The directional particle へ could be said to be a more literary version of the target particle に when the particle is used to denote a direction of movement. It is rarely ever used in conversation, but will be seen in the JLPT examinations from N5 onwards.

学校がっこうに きます。
I will go to school.
学校がっこう きます。
I will go to school.
友達ともだちに 手紙てがみを おくります。
I will send a letter to my friend.
友達ともだち 手紙てがみを おくります。
I will send a letter to my friend.

Nor does the direction of movement need to be physical.

【A】から 【B】に かわります。
To change from A to B.
【A】から 【B】 かわります。
To change from A to B.

The へ particle cannot, however, be used to mark an objective, as a location marker, or as a time marker.

友達ともだち います。()
友達ともだちに います。()
I will meet my friend.
ほんは ボックスの なか はいっています。()
ほんは ボックスの なかに はいっています。()
I will meet my friend.
4時よじ いえを かけます。()
4時よじに いえを かけます。()
I’ll leave the house at 4 o’clock.
You May Also Like

While: ~うちに

JLPT N3. Standard grammar. Used in both conversation and writing. うちに translates as “while” in English and is…

Covered in Something

When we want to say that something is covered in or full of something else (e.g. “the bookshelf…

Colloquial Japanese

One gripe among Japanese learners is that they learn all these verb conjugations and honorifics and then when…

Constant States

Both っぱなし and ~まま are used to express a constant or continuous action or unchanging state or event.…