How to Write a Letter in Japanese: A Comprehensive Guide

Key takeaways

• Japanese letters follow a formal structure: seasonal greeting (kisetsu no aisatsu), enquiry about the recipient’s health, the main message, a closing phrase, and the writer’s name. Skipping this structure reads as abrupt.
• Formal and informal letters use different vocabulary throughout: formal letters use 拝啓 (haikei) as the opening and 敬具 (keigu) as the closing; informal letters between friends use conversational openers and can omit formal phrases entirely.
• Japanese letters traditionally are written vertically (tategaki, top to bottom, right to left), though horizontal writing (yokogaki) is now widely accepted, particularly for business and personal correspondence.
• Seasonal greetings (kisetsu no aisatsu) are one of the most culturally specific aspects of Japanese letter writing: the choice of phrase signals that the writer is attentive to the season and the recipient’s experience of it.

Letter writing in Japanese occupies a specific cultural space: it is associated with care, deliberateness, and respect in a way that email and messaging are not. A well-written letter in Japanese, even a relatively simple one, signals effort and consideration.

Learning the structure is also a fast way to build a wide range of formal vocabulary, because the phrases that appear in letters appear throughout formal spoken Japanese as well.

This guide covers formal and informal Japanese letter structure, essential phrases for each section, seasonal greetings by time of year, how to address an envelope, and the most common mistakes made by learners.

Producing written Japanese at letter level requires grammar, vocabulary, and cultural knowledge that develops significantly faster with a teacher. italki has connected 10M+ learners with teachers since 2007, including Japanese teachers who work through formal writing as part of their lessons because written Japanese directly reinforces spoken formal registers.

Find a Japanese tutor and bring a draft letter to your next session.

Formal vs. informal letters: the main differences

Element	Formal letter	Informal letter
Opening salutation	拝啓 (haikei)	お元気ですか? or the recipient’s name
Seasonal greeting	Required	Optional
Health enquiry	Required	Optional
Closing salutation	敬具 (keigu)	ではまた or similar
Language level	Keigo (formal polite)	Casual or semi-casual
Recipient address	Full title and name	First name or nickname with -san/-chan
Writing direction	Vertical or horizontal	Usually horizontal

The most important distinction is the language level. Formal letters use keigo (the formal registers of Japanese) throughout. Informal letters between friends can be written the same way you would speak with them, using casual verb endings, personal pronouns, and natural phrasing. That register control overlaps with workplace Japanese, where Japanese business vocabulary becomes useful for clients, teachers, and colleagues.

Structure of a formal Japanese letter

A formal Japanese letter follows a fixed sequence of sections:

Section 1: opening salutation (頭語, tōgo)

The first word of a formal letter:

Salutation	Reading	When to use
拝啓	haikei	standard formal opening
謹啓	kinkei	very formal, used for very senior recipients
前略	zenryaku	omitting pleasantries (business only, when brevity is needed)

Section 2: seasonal greeting (時候の挨拶, jikō no aisatsu)

Immediately after the opening salutation, a seasonal phrase acknowledges the current season. This is one of the defining features of traditional Japanese letter writing. See the full list in the seasonal greetings section below.

Example: 拝啓　初春の候、ますますご清栄のこととお喜び申し上げます。 (Haikei. Shoshun no kō, masumasu goseiei no koto to oyorokobi mōshiagemasu.) Dear [recipient], I hope this early spring season finds you in excellent health and prosperity.

Section 3: health enquiry (安否の挨拶, anpi no aisatsu)

A brief enquiry about the recipient’s wellbeing, typically part of the same sentence as the seasonal greeting:

Japanese	Romanisation	English
ますますご清栄のこととお喜び申し上げます。	masumasu goseiei no koto to oyorokobi mōshiagemasu	I am delighted to hear you are in continued good health
ご健勝のこと、心よりお喜び申し上げます。	go-kenshō no koto, kokoro yori oyorokobi mōshiagemasu	I sincerely congratulate you on your continued good health

Section 4: self-referential phrase (自分の状況, jibun no jōkyō)

After the opening pleasantries, it is conventional to briefly note your own situation:

平素は格別のご高配を賜り、厚く御礼申し上げます。 (Heiso wa kakubetsu no go-kōhai o tamawarimashite, atsuku o-rei mōshiagemasu.) Thank you always for your continued and generous support.

This phrase is particularly common in business correspondence and letters to superiors or clients.

Section 5: main message (本文, honbun)

The body of the letter, where the actual content is delivered. Begin with a line indicating the purpose:

Japanese	Romanisation	Purpose
さて、このたびは～についてご連絡いたします。	Sate, kono tabi wa ~ ni tsuite go-renraku itashimasu.	I am writing to inform you about ~
このたびは～の件でお願いがございます。	Kono tabi wa ~ no ken de o-negai ga gozaimasu.	I have a request regarding ~
ご報告いたしたく、ご連絡申し上げます。	Go-hōkoku itashitaku, go-renraku mōshiagemasu.	I am writing to make a report

Section 6: closing pleasantries (末文, matsufumi)

Before the sign-off, a brief phrase expressing continued goodwill:

Japanese	Romanisation	English
今後ともどうぞよろしくお願い申し上げます。	Kongo tomo dōzo yoroshiku o-negai mōshiagemasu.	I look forward to your continued support
末筆ながら、ご健康をお祈り申し上げます。	Matsupitsu nagara, go-kenkō o o-inori mōshiagemasu.	I close by wishing you continued good health

Section 7: closing salutation (結語, ketsugō)

The formal sign-off word, which must correspond to the opening salutation:

Opening	Closing
拝啓 (haikei)	敬具 (keigu)
謹啓 (kinkei)	謹白 (kinpaku) or 謹言 (kingen)
前略 (zenryaku)	草々 (sōsō)

Section 8: date, recipient name, and sender name

Placed at the end in this order:

• Date: year + month + day (令和七年六月二十四日 / Reiwa 7-nen Rokugatsu nijūyokka)
• Recipient name (on the left side, with 様 sama added)
• Sender name (on the right side)

In traditional vertical writing, these appear in set positions. In horizontal writing, the date goes top-right, recipient below it, and sender at the bottom-right or left.

