How to Read and Write a Japanese Address

Whether it’s in 漢字 or in romaji/English, there are a few particularities to the Japanese address system. The best way to learn how is to first understand the parts that make up the address.

The Parts of a Japanese Address

Postal Code

This is the 7-digit code in the address, often found following the 〒 (postal service) symbol.

〒100–8994

Prefecture

The name of the prefecture will include one of four kanji (都道府県). In romaji, these suffixes are written as -to, -do, -fu, and -ken.

東京都・北海道・京都府・秋田県

Tokyo-to・Hokkaido・Kyoto-fu・Akita-ken

City/Ward

The name of the city, town, village, or ward will include one of another set of four kanji (区市町村). These suffixes are written as -ku, -shi, -chou/-machi, and -son/-mura (-machi and -mura are alternate readings of -chou and -son, respectively).

港区・秋田市・八峰町・北山村

Minato-ku・Akita-shi・Happou-chou・Kitayama-mura

Neighborhood/Area

This is the next section of the address and varies in length, sometimes including information such as relative geographical location, or further subdivisions called 字 (aza), depending on the region.

八重洲 (Yaesu)

烏丸通七条下ル 東塩小路町 (Karasuma-Shichijo-sagaru Higashi-Shiokoji-chou; lit. Below Karasuma-Shichijo intersection, in East Shiokoji-chou)

雄和椿川字奥椿岱 (Yuwa-Tsubakigawa Aza-Okutsubakidai)

District, Block, and Building numbers

These numbers — usually a set of two or three — typically refer to the district number, block number, and building number (丁目・番・号; -chome, -ban, and -go, respectively). Can be formally written out using kanji, but is more commonly written out simply as numbers, or a combination of the two.

６丁目３番２号

6-chome 3-ban 2-go

６丁目３ー２

６ー３ー２

Building Name and Floor or Room Number

This last part usually only pertains to larger buildings (ビル, or biru, in Japanese) which include multiple offices, stores, or apartments. For commercial buildings or other buildings in which each floor is a separate tenant, only a floor number will usually be used with the kanji 階 (kai), or the letter F. Apartment buildings (the large variety of which are called “mansion” in Japan) and other buildings in which there are many tenants per floor will list a room number, often with the kanji 室号 (shitsugo). Stand-alone family houses will not usually include this information.

ABCビル ７階 (ABC Bldg. 7th Floor)

XYZビル ３８F (XYZ Bldg. 38th Floor)

グローバルタワーマンション ３０３室号 (Global Tower Mansion, Rm. 303)

The Written Order of a Japanese Address

After understanding all the parts, the next step is to put them together. The order in which they are placed depends on whether the address is being written in 漢字 or romaji/English.

Kanji Addresses

A Japanese address that is written in 漢字 (kanji) will follow the order of postal code first, followed by the largest to the smallest unit of size. (Essentially, the order in which the various parts are listed above.) For example, the address of the Ghibli Museum here in Tokyo is as follows:

〒181–0013 東京都三鷹市下連雀1丁目1−83

Separated, these are the individual parts:

Postal code: 〒181–0013

Prefecture: 東京都

City/Ward: 三鷹市

Neighborhood: 下連雀

District, block, and building numbers: 1丁目1−83

Romaji/English Addresses

To help comply with international standards, Japanese addresses that are written in romaji (i.e., the romanized alphabet) follow a different order. Basically speaking, each of the blocks is reversed. The same address for the Ghibli Museum in romaji is as follows:

1–1–183 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi, Tokyo-to 181–0013

The address consists of the same blocks listed for the kanji version, but simply in a reversed order: district, block, and building numbers, neighborhood, city/ward, prefecture, postal code.

With the simplicity of a largest-to-smallest/smallest-to-largest address order, it can’t get much easier.