Seiriken, most commonly refers to “boarding passes/tickets” used for buses, or sometimes numbered tickets used to determine the order of service in Japan. For foreigners who are not familiar with the system, getting on buses can be very intimidating.

To take the bus in Japan, most of the time, you board the bus from the rear door. Right next to the door, there will be a ticket dispenser that you take a boarding ticket from. The bus fare will be calculated based on where you got on the bus, and the distance travelled. When getting off the bus, you exit through the front door, and put the boarding ticket along with the correct fare into the machine next to the bus driver.

As of late, it is becoming more and more common for people to use IC cards (cards with preloaded money that you can also use for trains, buses, and even paying at convenience stores, etc.) for buses. If you plan to take public transit a lot in Japan, it might be worth considering getting a IC card. The most common one in Tokyo is called Suica.

Let’s remember the following useful sentences before going to Japan!

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●Basu wo oriru toki wa seiriken to okane isshoni dashimasu.
(バスを降りるときは整理券とお金一緒に出します。)
> When getting off the bus, you hand over the boarding pass along with your payment.

●Seiriken no tsukaikata oshiete itadakemasenka?
(整理券の使い方教えていただけませんか？)
> Can you teach me how to use the boarding ticket?

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Now all that’s left is to go out there and try using them in Japan!

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Nougyo (農業) Fun! Japan Words vol.144