{"id":106284,"date":"2015-07-08T21:50:04","date_gmt":"2015-07-09T01:50:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/most-common-kanji\/"},"modified":"2025-02-27T00:54:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-27T05:54:14","slug":"most-common-kanji","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/japanese\/most-common-kanji\/","title":{"rendered":"17 Most Common Train Station Kanji"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Though\u00a0Tokyo&#8217;s become much more accessible to English speakers with the use of bilingual signage and announcements, it\u2019s still beneficial to get a grasp on the meaning of some <em>kanji<\/em>\u2014not only for learning\u2019s sake, but to help you get your bearings as well.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, I&#8217;ll show you some of the most common train station <em>kanji, <\/em>so you can familiarize yourself with them.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>A Few Places You Might Already Know<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u6771\u4eac (Tokyo) \u2014<\/strong>Welcome to the largest city in Japan! You&#8217;ll see\u00a0Tokyo<em>&#8216;<\/em>s first <em>kanji<\/em> below.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u6e0b\u8c37<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Shibuya)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 You&#8217;ll have seen\u00a0Shibuya&#8217;s famous pedestrian crossing in almost any urban footage of Japan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u65b0\u5bbf<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Shinjuku)<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Shinjuku is one of the most important business centers in Tokyo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u539f\u5bbf<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Harajuku)<\/strong> \u2014 You&#8217;ll know\u00a0Harajuku for its outlandish and experimental fashion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u79cb\u8449\u539f<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Akihabara)<\/strong> \u2014 <em>Anime\u00a0<\/em>geek?\u00a0Akihabara is the place for you!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u516d\u672c\u6728<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Roppongi)\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014 This is\u00a0probably the largest concentration of foreigners you&#8217;ve seen enjoying nightlife in Tokyo.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u4e0a\u91ce<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(Ueno) \u2014 <\/strong>The\u00a0wholesome family tourist spot Ueno is home to a\u00a0great park\u00a0for viewing cherry blossoms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Most Common Train Station <em>Kanji<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The kanji below are extremely common on train maps in Japan but many also show up often in various other situations and words.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Up (\u4e0a) and Down (\u4e0b)<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019ve started elementary Japanese already, then you\u2019re already aware that the <em>kun-yomi<\/em> for these characters are \u3046\u3048 (<em>ue<\/em>) and \u3057\u305f (<em>shita<\/em>). Quite simple. However, when paired with neighborhood names, the readings change to \u304b\u307f (<em>kami<\/em>) and \u3057\u3082 (<em>shimo<\/em>), and they&#8217;re used to denote the \u201cupper\u201d and \u201clower\u201d areas of\u00a0certain neighborhoods. To make this even clearer for English speakers, the name is usually hyphenated when written in <em>romaji<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find them:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The hipster neighborhood of <strong>\u4e0b\u5317\u6ca2<\/strong>\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/Attraction_Review-g1066455-d1200230-Reviews-Shimokitazawa-Setagaya_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Kanto.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Shimo-Kitazawa<\/a>), located in Tokyo\u2019s Setagaya Ward.<\/p>\n<p>The famous Ueno Zoo, or <strong>\u4e0a\u91ce\u52d5\u7269\u5712<\/strong>\u00a0(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanvisitor.com\/tokyo\/tokyo-zoo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ueno<\/a><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanvisitor.com\/tokyo\/tokyo-zoo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Doubutsuen<\/a><\/em>) doesn&#8217;t follow the neighborhood rule, but is located in Ueno\u2014a classic tourist spot.<\/p>\n<h3>2. North (\u5317), South (\u5357), East (\u6771) and West (\u897f)<\/h3>\n<p>These are the four cardinal directions.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>kun-yomi<\/em> for them are \u304d\u305f\u00a0<em>(kita)<\/em>, \u307f\u306a\u307f<em>\u00a0(minami)<\/em>, \u3072\u304c\u3057\u00a0<em>(higashi)<\/em>\u00a0and \u306b\u3057\u00a0<em>(nishi)<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>However, the <em>on-yomi<\/em> (meaning original Chinese readings) are \u30db\u30af <em>(hoku),\u00a0<\/em>\u30ca\u30f3 <em>(nan),\u00a0<\/em>\u30c8\u30a6 <em>(tou)<\/em> and \u30bb\u30a4\/\u30b5\u30a4 <em>(sei\/sai).