ここ is the place where the speaker is, そこ is the place where the listener is, and あそこ is the place far from both the speaker and the listener.

こちら, そちら and あちら are demonstrative words referring to direction.
こちら, そちら and あちら are also used to refer to location, in which case they are politer than ここ,そこ and あそこ.

[Note] When the speaker regards the listener as sharing his/her territory, the place where they both are is designated by the word ここ. Under this situation, そこ designates the place a little distant from the speaker and listener, and あそこ designates an even more distant location.

Using this sentence pattern, you can explain where a place, a thing or a person is.

①	おてあらいは　あそこです。	The rest room is there.
②	でんわは　にかいです。	The telephone is on the second floor.
③	よしださんは　じむしつです。	Mr. Yoshida is in the office.

どこ means “where,” and どちら means “which direction.” どちら can also mean “where,” in which case it is politer than どこ.

④	おてあらいは　どこですか。	Where’s the rest room?
	…あそこです。	…It’s there.
⑤	エレベーターは　どちらですか。	Where’s the elevator?
	…あちらです。	…It’s in that direction. (It’s there.)

どこ or どちら is also used to ask the name of a country, company, school or any place or organization a person belongs to. You cannot use なん(what). どちら is politer than どこ.

⑥	だいがくは　どこですか。	What’s the name of your university?
⑦	かいしゃは　どちらですか。	What company do you work for?

　

	こ series	そ series	あ series	ど series
thing	これ	それ	あれ	どれ
thing/person	このN	そのN	あのN	どのN
place	ここ	そこ	あそこ	どこ
direction/place(polite)	こちら	そちら	あちら	どちら

The prefix お is added to a word concerning the listener or a third person in order to express the speaker’s respect to the person.

⑧

[お]　くには どちらですか。

Where are you from?