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N4Lesson notes · Oct 5, 2026

Travel in Japanese: 旅行りょこう (りょこう) vs 旅たび (たび), plus 観光かんこう, 出張しゅっちょう, and 旅行りょこうに行いく

"Travel" in Japanese is most often 旅行りょこう (りょこう) as a noun and 旅行りょこうする (りょこうする) as a verb. 旅たび (たび) is a close neighbor that can sound more personal or literary, depending on context. You "go on a trip" with 旅行りょこうに行いく and "set out on a journey" with 旅たびに出でる. For a work trip, 出張しゅっちょう (しゅっちょう) is usually the most specific word.

English uses "travel" for almost everything: a week in Kyoto, a month backpacking, a conference in Osaka. Japanese has several words, and the one you pick changes the focus of the sentence. This post covers 旅行りょこう, 旅たび, 観光かんこう, 出張しゅっちょう, and トラベル, then the particles and the mistakes learners make most often.

How do you say "travel" in Japanese?

What is the difference between 旅行りょこう and 旅たび?

旅行りょこう is the general word for a trip, short or long, with or without an overnight stay. 旅たび focuses on the journey itself, the road and the experiences, so it can sound more personal or literary in some contexts.

Neither word needs a plan, a hotel, or a certain length, and dictionaries treat their basic meanings as largely overlapping. This is a tendency in tone, not a hard rule. Here is one trip described both ways:

北海道旅行ほっかいどうりょこうを楽たのしみにしています。 — I'm looking forward to my trip to Hokkaido. (polite, neutral) 北海道ほっかいどうへの旅たびを楽たのしみにしています。 — I'm looking forward to my journey to Hokkaido. (polite, a little written, like a travel guide)

Both are natural. The second gives the same message a more scenic, literary tone.

来月らいげつ、家族かぞくと旅行りょこうに行いきます。 — I'm going on a trip with my family next month. (polite) いつか、一人ひとりで長ながい旅たびに出でたい。 — Someday I want to set out on a long journey alone. (casual, a bit poetic)

Both words use the kanji 旅たび. 旅行りょこう is an on'yomi compound (りょこう), while 旅たび alone is the native Japanese word (たび).

Can I just say トラベル?

Not as a general word for a trip. トラベル is katakana for "travel", and it mostly shows up in product names and company names, like トラベルグッズ (travel goods).

「トラベルに行いく」 sounds odd, so say 旅行りょこうに行いく. Use トラベル for items, services, and brands.

トラベルサイズのシャンプーを買かった。 — I bought a travel-size shampoo. (casual)

How do you use 旅行りょこう as a verb?

旅行りょこうする (りょこうする) means "to travel", and 旅行りょこうをする is the same thing. Both are natural in everyday speech, for example 旅行りょこうするのが好すきです (and 旅行りょこうが好すきです is even shorter). When you announce a plan, 旅行りょこうに行いく is the phrase you will hear most.

去年きょねん、ヨーロッパを旅行りょこうしました。 — I traveled around Europe last year. (polite) 夏休なつやすみに旅行りょこうをする予定よていです。 — I'm planning to take a trip during summer vacation. (polite)

The を in 「ヨーロッパを旅行りょこうしました」 marks the area you moved through. It does not mean you covered all of it. One more thing for English speakers: "travel" also covers commuting and moving around, and those are not 旅行りょこう. Use 通勤つうきんする (commute) or 移動いどうする (move, get around) for them.

What other travel words do you need?

What is the difference between 旅行りょこう and 観光かんこう?

観光かんこう (かんこう) is sightseeing: visiting places to look at them. It is often part of a 旅行りょこう, but you can also do it in your own city.

京都きょうとを観光かんこうしてから、新幹線しんかんせんで帰かえった。 — After sightseeing in Kyoto, I went home by bullet train. (casual)

観光客かんこうきゃく (かんこうきゃく, tourist) says the purpose is sightseeing. 旅行者りょこうしゃ (りょこうしゃ, traveler) does not state a purpose, so it is the more neutral word, and the same person can be called either.

What is the difference between 旅行りょこう and 出張しゅっちょう?

