Hey all! I have a question, and it feels really silly to ask, but I’ve been lurking on this sub for a while and y’all seem really kind
I’m currently living in an apartment in Kyoto. My mom is in the USA and is trying to send me a package, but I really am not sure what she needs to include in my address.
Something to note: my mom has already tried mailing me a package from the USA using the Google Maps address of my apartment building, and the package could not be delivered to me due to an incomplete address. Because the address wasn’t complete, the post office mailed the package back to her. The two things she did not include were my apartment number (obviously going to mess up the process) and my apartment building name.
I just need some clarification as to the exact address formatting needed for her to be able to use. It feels like a very, very silly question but I am incredibly confused as to the layout of addresses here and am out of my depth 🥲
Thank you so much in advance!
8 comments
Is this an international shipment? Domestic?
If there is a phone number, and apartment name/building is missing, 100% the delivery people will call and confirm. Not so sure about international, didn’t happen to me before.
Anyway, you just need to include the apartment number and/building name into the address:
601-8104
京都府京都市南区上鳥羽角田町2-5-10
寒いハイツ１０３
You didn’t get the package because there was no apartment number. I never put my building name when I have things shipped to me and they arrive fine.
For shipping from foreign countries, I write my address something like this:
1-2-3-101 Soshigaya, Setagaya, Tokyo 123-456 JAPAN
(101 would be your apartment number).
Here’s Japan Post Guide to writing Japanese address in English: [https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/use/writing/normal_en.html](https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/use/writing/normal_en.html)
For example this is the postcode
〒600-8443
Can be written like :
080-6969-6969
RandomAPT 101 (101 is the room number)
Funebokocho 404
Shimogyo
Kyoto
600-8443
Maybe can also refer to your residence card for more accurate address. Does it include apartment name or just street number.
Though in general what really matter is postcode, street number (chome banchi whatever), and your room number.
I had a package sent from overseas to me recently that was written in a completely jumbled wrong way and missing half the info. The tracking said it was being returned to sender so I called the post office and told them the correct address and they delivered it for me. If it gets sent back again I would try calling them as soon as it says it will be sent back in the tracking.
Start like you do with an American Addresss
Azaetha Redditor (name)
#209 Superhigh Building (Apartment Number and Building)
12-34-78 Miyamomo Cho (The street address of the building)
Takahashi Shi (City/Town Name)
Kyoto (prefecture)
601-6019 (post code)
​
Get your mum to take a photo of the address she wrote so you can check it before she goes down to the post office. She doesn’t need any reverse order or stuff. Once you start to get stuff delivered the Post Office will have your name on record at that address but they keep that just to check who lives where.
If you haven’t registered yourself at the post office as living at that address they may not be able to deliver packages to you there. You’ll get a postcard asking you to go to the post office with something like your ID that confirms it’s truly your address. While you’re there you could always ask the people at the post office to tell you how to write it in English.
Google Maps will autocorrect away the apartment number, and bring the address into the “chome(number)-block-house chome(name), city, prefecture” order that only makes sense for people who think month/day/year is a sensible way to write a date.