<\/em> Keep in mind that the <em>on-yomi<\/em> is usually for when two <em>kanji<\/em> are together. But, just like in most languages, there are usually exceptions when it comes to proper nouns.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find them:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Tokyo Metro\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokyo_Metro_T%C5%8Dzai_Line\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Touzai Line<\/a> (<strong>\u6771\u897f\u7dda <\/strong>&#8211;\u00a0<em>t<\/em><em>ouzai-sen)<\/em>, which literally means \u201ceast-west\u201d line and <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokyo_Metro_Namboku_Line\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Namboku Line<\/a> (<strong>\u5357\u5317\u7dda<\/strong> &#8211; <em>nanboku-sen<\/em>), which means \u201csouth-north\u201d line.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u897f\u837b\u7aaa <\/strong>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tokyojinja.com\/2011\/01\/23\/shop-talk-discovering-antique-treasures-in-nishi-ogikubo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nishi-Ogikubo<\/a>) is located in Tokyo\u2019s Suginami Ward. A quaint residential neighborhood of antique stores, second-hand bookshops and <em>live houses<\/em> (music venues). Similar to the aforementioned Shimo-Kitazawa, it&#8217;s very popular with college students.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Before (\u524d)<\/h3>\n<p>The <em>kun-yomi<\/em> for this is \u307e\u3048 (<em>mae<\/em>)\u00a0which means \u201cbefore.\u201d When you see this in the context of a station name, however, it means \u201cnear.\u201d As such, when you see this suffix, you will most likely be near a famous area or landmark.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u660e\u6cbb\u795e\u5bae\u524d <\/strong>(<em>Meiji-jingumae<\/em>)\u00a0is located in Shibuya Ward, and is near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meijijingu.or.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Meiji Shrine<\/a>\u00a0where Emperor Meiji and his wife Emperor Shouken\u2019s spirits are deified.<\/p>\n<p>Another usage of \u524d is <strong>\u5927\u524d<\/strong> <em>(dai mae)<\/em>. An abbreviation of <strong>\u5927\u5b66\u524d<\/strong> <em>(daigaku mae)<\/em>, it means \u201cbefore university.\u201d\u00a0<strong>\u6771\u5927\u524d <\/strong><em>(toudai mae),<\/em> for example, is located near the prestigious <a href=\"http:\/\/www.u-tokyo.ac.jp\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">University of Tokyo<\/a> (<strong>\u6771\u4eac\u5927\u5b66 <\/strong>&#8211; <em>toukyou daigaku)<\/em> in Bunkyo Ward.<\/p>\n<h3>4. Block (\u4e01\u76ee)<\/h3>\n<p>The reading for this is \u3061\u3087\u3046\u3081 <em>(choume)<\/em>, which means \u201cblock.\u201d Most Japanese addresses are denoted by neighborhoods and blocks, rather than street names. As such, when these blocks are numbered, they tell you your exact location in the respective neighborhood. So <strong>\u4e00\u4e01\u76ee<\/strong><em> (icchoume)<\/em> is Block 1, <strong>\u4e8c\u4e01\u76ee<\/strong> <em>(nichoume)<\/em> is Block 2, etc.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u65b0\u5bbf\u4e09\u4e01\u76ee <\/strong>(Shinjuku<em>-sanchoume),<\/em> or Shinjuku 3, is one block away from <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shinjuku_Ni-ch%C5%8Dme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shinjuku<em>-nichoume<\/em><\/a>, Tokyo\u2019s famous gay district.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u9752\u5c71\u4e00\u4e01\u76ee <\/strong>(Aoyama<em>-icchoume)<\/em>\u00a0or Aoyama 1, is located in Tokyo\u2019s Minato Ward and borders on the upscale neighborhoods of Omotesando, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/gaienmae-in-tokyo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gaienmae<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-guide.com\/e\/e3006.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Harajuku<\/a>. This area serves as a hub for Tokyo\u2019s fashion scene.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Station (\u99c5)<\/h3>\n<p>As you can guess, this is a crucial <em>kanji<\/em> to memorize. It combines the radicals for \u201chorse\u201d (\u99ac &#8211; <em>uma)<\/em> and \u201cflag\u201d (\u5c38 &#8211; <em>shi)<\/em>, and is used as a common suffix or noun by itself. Whenever you think of \u201cstation,\u201d think of a horse waving you in with a flag.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong> Every station in Japan ever.