection | 交差点で右に曲がります。 | Turn right at the intersection. |
| 位置 | noun | location | 駅の位置を地図で確認しました。 | I checked the station's location on the map. |
| 低地 | geography term | lowland | 低地では洪水に注意が必要です。 | You need to be careful of flooding in lowlands. |
| 住まい | noun | residence | 新しい住まいを探しています。 | I am looking for a new place to live. |
| 側 | noun | nearby area | 家の側に公園があります。 | There is a park near the house. |
| 入口 | noun | entrance | 入口はあちらです。 | The entrance is over there. |
| 公園 | noun | park | 公園で遊びました。 | We played in the park. |
| 内陸 | noun | inland | 内陸の町 | an inland town |
| 出口 | noun | exit | 出口から出てください。 | Please go out through the exit. |
Free Japanese Geography Vocabulary List and Flashcards to Download
Grab the purple button for the Japanese Geography vocabulary list and the teal button for the Japanese Geography flashcards. Both are 100% free and need no signup—just instant, teacher-approved study help.
