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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 砂漠 | geography term | desert | その国の南には広い砂漠があります。 | There is a large desert in the south of that country. |
| 神社 | noun | Shinto shrine | 神社でお参りします。 | I pray at the Shinto shrine. |
| 税関 | noun | customs | 税関で荷物を調べられた。 | My luggage was inspected at customs. |
| 空 | noun | sky | 空が青い。 | The sky is blue. |
| 空港 | noun | airport | 空港で友だちを見送りました。 | I saw my friend off at the airport. |
| 箇所 | noun | place; point; part | 問題の箇所を確認してください。 | Please check the part in question. |
| 経度 | noun | longitude | 経度を調べる。 | Check the longitude. |
| 線路 | geography term | railway track | 線路の近くは危険です。 | It is dangerous near the railway tracks. |
| 緯度 | noun | latitude | この町の緯度は高い。 | This town is at a high latitude. |
| 自然 | noun | nature | この町は自然が豊かです。 | This town has abundant nature. |
| 草原 | geography term | grassland | 草原で馬が走っています。 | Horses are running in the grassland. |
| 蒸発 | noun | evaporation | 水が蒸発してなくなりました。 | The water evaporated and disappeared. |
| 裏 | noun | back side, behind | 家の裏に庭があります。 | There is a garden behind the house. |
| 西 | geography term | west | 西の地域は山が多いです。 | The western area has many mountains. |
| 観光地 | noun | tourist spot | その湖は人気の観光地です。 | That lake is a popular tourist spot. |
| 谷 | geography term | valley | 谷には小さな川が流れています。 | A small river flows through the valley. |
| 谷の中は朝とても寒いです。 | noun | Inside the valley, mornings are very cold. | Inside the valley, mornings are very cold. | Inside the valley, mornings are very cold. |
| 車庫 | noun | garage | 車庫に車を入れました。 | I put the car in the garage. |
| 農地 | noun | farmland | この平野には農地が多いです。 | There is a lot of farmland in this plain. |
| 辺り | noun | vicinity | この辺りはとても静かです。 | This area is very quiet. |
| 近く | noun | nearby | 駅の近く | near the station |
| 近所 | noun | neighborhood | 近所に公園があります。 | There is a park in the neighborhood. |
| 通り | noun | street | この通りは広い | This street is wide. |
| 運河 | noun | canal | この運河は船が通ります。 | Boats pass through this canal. |
| 道 | noun | road | この道をまっすぐ行ってください。 | Please go straight on this road. |
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.