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Lodging\/Post (\u5bbf)<\/h3>\n<p>In an older Japan, this was an indicator of the kind of\u00a0town an area was classified as. Read as \u3058\u3085\u304f<em> (juku)<\/em>, this used to represent a sort of &#8220;rest stop&#8221; or a &#8220;post&#8221; on a highway. You might recognize this one as the stand-alone\u00a0<em>kanji<\/em>\u00a0read as \u3084\u3069 <em>(yado\u00a0<\/em>&#8211; lodge), which might help you remember it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong>\u00a0The famous\u00a0<strong>\u539f\u5bbf<em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Harajuku) is on the borders of <strong>\u4ee3\u3005\u6728\u516c\u5712<\/strong><em> (Yoyogi kouen) <\/em>or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/yoyogi-park\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yoyogi Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Also, the ever-popular <strong>\u65b0\u5bbf<\/strong> (Shinjuku) is a hub for business people and university students alike for a night on the town. Which brings us to&#8230;<\/p>\n<h3>7. New (\u65b0)<\/h3>\n<p>Though present in neighborhood names such as Shinjuku (which means \u201cnew lodging\u201d and boasts <a href=\"http:\/\/www.railway-technology.com\/projects\/shinjuku-railway\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the busiest train station in the world<\/a>, by the way), \u201cnew\u201d or \u3057\u3093<em> (shin),<\/em> takes on an additional meaning when used as a prefix.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re in a station called \u201c<em>shin<\/em>-somewhere,\u201d it means that it&#8217;s a new or additional station that is able to accommodate more passengers or something even greater, like a <strong>\u65b0\u5e79\u7dda<\/strong>\u00a0(<em>shinkansen)<\/em>\u00a0or &#8220;bullet train.&#8221; <strong>\u65b0\u5927\u962a<\/strong> <em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/jprail.com\/travel-informations\/basic-informations\/station-information\/shin-osaka-station-guide-how-to-change-shinkansen-haruka-thunderbird-and-local-train-access-to-osaka-umeda-and-namba.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shin-<\/a><\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/jprail.com\/travel-informations\/basic-informations\/station-information\/shin-osaka-station-guide-how-to-change-shinkansen-haruka-thunderbird-and-local-train-access-to-osaka-umeda-and-namba.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Osaka<\/a>)<em>\u00a0<\/em>serves as a latter example, but as far as the former goes\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u65b0\u6d66\u5b89 <\/strong><em>(Shin-<\/em>Urayasu). Located in the city of Urayasu, Chiba, this station is near the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tokyodisneyresort.jp\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Tokyo Disneyland Resort<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>8. Origin (\u672c)<\/h3>\n<p>This <em>kanji<\/em> has two meanings and multiple readings\u2014\u3082\u3068 <em>(moto)<\/em>, which means \u201corigin\u201d or \u201cbase,\u201d and \u307b\u3093 <em>(hon)<\/em> which means \u201cbook.\u201d In the case of a neighborhood, it means that this is the \u201coriginal\u201d area of a town.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>\u672c\u90f7\u4e09\u4e01\u76ee <\/strong>(Hongou-<em>sanchoume)<\/em>\u00a0or Hongou 3, is located in the <a href=\"http:\/\/wikitravel.org\/en\/Tokyo\/Bunkyo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Hongou<\/a>\u00a0district of Tokyo\u2019s Bunkyo Ward. A former ward during the short-lived <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tokyo_City\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tokyo City<\/a> era, Hongou is currently the home of the aforementioned University of Tokyo, as well as numerous universities and schools, making it a major school zone since the Meiji era.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Field\/Fundamental (\u539f)<\/h3>\n<p>The most common readings for this <em>kanji<\/em> are\u00a0\u306f\u3089 <em>(hara)<\/em>, meaning \u201cfield\u201d or \u201cwilderness,\u201d and \u3052\u3093<em> (gen),<\/em> meaning\u00a0\u201coriginal\u201d or &#8220;fundamental.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Fun fact: you might even see this <em>kanji<\/em> on your new friend&#8217;s driver&#8217;s license, as\u00a0\u539f<i>\u00a0<\/i><em>(hara)<\/em> is also a very common Japanese last name.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:\u00a0<\/strong>You&#8217;ve probably already noticed that this one appears in <strong>\u539f\u5bbf<\/strong> (Harajuku), but you may also find this useful when traveling to Tokyo&#8217;s most famous<i>\u00a0<\/i>&#8220;nerd culture&#8221; mecca of\u00a0<strong>\u79cb\u8449\u539f<\/strong> (Akihabara). Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/akihabara\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Akihabara<\/a> for its electronic\u00a0goods and other adventures.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Rice Paddy (\u7530<strong>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This delightfully simple <em>kanji<\/em> can be found in a lot of place names not only in Tokyo, but all around Japan. Even better, you&#8217;ll find it usually has one of the four\u00a0pronunciations: \u305f <em>(ta)<\/em>, \u3060\u00a0<em>(da)<\/em>,\u00a0\u3066\u3093 <em>(ten)<\/em> or\u00a0\u3067\u3093 <em>(den).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:\u00a0<\/strong>If you keep up with your Japanese politics, you may have heard of<strong> \u6c38\u7530\u753a<\/strong> (Nagata-<em>chou<\/em>), where you&#8217;ll find the National Diet Building as well as the Prime Minister&#8217;s house.