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Writing to Japan: Adress in Eng/Jap? 2005/1/13 16:27
I want to send a letter to Japan but am a bit confused. Do I write the adress in Japanese, Enlish or both?
by Pocky Puff  

Addressing letters to Japan 2005/1/14 11:07
Pocky,

Japanese postal staff are all capable of reading Japanese addresses written in Roman letters ("English"), so there is absolutely no need to write addresses in Japanese.
by Dave in Saitama rate this post as useful

I do both 2005/1/15 00:35
I have my family in Japan, I live in VA, I write in both. Because I think it's easier for the mailcarrier in Japan. Well, hey I'm Japanese so I can write Japanese like piece a cake. You can write it in English (Romaji) as long as your friends translate from Kanji to romaji. Don't forget to write postal code. I once gave my address over the phone to the people in American, I spelled one by one alphabet but still she couldn't get it right so that letter she send didn't get to me so I called again that time she had misspelled again but I think post office people worked very hard to find my address and I got both at same time. If you can write Japanese, it won't hurt to write that in a small letter. Japanese mail carrier will appreciate you. If you can't don't worry, as long as your hand-writing is good and right spell, it'll get where needs to go.
by miho rate this post as useful

In my point of view 2008/5/11 01:32
In Japanese Addresses there are no Street Numbers and Names you know what do you notice. But I do not say unknown way should be changed quickly for international visitors displaying the street number , street name in all the addresses in Japan. This one is unchangeable longer as the Japanese identification even much there is controversial .
Click on the following web site first
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_adress
All your questions explaining well! Your question could be clear certainly
I also have a confused point regarding the Japanese road map compared with other country one . That means mostly back street has no name in Japanese.
Why do Native Japanese cannot reply clearly if the stranger ask where is the place in public? I think that problem is the bigger than how do you write down the Japanese Address? This person cannot escribe properly how can get to the own office from the earest public transport station on telephone requirement .
It is not rare case necessary in Japanese business scene. If you meet the clear answer straight away, I think you are lucky. Commonly switching other person , check out the map on web sit and send the map by e-mailing etc their correspondence will be quite confused .
Not because English bla bla bla, lamentably even mother tongue Japanese , this is much the same more or less.

by Chute rate this post as useful

address 2008/5/11 05:07
actually Chute, finding an address in Europe is just as confusing as in Japan. Yes they have street names and houses numbers but many small residential streets have names that nobody remember, except the people living in that street. On many streets the name will change every few blocks. So if you ask a local person where is street so and so in that area they may have no idea where it is. Also the buildings numbers don't always match on both sides. 240 and 243 could be on different blocks. When people invite you to their home they will say: get off at this bus stop or subway stop. Look for a bookstore near the stop. Walk on the sidewalk on the same side as the bookstore going towards the left when facing the bookstore and turn at the second street on the right then walk towards a cafe with a blue and white awning then ...etc.
by Auntie Bert rate this post as useful

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