Addressing Letters

A few months ago, I posted a thread asking for advice about how I should go about becoming friends with a foreign exchanged student from Japan.

Before I ask, she and I, since that post, have become really good friends. She's more open and she's quite funny.

Anyway, I let her sign my yearbook yesterday and besides receiving her message, she also gave me her address in both English and Japanese so that I can write her letters back and forth when she goes home.

Here's my problem; when I write letters to her, should I write the address in English or Japanese? Trivial, I know, but I was really curious about why she gave me her address in two languages.

Is it because it would be easier for Japanese postal workers to read where the letter is supposed to go?

Arigatou gozaimasu!
Thanks much!

It makes no difference whether you write the address in English or Japanese but make sure you write "Japan" in English so your country's postal workers know where to send it.

Heather Jochens,

I agree with the above post. Maybe she just wrote the Japanese version thinking you might be curious. Or maybe she herself wasn't sure which would be appropriate. Not many Japanese exchange students have experience writing or receiving letters to Japan with addresses written in English, you know.

But I've received hundreds of letters to Japan with my address written in English alphabet. The postmen here always does a good job on delivering them promptly.

Oh, don't forget to write "AIR MAIL" on the envelope, too.