Question
I’m planning to visit a Japanese temple during my stay in Kyoto, and I’ve heard it’s customary to offer coins at the main shrine. How do I politely ask the staff, “Where can I get change for offering coins?” in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
お賽銭（さいせん）のために小銭（こぜに）を両替（りょうがえ）できる場所（ばしょ）はどこですか。
Osaisen no tame ni kozeni o ryoogae dekiru basho wa doko desuka?
Where can I get change for offering coins?
When visiting a temple in Japan, it’s customary to offer small change, known as osaisen, at the shrine. If you need to break a larger bill into smaller coins, the phrase above can be quite useful.
Osaisen means “offering money”; kozeni means “small coins”; ryoogae dekiru means “can exchange”; and basho wa doko desuka means “where is the place”. You can use this expression by replacing kozeni with other items you may need, for instance, “ginko” (bank) if you need to find a banking facility. Enjoy your visit and experience the rich culture of Kyoto!
