How to Read & Write a Japanese Address: Chome, Banchi & Go Explained

Quick answer (30 seconds): A Japanese address runs in the opposite order to a Western one — it goes from biggest area to smallest: prefecture → city/ward → district → block number → building number, then your name. The confusing part is the cluster like 2-3-5, which means chome 2, banchi 3, go 5 (district block 2, lot 3, building/unit 5). Streets usually have no names; you're located by block and lot instead. For most forms you'll write the address in this big-to-small order; when writing to or from abroad, you reverse it to small-to-big so foreign postal systems can read it. Always include the 7-digit postal code (〒) — it auto-fills the prefecture/city on most online forms.

ℹ️ Examples below use fictional addresses to illustrate the format. Your exact address (kanji, romaji spelling, and any building/room number) is shown on your residence record and your residence card — copy it from there for official forms.

The core idea: big to small

Western addresses start small (your house) and end big (the country). Japan does the reverse. A full address, in the order you'll write it on a Japanese form, looks like:

〒100-0001 Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku, Chiyoda 1-1-1, Sunshine Mansion 305

Reading left to right, that's:

1. 〒100-0001 — postal code
2. Tokyo-to (東京都) — prefecture (Tokyo is a to; others are ken, plus fu for Osaka/Kyoto and do for Hokkaido)
3. Chiyoda-ku (千代田区) — ward (large cities are split into ku; smaller places use shi = city, machi/cho = town, mura/son = village)
4. Chiyoda (千代田) — the district/area name
5. 1-1-1 — the chome-banchi-go cluster (explained next)
6. Sunshine Mansion 305 — building name and room number

Decoding "1-2-3": chome, banchi, go

That little number cluster is the heart of the system. Take an address ending in 2-3-5:

• 2 = chome (丁目) — a sub-district block within the area.
• 3 = banchi (番地) — the land lot number within that chome.
• 5 = go (号) — the specific building (and sometimes unit) on that lot.

So 2-3-5 = "chome 2, lot 3, building 5." Written fully in Japanese it would be 二丁目三番五号, but in daily life everyone shortens it to 2-3-5. If there's an apartment building, the room number is added after the building name (e.g., …2-3-5 Green Heights 201).

Why no street names? Japan numbers blocks and lots, not streets. This is why a map or the building name matters more than a "street + house number," and why navigation apps and the postal code do the heavy lifting.

Postal codes (〒) do a lot of work

Every address has a 7-digit postal code written as NNN-NNNN (the 〒 mark is the postal symbol). On almost every Japanese online form, typing the postal code auto-fills the prefecture, city, and area — you then just add the chome-banchi-go and building. It's the single most useful thing to memorize about your address. You can look a code up on Japan Post's site if you don't know it.

Writing your address in romaji vs. Japanese

You'll need both versions depending on the form:

• Japanese forms (city office, bank, lease): write it big-to-small in Japanese order, ideally in Japanese script. You can copy the exact kanji straight from your residence card or juminhyo (residence record).
• Romaji / English forms: keep the same big-to-small order, just in Latin letters — e.g., Chiyoda 1-1-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0001. Many international forms expect the address in Western small-to-big order; in that case reverse it (building/room → chome-banchi-go → area → ward → city → prefecture → postal code → Japan).

A safe habit: copy your official address once, in both Japanese and romaji, into your notes, then paste it consistently. Mismatched spellings cause rejected deliveries and form errors.

Filling in forms & deliveries without mistakes

• Match your official record. For bank, visa, and government forms, the address must match your residence card / juminhyo exactly — same kanji, same building name.
• Always include the building name and room number. Many buildings share a lot number; the room number is what gets your parcel to the right door.
• Use the postal code first on online forms to auto-fill and avoid typos.
• For deliveries, add your name on the intercom/mailbox if you can — couriers and the post office match the name to the unit. Without it, redelivery slips and "addressee unknown" returns are common.
• Phone number: Japanese delivery forms almost always require a phone number so couriers can arrange redelivery — keep one handy.

A quick worked example

Suppose your residence card shows (fictional): 東京都新宿区西新宿2-8-1 ABCタワー1203. You would write:

• Japanese form: 〒160-0023 東京都新宿区西新宿2-8-1 ABCタワー1203
• Romaji (Japanese order): Nishi-Shinjuku 2-8-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, ABC Tower 1203
• International (reversed): ABC Tower 1203, 2-8-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan

Same data, three layouts — pick the one the form expects.

FAQ

1. Why are Japanese addresses written backwards? They're not backwards — they go from the largest area to the smallest (prefecture → city → district → block → building), which is the reverse of the Western order. It's a consistent system, just the opposite direction.

2. What does 2-3-5 mean in a Japanese address? Chome 2, banchi 3, go 5 — block 2, lot 3, building 5 within your district. It's the standard short form of the location numbers.

3. Do Japanese streets have names? Most don't. You're located by district, block (chome), and lot (banchi) rather than by a named street, which is why building names and the postal code matter so much.

4. How do I write my Japanese address in English? Keep the same big-to-small order but use Latin letters, or reverse it to small-to-big for foreign postal systems. Copy the spelling from your residence card to stay consistent.

5. What is the 〒 symbol? It's the Japanese postal mark, placed before the 7-digit postal code (e.g., 〒100-0001). Entering the postal code on online forms auto-fills your prefecture and city.

Sources

• Japan Post — postal code lookup and address conventions (official): https://www.post.japanpost.jp/
• Your municipal city/ward office — official spelling of your registered address (juminhyo / residence record).

Related guides

• First 7 days in Japan — registering your address when you arrive
• Juminhyo (residence record) guide — where your official address comes from
• Moving in & My Number guide — updating your address after a move
• Residence card guide — your card shows your official address

Last updated: 2026-06-20