出張しゅっちょう (しゅっちょう) is a business trip: going somewhere away from your usual workplace to do work. It is the most specific word, and it is what people say in conversation, even if the place is beautiful. 旅行りょこう is not wrong in a broad sense, but it sounds like leisure unless you add context, so say 出張しゅっちょう when you want people to know it is for work. The destination takes に (大阪おおさかに出張しゅっちょうする), and our post on business trip in Japanese covers the work-trip phrases in full.

What kinds of trips have special names?

Japanese attaches the trip type to 旅行りょこう: 海外旅行かいがいりょこう (overseas), 国内旅行こくないりょこう (domestic), 日帰ひがえり旅行りょこう (day trip), 新婚旅行しんこんりょこう (honeymoon), 修学旅行しゅうがくりょこう (school trip organized by a school).

今年ことしは国内旅行こくないりょこうにしようと思おもっている。 — I'm thinking of taking a domestic trip this year. (casual) 新婚旅行しんこんりょこうはどこに行いきましたか。 — Where did you go for your honeymoon? (polite) 箱根はこねに一泊二日いっぱくふつかで行いってきた。 — I went to Hakone for two days and one night. (casual)

For the length of a stay, Japanese counts nights first: 一泊二日いっぱくふつか (いっぱくふつか) is one night, two days, and 二泊三日にはくみっか (にはくみっか) is two nights, three days. 日帰ひがえり (ひがえり) means leaving and coming back on the same day.

修学旅行しゅうがくりょこう (しゅうがくりょこう) is a trip a school runs as part of its educational activities, which is why it is different from a casual outing or 遠足えんそく. For getting around on trips, see Japanese transportation vocabulary.

Word Reading Feel Example use
旅行りょこう りょこう the general word for a trip 旅行りょこうに行いく
旅たび たび the journey itself, more personal 旅たびに出でる、一人旅ひとりたび
観光かんこう かんこう sightseeing 観光地かんこうち、観光客かんこうきゃく
出張しゅっちょう しゅっちょう business trip 大阪おおさかに出張しゅっちょうする
トラベル トラベル product and brand names トラベルグッズ
海外旅行かいがいりょこう かいがいりょこう overseas trip 海外旅行かいがいりょこうに行いく
国内旅行こくないりょこう こくないりょこう domestic trip 国内旅行こくないりょこうにする
日帰ひがえり旅行りょこう ひがえりりょこう trip that returns the same day 日帰ひがえり旅行りょこうに行いく
新婚旅行しんこんりょこう しんこんりょこう honeymoon 新婚旅行しんこんりょこうに行いく
修学旅行しゅうがくりょこう しゅうがくりょこう school trip 修学旅行しゅうがくりょこうで奈良ならに行いく

Which particle do you use with 旅行りょこうに行いく?

Is it 旅行りょこうに行いく or 旅行りょこうへ行いく?

旅行りょこうに行いく is the one to learn first, and 旅行りょこうへ行いく is also correct. In 旅行りょこうに行いく, に marks the purpose of going. The destination is a separate phrase marked with に or へ. With 旅行りょこうする, the place can take を (the area you move through) or に / へ (the destination), as in 京都きょうとに旅行りょこうする.

The same place takes a different particle depending on the verb:

Pattern Particle on the place Example
旅行りょこうに行いく に or へ (destination) 京都きょうとへ旅行りょこうに行いく
旅行りょこうする を (area you move through), or に / へ (destination) 日本にほんを旅行りょこうする、京都きょうとに旅行りょこうする
旅行中りょこうちゅう なし 旅行中りょこうちゅうは忙いそがしい

今週末こんしゅうまつ、京都きょうとへ旅行りょこうに行いきます。 — I'm going on a trip to Kyoto this weekend. (polite) 友ともだちと沖縄おきなわへ旅行りょこうに行いった。 — I went on a trip to Okinawa with friends. (casual)

For the difference between に and へ, read ni vs e particle in Japanese. In casual speech people often drop に and say 旅行りょこう行いきたい. Particles like が and は also disappear, so 旅行りょこう、好すき? is natural among friends too. In practice drills, keep the particles so you learn the pattern.

今度こんどの連休れんきゅう、どこか旅行りょこう行いかない? — Want to go on a trip somewhere over the next long weekend? (casual, particle dropped)

How do you say "while traveling"?

