# Japanes Address

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 13, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353 "2005-07-13T16:14:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/1 "2005-07-13T16:14:27Z")

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Hello,

I want to mail something to a loved on in Japan, however I have no idea how Japanese addresses work. I don’t want to just put it in the North American way, in case that is completely wrong. Here is what I have for the address, any help would be appreciated.

20-303 Takanohara-Ekinishi-Danchi 1-2 Kabutodai, Kizu-cho, Souraku-gun Kyoto 619-0224

If I had to guess I would put it like this:

20-303 Takanohara-Ekinishi-Danchi  
1-2 Kabutodai, Kizu-cho, Souraku-gun  
Kyoto 619-0224

Is this right? Thanks for your help

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/2 "2005-07-13T16:33:22Z")

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Firstly, I would recommend that a Mod change the numbers in that post to something random, but of the same length. The words need to stay the same, though, so we can know which is bigger or smaller. (Assuming that this is a real address.)

My address is written like the below:

XXX-YYYY  
State County City Area AA-BB-CC  
Apartment Name #MMM  
Sage Rat

I’m guessing that Kyoto is the State, and pretty much everything is backwards from there:

XXX-YYYY  
Kyoto Souraku-gun, Kizu-cho, Kabutodai A-B  
Takanohara-Ekinishi-Danchi MM-NNN

However, you are probably fine sending in US style. From what I have heard, the people here really work to make sure the mail gets there. And the only time I’ve ever had mail fail to come through–regardless of what my grandparents might have written–was the time that they didn’t write in the apartment and room number.

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**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/3 "2005-07-13T16:41:26Z")

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Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/4 "2005-07-13T16:43:55Z")

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{Insert Loved One’s Name Here}  
20-303 Takanohara-Ekinishi-Danchi  
1-2 Kabutodai, Kizu-cho, Souraku-gun  
Kyoto 619-0224  
Japan  
That should get it there. FWIW, Japan isn’t divided into states, but rather into provinces. Cities like Tokyo are essentially provinces although they’re not called that.

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/5 "2005-07-13T16:46:29Z")

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p.s. The Japanese postal authorities expect mail from overseas (even from South Korea, which uses the same addressing system as Japan) to have the recipient’s address in the North American manner, although that’s pretty much the complete reverse of their addressing system.

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**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanes-address/312353/6 "2005-07-13T16:59:18Z")

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> [@Monty](#):
>
> p.s. The Japanese postal authorities expect mail from overseas (even from South Korea, which uses the same addressing system as Japan) to have the recipient’s address in the North American manner, although that’s pretty much the complete reverse of their addressing system.

Probably because it could cause problems for foreigners like me to learn (or guess) their addressing system. If I get it wrong, if they don’t know what system I used trying to guess where it goes might be difficult.