The Japanese Post Office, known as Japan Post (日本郵便, Nihon Yūbin), is one of the most reliable and versatile institutions in the country. Instantly recognizable by its red 〒 symbol, it offers far more than just mail services; it’s also a major bank (Yucho Bank) and insurance provider. For residents and visitors alike, understanding how to use the post office is an essential skill for daily life.
This guide provides all the practical Japanese you need to handle any task at the post office with confidence. We will cover everything from basic interactions at the counter to mailing letters, sending domestic and international parcels, handling missed deliveries, and even using the convenient banking services available at every branch.
Chapter 1: At the Counter (窓口で)
When you enter a Japanese post office, you’ll see several different counters (窓口, madoguchi), typically separated for postal services (郵便), banking (貯金, chokin), and insurance (保険, hoken). For most tasks, you can go directly to the appropriate window. During busy times, you may need to take a numbered ticket (番号札, bangōfuda) from a machine and wait for your number to be displayed on a screen.
— Finding Your Way —
郵便窓口はどこですか。
ゆうびんまどぐちはどこですか。
Yūbin madoguchi wa doko desu ka?
Where is the postal service counter?
郵便窓口 (yūbin madoguchi) = Postal service counter
は (wa) = Topic marker
どこですか (doko desu ka) = Where is it?
これを送りたいのですが。
これをおくりたいのですが。
Kore o okuritai no desu ga.
I would like to send this… (A polite way to start your request)
これ (kore) = This
を (o) = Object marker
送りたいのですが (okuritai no desu ga) = I would like to send…
— Essential Counter Vocabulary —
郵便局 (ゆうびんきょく, Yūbinkyoku) – Post Office
窓口 (まどぐち, Madoguchi) – Service Window / Counter
番号札 (ばんごうふだ, Bangōfuda) – Numbered ticket
郵便 (ゆうびん, Yūbin) – Mail / Postal services
貯金 (ちょきん, Chokin) – Savings (Banking services)
保険 (ほけん, Hoken) – Insurance services
Mailing Letters & Postcards (手紙と葉書)
For simple correspondence like letters and postcards, the process is very straightforward. You can buy stamps (切手, kitte) at any post office counter or even at most convenience stores. Once you have affixed the correct postage, you can drop your mail in a red postbox on the street or inside the post office itself.
— Buying Stamps and Mailing —
84円切手を二枚ください。
はちじゅうよえんきってをにまいください。
Hachijū-yon en kitte o nimai kudasai.
Two 84-yen stamps, please.
84円 (hachijū-yon en) = 84 Yen
切手 (kitte) = Stamp
を (o) = Object marker
二枚 (nimai) = Two (flat objects)
ください (kudasai) = Please give me
これをアメリカまで航空便でお願いします。
これをあめりかまでこうくうびんでおねがいします。
Kore o Amerika made kōkūbin de onegai shimasu.
I’d like to send this to America by airmail, please.
これ (kore) = This
アメリカまで (Amerika made) = To America
航空便で (kōkūbin de) = By airmail
— Essential Mailing Vocabulary —
切手 (きって, Kitte) – Stamp
はがき (はがき, Hagaki) – Postcard
手紙 (てがみ, Tegami) – Letter
封筒 (ふうとう, Fūtō) – Envelope
航空便 (こうくうびん, Kōkūbin) – Airmail
船便 (ふなびん, Funabin) – Surface mail (by sea)
速達 (そくたつ, Sokutatsu) – Express mail
Sending Parcels (荷物を送る)
To send a package or parcel (荷物, nimotsu), you must take it to the postal counter. You will need to fill out a shipping label called an “okurijō” (送り状). These labels are available at the counter and are color-coded for different services (e.g., prepaid, cash-on-delivery). The staff can help you choose the right one and weigh your parcel to determine the cost.
— At the Parcel Counter —
この荷物を送りたいです。
このにもつをおくりたいです。
Kono nimotsu o okuritai desu.
I want to send this parcel.
