How do you say "May I use your restroom?" in Japanese?

Name: Need a Bathroom in Japan? Say THIS — Not 'Toilet Doko'
Uploaded: 2026-06-30T01:17:16Z
Duration: 31 s
Description: Learn to say トイレ、お借りしてもいいですか？ (Toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka?) — May I use your restroom?. A 30-second Japanese lesson for travelers from Kōfuku.

← All videos

Need a Bathroom in Japan? Say THIS — Not 'Toilet Doko'

To say May I use your restroom? in Japanese, say トイレ、お借りしてもいいですか？ (Toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka?).

You duck into a Tokyo shop with no public restroom — ask this one phrase and the staff usually says yes.

トイレ、お借りしてもいいですか？ Toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka? May I use your restroom?

Survival Etiquette #learnjapanese #japantravel #survivaljapanese #japanetiquette #japantips

Watch on Facebook ↗

In this video

すみません、トイレ、お借りしてもいいですか？ Sumimasen, toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka? Excuse me — may I use your restroom?
トイレ、お借りしてもいいですか？ Toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka? May I use your restroom?

Why this phrase

HQ covers 'where is the toilet?' but never 'may I use yours?' — the highest-leverage missing piece in the restroom phrase cluster. Tiny Tokyo shops, cafes and izakaya let you use theirs if you ask politely. 'Toire, o-kari shite mo ii desu ka?' is the unlock.