旅行中りょこうちゅう (りょこうちゅう) means "during a trip".

旅行中りょこうちゅうは、スマホをあまり見みない。 — I hardly look at my phone while I'm traveling. (casual)

Beyond the basics

What do you hear in anime and manga?

When a story is about an adventure or a long road, 旅たび often fits well. Expect 旅たびに出でる (set out on a journey), 旅たびの仲間なかま (traveling companions), 旅人たびびと (たびびと, traveler), and 旅立たびだつ (たびだつ, to depart on a journey).

俺おれは、旅たびに出でることにした。 — I decided to set out on a journey. (casual; 俺おれ is an informal first-person word used mostly by men) 旅たびの仲間なかまが増ふえてきた。 — More companions have joined us on our journey. (casual)

These two sentences are my own examples, not quotes from a series. Titles show the same tendency: 『キノの旅たび』 puts 旅たび right in the name, and a story like 『葬送そうそうのフリーレン』, where a mage walks the road with companions, is the kind of tale 旅たび suits. When characters talk about their holiday plans, 旅行りょこう is the safe choice.

What is 一人旅ひとりたび?

一人旅ひとりたび (ひとりたび) is a solo trip, a trip you take by yourself. It is the standard set phrase in conversation; 一人ひとりで旅行りょこうする also works, while 一人旅ひとりたび行ぎょう is much less common.

来月らいげつ、一人旅ひとりたびで金沢かなざわに行いく。 — Next month I'm going to Kanazawa on a solo trip. (casual)

Is a day out 旅行りょこう, お出でかけ, or 遊あそびに行いく?

旅行りょこう can be a day trip or an overnight trip. For a short outing near home, 遊あそびに行いく (あそびにいく) sounds more natural than 旅行りょこう. お出でかけ (おでかけ) is also used, with a friendly tone that is common when talking about family outings.

If you go to the sea for the afternoon and come home at night, 「海うみに遊あそびに行いった」 is the neutral choice. 日帰ひがえり旅行りょこう fits when the speaker thinks of the outing as a trip, for example going far enough to feel like a change of scene, such as a bus ride to a hot spring.

日曜日にちようびは、家族かぞくで公園こうえんに行いった。 — On Sunday we went to the park as a family. (casual) 週末しゅうまつ、友ともだちと遊あそびに行いく。 — I'm going out to hang out with friends this weekend. (casual)

What other travel words come up in daily life?

旅館りょかん (りょかん) is a traditional Japanese inn, and お土産みやげ (おみやげ) is a souvenir, most often bought as a gift for other people. You can read more at omiyage meaning in Japanese and stay in Japanese: 泊とまる.

旅行りょこうのお土産みやげを職場しょくばで配くばった。 — I handed out souvenirs from my trip at work. (casual)

Related reading for the flight home: jet lag in Japanese.

Common mistakes

  • Saying 旅行りょこうを行いく. It is 旅行りょこうに行いく or 旅行りょこうをする.
  • Saying 日本にほんを旅行りょこうに行いく. With 旅行りょこうに行いく the place takes に or へ: 日本にほんに旅行りょこうに行いく. With 旅行りょこうする it can take を (日本にほんを旅行りょこうする) or に / へ.
  • Saying トラベルに行いく. Use 旅行りょこうに行いく (see the トラベル section above).
  • Saying 一人旅ひとりたび行ぎょう in conversation. The usual phrase is 一人旅ひとりたび.

Practice

Try each answer before opening it. The questions reuse the patterns above with new places and situations.

1. Say politely, "I'm going on a trip to Nagano with my parents this weekend."

Show answer

今週末こんしゅうまつ、両親りょうしんと長野ながのへ旅行りょこうに行いきます。 — 旅行りょこうに行いく is the standard phrase for "go on a trip", and the destination takes へ or に.

2. Say politely, "My supervisor is away on a business trip to Sapporo this week."

Show answer

上司じょうしは今週こんしゅう、札幌さっぽろに出張しゅっちょうしています。 — 出張しゅっちょう takes に for the destination, and ~ています shows the trip is happening now.

3. Say "I want to travel around Kyushu someday" using 旅行りょこうする.

Show answer

いつか九州きゅうしゅうを旅行りょこうしたいです。 — With 旅行りょこうする, the area you move through takes を.

