# How many & what kinds of stamps do I need to get a letter to Japan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619 "2003-12-03T01:24:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/1 "2003-12-03T01:24:42Z")
There’s a very nice lady in Japan who I’m friends with, but our email accounts don’t like each other. She can get my emails, but hers don’t come through to me. So, instead, I’ve written her the old fashioned way and plan to mail the letter. My question: what kind of stamp do I need to get the letter to Japan? I have a bunch of regular stamps that would get it anywhere in the US – do I just stick 2 or 3 on the envelope and hope for the best? Help! ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/2 "2003-12-03T01:38:50Z")
Assuming that it’s a regular letter and not too thick (a couple of regular sized and weighted papers), it’s 80-cents for postage. No special international stamps are necessary; the post office sells 80-cent stamps or you can take a bunch of 37-cent ones and go for it. For other weights and destinations, check out the USPostal Service’s postage calculator at: [http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home&page=0061calculatepostage](http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home&page=0061calculatepostage) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/3 "2003-12-03T02:04:31Z")
[USPS International Calculator](http://ircalc.usps.gov/) That’s just in case your letter winds up weighing over one ounce. I’m 99% sure that a one ounce airmail letter (all international letter mail is automatically airmail) to every country except Canada and Mexico is eighty cents, BTW. Canada and Mexico are sixty cents. Any denominated US stamps will do. Denominated means that it has actual numbers on it. Those Letter stamps that are issued when the price of mail changes are not legal for international airmail. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/4 "2003-12-03T05:50:31Z")
You could just go to the post office and ask them to mail it to Japan. I’ve heard they’re experts on this kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/5 "2003-12-03T16:26:04Z")
And I’ll just add that if you send any packages to Japan, they must be mailed from the post office with a customs sticker. (found out the hard way when I mailed a package to a friend in Japan from my office) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/6 "2003-12-03T16:56:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*[Those Letter stamps that are issued when the price of mail changes are not legal for international airmail. \*\* Old information, **Exapno**. Last time there was an increase the USPS told me I could use the letter stamps, and the items I sent got through without a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/7 "2003-12-03T18:51:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nichol\_storm \* > \*\*There’s a very nice lady in Japan who I’m friends with, but our email accounts don’t like each other. She can get my emails, but hers don’t come through to me. \*\* You can get a free secondary account through Yahoo or Netscape. Maybe one of those would be more hospitable to her domain. Hey, if I knew a very nice lady in Japan, I don’t think I’d want to wait for international airmail! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-what-kinds-of-stamps-do-i-need-to-get-a-letter-to-japan/216619/8 "2003-12-03T19:25:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Old information, **Exapno**. Last time there was an increase the USPS told me I could use the letter stamps, and the items I sent got through without a problem. \*\* Oops. I checked and you’re right. I wonder if I should tell the people at my local post office about this? :rolleyes: