Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school.
[N1は　N2(place)に　あります／います]
1) In this sentence pattern, the speaker picks up N1 as the topic, and explains where it is.. The topic should be something or someone that both the speaker and the listener know about. The particle attached to N1 is not が, which marks the subject, but は, which maks the topic.
(Example)
東京ディズニーランドは　千葉県（ちばけん）に　あります。　　Tokyo Disneyland is in Chiba Prefecture.
スミスさんは　事務所に　います。　　Mr. Smith is in the office.
*千葉県：　Chiba Prefecture

2) When you ask where N1 is, this sentence pattern is used.
(Example)
東京ディズニーランドは　どこに　ありますか。　　—千葉県に　あります。
Where is Tokyo Disneyland?　　—It’s in Chiba Prefecture.

This question is frequently used by our new students for the first few months until they get used to a new place here in Ogori.
N1は　どこに　ありますか。　　Where is N1?
You will learn this sentence pattern in Lesson 10, but you should learn this before coming to Japan. It will be definitely helpful.

[Note] です is sometimes used to replace a verb predicate when the predicate is obvious. The sentence N1は N2(place)に あります／います can be replaced by the sentence N1は N2(place)です, which you learned in Lesson 3.
(Example)
東京ディズニーランドは　どこに　ありますか。　　—千葉県です。
Where is Tokyo Disneyland?　　—It’s in Chiba Prefecture.

August 2nd News, from NILS Japanese language school.