4. Say "Let's do some sightseeing in Nara tomorrow" in a casual way.

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明日あしたは奈良ならを観光かんこうしようよ。 — 観光かんこう takes the place as its object, so を is natural.

5. Say "We're going to Karuizawa on a three-day, two-night trip in the fall."

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秋あきに、軽井沢かるいざわに二泊三日にはくみっかで旅行りょこうに行いきます。 — Japanese counts nights first: 二泊三日にはくみっか (two nights, three days).

6. Say "The hero set out on a journey with his companions."

Show answer

勇者ゆうしゃは仲間なかまと旅たびに出でた。 — 旅たびに出でる fits a story about an adventure, and 仲間なかま means companions.

7. Say "I don't want to spend much money while I'm traveling."

Show answer

旅行中りょこうちゅうは、あまりお金かねを使つかいたくない。 — 旅行中りょこうちゅう means "during a trip", and あまり goes with a negative.

8. Say "I'm looking forward to my journey to Nagasaki" with the word 旅たび.

Show answer

長崎ながさきへの旅たびを楽たのしみにしています。 — The same trip could be 長崎ながさき旅行りょこう. This 旅たび version is polite and a little written, like a travel guide.

9. Say "Let's go buy some travel goods" in a casual way.

Show answer

トラベルグッズを買かいに行いこう。 — トラベルグッズ is a product word, which is where トラベル belongs.

10. Fix: 韓国かんこくを旅行りょこうに行いきました。

Show answer

韓国かんこくに旅行りょこうに行いきました。 — With 旅行りょこうに行いく the destination takes に. 韓国かんこくを旅行りょこうしました is also correct.

FAQ

How do I say "travel plans"? 旅行りょこうの予定よてい (りょこうのよてい) for the schedule and what you intend to do, or 旅行りょこうの計画けいかく (けいかく) for the plan, including the itinerary.

How do I say "travel agency"? 旅行会社りょこうがいしゃ (りょこうがいしゃ) is the common word.

How do I say "travel insurance"? 旅行保険りょこうほけん (りょこうほけん) is the common word, and 海外旅行保険かいがいりょこうほけん is the overseas version.

Why do some trip words end in 旅たび and others in 旅行りょこう? Fixed words like 一人旅ひとりたび use 旅たび, and trip types like 海外旅行かいがいりょこう use 旅行りょこう. Learn them as set phrases.

Vocabulary from this article

Tap the block to select all of it, then copy. In Anki: File → Import, note type Basic, separator Tab — the first column becomes the front, the second the back.

旅行	りょこう — trip, travel
旅	たび — journey
旅行に行く	りょこうにいく — to go on a trip
旅に出る	たびにでる — to set out on a journey
旅人	たびびと — traveler, wanderer
一人旅	ひとりたび — solo trip
旅行中	りょこうちゅう — during a trip
旅行者	りょこうしゃ — traveler
観光	かんこう — sightseeing
観光客	かんこうきゃく — tourist
出張	しゅっちょう — business trip
海外旅行	かいがいりょこう — overseas trip
国内旅行	こくないりょこう — domestic trip
日帰り	ひがえり — same-day return
日帰り旅行	ひがえりりょこう — day trip
一泊二日	いっぱくふつか — two days, one night
新婚旅行	しんこんりょこう — honeymoon
修学旅行	しゅうがくりょこう — school trip
旅の仲間	たびのなかま — traveling companions
お出かけ	おでかけ — going out, outing
遊びに行く	あそびにいく — to go out to have fun
旅行会社	りょこうがいしゃ — travel agency
旅行保険	りょこうほけん — travel insurance
お土産	おみやげ — souvenir

I'm Yuuki, a Japanese teacher based in Tokyo. I've taught on italki as a Top 1% teacher and watched over 1,500 anime, so most of the example sentences on this blog come from lines I've actually heard students ask about. For practice with feedback, Book a trial lesson · $13, or work through Japanese practice exercises first.

Sources: the author's own lessons and standard reference dictionaries, such as デジタル大だい辞じ泉いずみ (entry: 旅行りょこう).

More drills like the ones above, plus a timed JLPT-style mock test: Practice · N4 · Read something at this level: JLPT N4 stories with audio

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