How to Write a Japan Address Correctly

A Japanese address describes a place by area and number, not by a street name. The usual order, in Japanese, goes from the largest division down to the room: postal code, prefecture, city or ward, district, block numbers, building and room.

Component order in Japanese

1. Postal code (seven digits, NNN-NNNN).
2. Prefecture.
3. City, ward or town.
4. District or neighbourhood (often with a chome number).
5. Block and plot numbers, usually written as hyphenated numbers like 0-0-0.
6. Building name and room number.
7. Recipient name, written last, often followed by an honorific.

Recipient names appear at the end in Japanese letters, whereas on English-language labels the name goes first.

Script and language

Domestic parcels are normally addressed in Japanese script, with kanji for place names. If the sender is overseas, a Latin-letter address with the order reversed (name first, country last) is the established practice, and Japan Post can deliver such mail. When both are possible, use the Japanese script address along with a romanised line. Building names are frequently long and part of the address, so copy them in full, along with the floor and room number.

Blocks, buildings and landmarks

Numbering follows blocks and plots rather than position along a road, so number 5 may not sit next to number 4. This is why maps and building names are widely used on the ground. Apartment buildings are given a name followed by a room number, and omitting the name can make a parcel undeliverable. Landmarks are less common in written addresses than in some countries, but notes for entrances or floors are accepted.

Formatted example

All values below are placeholders.

〒NNN-NNNN
Prefecture, City / Ward
District 0-chome 0-0-0
Building Name 000
Recipient Name

Romanised for overseas mail:

Recipient Name
Building Name 000, 0-0-0 District Name
City / Ward, Prefecture NNN-NNNN
Japan
UPCS code: JP-XXXX-XXXX

The UPCS line is unofficial and optional. You can generate one on the UPCS map.

Related pages

See the Japan postal code format, learn how to find a Japan postal code, or read about Japan delivery challenges.