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s also home to <strong>\u65e5\u679d\u795e\u793e<\/strong> <em>(Hie Jinja)<\/em> or <a href=\"https:\/\/jw-webmagazine.com\/hie-shrine-hidden-spot-in-tokyo-with-red-torii-gates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hie Shrine<\/a>, where you&#8217;ll find people in old Japanese costumes parading through at the Sanno Festival in mid-June.<\/p>\n<h3>11. River (\u5ddd)<\/h3>\n<p>This is the simple three-stroke <em>kanji<\/em> for \u201criver,\u201d the<em> kun-yomi<\/em> being \u304b\u308f<em> (kawa).<\/em> When used as a suffix, the reading usually becomes \u304c\u308f <em>(gawa).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u4e8c\u5b50\u7389\u5ddd<\/strong> (<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotokyo.org\/en\/story\/walks-and-tours\/futako-tamagawa\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Futako-Tamagawa<\/a><\/em>)\u00a0Located in Tokyo\u2019s Setagaya Ward and also known as Nikotama\u00a0(an alternate reading of the first three <em>kanji)<\/em>, it&#8217;s an upscale neighborhood that lies on the Tama River (<strong>\u591a\u6469\u5ddd<\/strong> &#8211; <em>T<\/em><em>amagawa<\/em>), a natural border between Tokyo Metropolis and Kanagawa Prefecture. It&#8217;s home to Tokyo\u2019s first-ever department store, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.takashimaya.com.sg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Takashimaya<\/a>, which was built in 1969.<\/p>\n<p>As another example, if you&#8217;re headed outside of Tokyo, you&#8217;ll most likely pass by the major <em>shinkansen<\/em> station of <strong>\u54c1\u5ddd<\/strong>\u00a0<em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-guide.com\/e\/e3040.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Shinagawa<\/a>)<\/em> on your way to awesome places like Kyoto (<strong>\u4eac\u90fd<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0<em>kyouto).<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>12. Mountain (\u5c71)<\/h3>\n<p>Usually read as \u3084\u307e <em>(yama),<\/em> but can also change to \u30b5\u30f3 <em>(san)<\/em> when used as a suffix (Fuji<em>-san,<\/em> anyone?) The <em>kanji<\/em> itself is pretty straightforward, but don\u2019t expect there to be mountains every time you see this in a station name.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u4ee3\u5b98\u5c71<\/strong>\u00a0(<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotokyo.org\/en\/tourists\/areas\/areamap\/daikanyama.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Daikanyama<\/a><\/em>), located in Tokyo\u2019s Shibuya Ward. Similar to Futako-Tamagawa, there are many upscale boutiques and coffee shops, giving it a relaxed atmosphere. It&#8217;s also home to many embassies, such as the Royal Danish Embassy. It\u2019s a short walk from Shibuya Station, for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of that area.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.japan-guide.com\/e\/e2370.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">JR Yamanote Line<\/a> (<strong>\u5c71\u624b\u7dda<\/strong> &#8211; <em>Y<\/em><em>amanote-sen<\/em>) is one of the busiest lines in the country, as it&#8217;s a loop line around the metropolis\u2019 23 wards, connecting to major stations such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Ueno and\u00a0Shinagawa.<\/p>\n<h3>13. Temple (\u5bfa\uff09<\/h3>\n<p>The <em>kun-yomi<\/em> for \u201ctemple\u201d is \u3066\u3089 <em>(tera),<\/em> but when used as a suffix, the <em>on-yomi<\/em> reading is (\u30b8 &#8211; <em>ji).<\/em>\u00a0This <em>kanji<\/em> usually suggests that there&#8217;s a temple nearby or that there was a temple in the neighborhood at some point.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where you&#8217;ll find it<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u5409\u7965\u5bfa<\/strong><em>\u00a0(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotokyo.org\/en\/tourists\/areas\/areamap\/kichijoji.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">kichijouji<\/a>),<\/em>\u00a0Kichijoji, located in Tokyo\u2019s Musashino City. A relaxed neighborhood for both trendy moms and college students, Kichijouji is home to Inokashira Park, its complimentary zoo, and the Studio Ghibli Museum in nearby Mitaka.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u9ad8\u5186\u5bfa<\/strong>\u00a0<em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanvisitor.com\/tokyo\/tokyo-area-guides\/koenji\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">kouenji<\/a>)<\/em>, Koenji, located in Tokyo\u2019s Suginami Ward. Similar to neighboring Nishi-Ogikubo, it&#8217;s a hub for second-hand clothing stores and live houses, but it&#8217;s also the birthplace of Tokyo\u2019s punk scene.<\/p>\n<p>So, there\u2019s a basic list to get you started on understanding train station names and how you can use them to help understand your location.<\/p>\n<h3>Looking for more about Tokyo neighborhoods?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.japan-talk.com\/jt\/new\/tokyo-neighborhoods\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Japan Talk<\/a> has got a great intro to 47 neighborhoods in one convenient list.