この荷物 (kono nimotsu) = This parcel
を送りたいです (o okuritai desu) = I want to send
元払いの送り状をください。
もとばらいのおくりじょうをください。
Motobarai no okurijō o kudasai.
Please give me a prepaid shipping label.
元払い (motobarai) = Prepaid / Sender pays
の (no) = ‘s
送り状 (okurijō) = Shipping label
— Essential Parcel Vocabulary —
荷物 (にもつ, Nimotsu) – Parcel / Luggage
ゆうパック (ゆうぱっく, Yū-pakku) – Yu-Pack (Japan Post’s parcel service)
送り状 (おくりじょう, Okurijō) – Shipping label / waybill
元払い (もとばらい, Motobarai) – Sender pays / Prepaid
着払い (ちゃくばらい, Chakubarai) – Recipient pays / Cash on delivery
書留 (かきとめ, Kakitome) – Registered mail
われもの (われもの, Waremono) – Fragile item
Handling Missed Deliveries (不在配達)
If you are not home to receive a parcel or registered mail, the delivery person will leave a pink slip called a “go-fuzai renrakuhyō” (ご不在連絡票), an Undeliverable Item Notice. This notice contains the information you need, such as the tracking number, to schedule a redelivery. You can easily do this by scanning the QR code on the slip to use the online form, or by calling the phone number provided.
— Requesting a Redelivery —
再配達をお願いします。
さいはいたつをおねがいします。
Sai-haitatsu o onegai shimasu.
I would like to request a redelivery, please.
再配達 (sai-haitatsu) = Redelivery
お願いします (onegai shimasu) = Please
明日の午後7時から9時の間でお願いします。
あしたのごごしちじからくじのあいだでおねがいします。
Ashita no gogo shichi-ji kara ku-ji no aida de onegai shimasu.
Between 7 PM and 9 PM tomorrow, please.
明日 (ashita) = Tomorrow
午後7時から9時の間 (gogo shichi-ji kara ku-ji no aida) = Between 7 PM and 9 PM
— Essential Redelivery Vocabulary —
不在連絡票 (ふざいれんらくひょう, Fuzai renrakuhyō) – Undeliverable Item Notice
お問い合わせ番号 (おといあわせばんごう, O-toiawase bangō) – Tracking Number
希望日 (きぼうび, Kibōbi) – Desired Date
時間帯 (じかんたい, Jikantai) – Time Slot
午前中 (ごぜんちゅう, Gozen-chū) – Morning (before noon)
宅配ボックス (たくはいぼっくす, Takuhai bokkusu) – Delivery locker
Chapter 5: Using Yucho Bank Services (ゆうちょ銀行)
Yucho Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) is the banking arm of Japan Post and is one of the most accessible banks for residents, with branches and ATMs in nearly every post office across the country. You can perform most standard banking tasks, such as deposits, withdrawals, and transfers, at either the banking counter (貯金窓口, chokin madoguchi) or a Yucho ATM.
— At the Yucho Counter —
ゆうちょの口座を開設したいです。
ゆうちょのこうざをかいせつしたいです。
Yūcho no kōza o kaisetsu shitai desu.
I would like to open a Yucho bank account.
ゆうちょの口座 (Yūcho no kōza) = Yucho bank account
を開設したいです (o kaisetsu shitai desu) = I want to open
通帳に記入をお願いします。
つうちょうにきにゅうをおねがいします。
Tsūchō ni kinyū o onegai shimasu.
Please update my passbook.
通帳に (tsūchō ni) = In the passbook
記入 (kinyū) = Entry / to fill in
— Essential Yucho Vocabulary —
貯金 (ちょきん, Chokin) – Savings
通帳 (つうちょう, Tsūchō) – Bankbook / Passbook
入金 (にゅうきん, Nyūkin) – Deposit
出金 (しゅっきん, Shukkin) – Withdrawal
送金 (そうきん, Sōkin) – Money transfer
キャッシュカード (きゃっしゅかーど, Kyasshu kādo) – Cash card
暗証番号 (あんしょうばんごう, Anshō bangō) – PIN
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