How to Ask About Laundry Facilities in Japanese: Finding a Laundromat and Its Hours
Learn to ask 'Is there a laundromat nearby?' in Japanese, understand opening hours, and handle coin laundry basics with polite, natural phrases.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you travel or stay in Japan, doing laundry is a practical need, especially on longer trips. This lesson teaches you how to ask whether there is a laundromat nearby, find out its opening hours, and understand a few key words you will see on signs. You will use the polite pattern '... wa arimasu ka' (is there ...?) and learn the difference between a coin laundry and a laundry service. All phrases are given in Japanese script with Hepburn romanization so you can read and say them confidently.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether there is a laundromat or coin laundry nearby.
- ask about opening hours and closing time.
- understand and use basic laundry-related vocabulary.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
この近くにコインランドリーはありますか。
Is there a coin laundry nearby?
Kono chikaku ni koin randorī wa arimasu ka.
Polite and standard. Use this when asking a hotel receptionist, shop staff, or a passerby.
何時から何時までですか。
From what time to what time is it open?
Nanji kara nanji made desu ka.
Ask this after you have found a place. It asks about opening and closing hours.
今、開いていますか。
Is it open now?
Ima, aite imasu ka.
Use when you want to check whether the laundromat is currently open.
洗濯機はいくらですか。
How much is the washing machine?
Sentakuki wa ikura desu ka.
Ask about the price of using a washing machine. You can also say 乾燥機 (kansōki) for dryer.
両替機はありますか。
Is there a change machine?
Ryōgaeki wa arimasu ka.
Coin laundries often have a change machine. This is useful if you only have bills. The word is 両替機 (ryōgaeki), a machine for exchanging money.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 'A wa arimasu ka' (Is there A?). Put the place or thing before 'wa arimasu ka'. For example, 'コインランドリーはありますか' (koin randorī wa arimasu ka) means 'Is there a coin laundry?' To add a location, use '... ni' before 'wa arimasu ka': 'この近くにコインランドリーはありますか' (kono chikaku ni koin randorī wa arimasu ka) means 'Is there a coin laundry near here?' You can replace 'コインランドリー' with other words, such as '洗濯機' (sentakuki, washing machine) or '乾燥機' (kansōki, dryer).
When to use it
Use these phrases in polite situations: at a hotel front desk, in a convenience store, or when asking a local person. For hours, ask '何時から何時までですか' (nanji kara nanji made desu ka). If you want to confirm the current status, say '今、開いていますか' (ima, aite imasu ka). At the laundromat itself, you might see signs like '営業時間' (eigyō jikan, business hours) and '料金' (ryōkin, price). If you need help, you can say 'すみません、使い方を教えてください' (sumimasen, tsukaikata o oshiete kudasai), meaning 'Excuse me, please teach me how to use it.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、この近くにコインランドリーはありますか。
Excuse me, is there a coin laundry near here?Sumimasen, kono chikaku ni koin randorī wa arimasu ka.はい、駅の前にありますよ。
Yes, there is one in front of the station.Hai, eki no mae ni arimasu yo.何時から何時までですか。
From what time to what time is it open?Nanji kara nanji made desu ka.朝六時から夜十一時までです。
It is from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.Asa rokuji kara yoru jūichiji made desu.A little context goes a long way
Coin laundries in Japan are often called 'コインランドリー' and are usually self-service, open early and late. Some are inside convenience store parking lots. Staff at hotels may offer a laundry service instead, which is more expensive but convenient. When asking strangers, start with 'すみません' (sumimasen) to be polite.
One thing to watch for
Using 'ありますか' with a person, as in '店員はありますか' to mean 'Is there a staff member?'
Try this instead: 'あります' is for things, not people. For people, use 'いますか' (imasu ka). For example, '店員はいますか' (ten'in wa imasu ka) means 'Is there a staff member?' For a laundromat, which is a place, 'コインランドリーはありますか' is correct.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is there a coin laundry nearby?' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
この近くにコインランドリーはありますか。
This uses 'kono chikaku ni' (near here) and 'wa arimasu ka' (is there). You could also say '近くにコインランドリーはありますか' without 'kono', which is still natural.
2What does '何時から何時までですか' mean?
Show a sample answer
From what time to what time is it? (What are the opening hours?)
'Nanji kara' means 'from what time' and 'nanji made' means 'until what time'. This is a standard way to ask about hours.
3If you want to ask about the price of a washing machine, what do you say?
Show a sample answer
洗濯機はいくらですか。
'Sentakuki' means washing machine, and 'ikura desu ka' means 'how much is it?' You can also ask '乾燥機はいくらですか' for the dryer.
Use '... wa arimasu ka' to ask if something exists, and 'nanji kara nanji made desu ka' for hours. Start with 'sumimasen' to be polite, and remember that 'arimasu' is for things, 'imasu' for people.
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