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.frommers.com\/destinations\/tokyo\/250115\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Frommer&#8217;s<\/a> also has\u00a0a nice quick guide to some significant spots.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>For more on the actual\u00a0<em>kanji<\/em> of these places, check\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Japanese_place_names\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wikipedia&#8217;s page.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>And if you&#8217;re feeling ambitious, here&#8217;s an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tokyometro.jp\/station\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">actual map of Tokyo&#8217;s train system<\/a>\u2014<em>kanji<\/em> and all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And if you want to practice more <em>kanji, <\/em>you could check out the language learning program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/japanese\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FluentU.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/fluentu-learn-language-videos\/id917892175\">the iOS app<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.fluentflix.fluentu&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=US\">Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><i><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/NativeAd-Japanese.jpg\" alt=\"FluentU Ad\" \/>\r\n  <p style=\"text-align: center\">\r\n    <button class=\"btn-blue\" style=\"border: none;font-size: 18px;text-align: center;padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;cursor: pointer\">\r\n      Try FluentU for FREE!\r\n  <\/button>\r\n  <\/p>\r\n<\/a>\r\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Good luck with your travels (and studies)!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"aomtjapan\"> \r\n<p>\r\n<h2>And One More Thing...<\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\nIf you love learning Japanese with authentic materials, then I should also tell you <strong><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">more about FluentU<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning Japanese language and culture. You'll learn real Japanese as it's spoken in real life.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU has a broad range of contemporary videos as you'll see below:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2474\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/Japnaese-5.png\" alt=\"learn-japanese-with-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\n<strong>FluentU makes these native Japanese videos approachable through interactive transcripts.<\/strong> Tap on any word to look it up instantly.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2477\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/Japanese-2.png\" alt=\"learn-japanese-with-songs\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nAll definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Japanese learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2476\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/Japanese-6.png\" alt=\"learn-japanese-with-movies\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nAnd FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2478\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/6\/Japanese-7.png\" alt=\"practice-japanese-with-adaptive-quizzes\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nThe best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned.<strong> You'll have a 100% personalized experience. <\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Though\u00a0Tokyo&#8217;s become much more accessible to English speakers with the use of bilingual signage and announcements, it\u2019s still beneficial to get a grasp on the meaning of some kanji\u2014not only&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":198,"featured_media":252697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"17 Most Common Train Station Kanji | FluentU Japanese Blog","description":"If you've ever been confused about Tokyo's train system, check out this guide for the most common train station kanji. I'll walk you through the kanji you're most likely to see in a train station, with information on what each one means and where exactly you're likely to see it."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[545,549],"tags":[],"coauthors":[668],"class_list":["post-106284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese","category-japanese-vocab-and-grammar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/198"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106284"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147008,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106284\/revisions\/147008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/252697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106284"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=106284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}