A Japanese language tutor can check a complete draft and identify where the register slips, which is the most common issue for learners writing formal letters independently.

Seasonal greetings by month

One seasonal greeting phrase must match the time of year when the letter is sent.

Month	Phrase	Romanisation	English meaning
January	新春の候	shinshun no kō	in this season of the new spring
February	余寒の候	yokan no kō	in this season of lingering cold
March	早春の候	sōshun no kō	in this early spring season
April	春暖の候	shundan no kō	in this warm spring season
May	薫風の候	kunpū no kō	in this season of fragrant breezes
June	梅雨の候	tsuyu no kō	in this rainy season
July	盛夏の候	seika no kō	in the height of summer
August	残暑の候	zanshо no kō	in this season of lingering summer heat
September	初秋の候	shoshū no kō	in this early autumn season
October	秋冷の候	shūrei no kō	in this cool autumn season
November	晩秋の候	banshū no kō	in this late autumn season
December	師走の候	shiwasu no kō	in this year-end season

These are the standard formal phrases. More casual versions use accessible language: 寒い日が続きますが (cold days continue) for winter; すっかり秋めいてまいりましたが (autumn has fully arrived) for autumn. The casual versions are appropriate for semi-formal letters but not for the most formal correspondence.

Opening phrases and health enquiries

For semi-formal letters (to teachers, older acquaintances, or professional contacts who are familiar):

Japanese	Romanisation	English
お世話になっております。	O-sewa ni natte orimasu.	Thank you for your continued support.
先日はありがとうございました。	Senjitsu wa arigatō gozaimashita.	Thank you for the other day.
ご無沙汰しております。	Go-busata shite orimasu.	I apologise for not being in touch.
いつもお世話になり、ありがとうございます。	Itsumo o-sewa ni nari, arigatō gozaimasu.	Thank you always for your support.

Closing phrases and sign-offs

Level	Japanese	Romanisation	English
Formal	敬具	keigu	(formal closing, no translation)
Semi-formal	どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。	Dōzo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu.	Please continue to favour me with your goodwill.
Casual	またいつか会いましょう。	Mata itsuka aimashō.	Let us meet again someday.
Casual	元気でね。	Genki de ne.	Take care.
Casual	またね。	Mata ne.	See you later.

Structure of an informal letter

An informal letter (tegami) to a friend or close acquaintance has none of the mandatory sections of formal letters. The only conventions are:

1. Greeting: Address the person by name (often with -chan or -kun) and a friendly opener
2. Main message: Written in casual Japanese, same register as conversation
3. Closing: A friendly sign-off

Example informal opening:

〇〇ちゃんへ 久しぶり！元気にしてる？ こちらはすっかり春になってきたよ。

(Dear [name] / Long time no see! How are you? / It’s fully become spring here.)

Example informal closing:

またいつかゆっくり話したいね。体に気をつけてね。 [自分の名前] より

(I hope we can catch up properly sometime. Take care of yourself. / From [your name])

Japanese particles covers the particles (は, が, を, に) that appear throughout both formal and informal letter sentences, since the same grammar applies even when the register changes. Informal openings like 久しぶり and 元気にしてる? also connect back to the spoken greeting patterns in how to say hello in Japanese.

How to address a Japanese envelope

A Japanese envelope (fūtō) follows specific conventions:

Front of envelope (宛名面, atena-men):

• The postal code (郵便番号, yūbinkangō) goes in the boxes at the top right
• The recipient’s address is written on the right half (vertically, in traditional format) or top-right (horizontally)
• The recipient’s name is written in the centre, larger than the address, with 様 (sama) after the full name
• For a company: write the company name, department, then the person’s name with 御中 (onchū) if no specific person, or 様 if addressed to a specific person

Back of envelope (差出人面, sashidashinin-men):

• The sender’s address and name are written on the back, on the left side (traditional vertical) or bottom-left (horizontal)
• The date can be included above the sender’s information

Honorific terms for recipients:

Term	Reading	When to use
様	sama	for any named individual (most common)
御中	onchū	for a company or department without a named recipient
先生	sensei	for teachers, doctors, or other professionals addressed by their role
殿	dono	formal/official documents; now considered somewhat old-fashioned

Common mistakes in Japanese letter writing

1. Using haikei without keigu: The opening and closing salutations are a matched pair. Haikei always closes with keigu. Using haikei without keigu (or vice versa) marks the writer as unfamiliar with the convention.

2. Skipping the seasonal greeting in formal letters: The seasonal greeting is not optional in traditional Japanese formal correspondence. Omitting it makes a formal letter feel abrupt.

3. Mixing register levels: Switching between formal keigo and casual forms within the same letter is a common mistake. Each section should stay consistently in the same register.

4. Incorrect use of 様 and 御中: 様 follows a person’s name; 御中 follows a company or department name when no specific person is named. Using 様 after a company name is an error.

5. Direct translation of English letter openings: Dear [name], does not translate to Japanese. The equivalent formal opening is 拝啓 followed by a seasonal phrase; the casual equivalent is the person’s name + へ (e) or a friendly opener.

Putting the structure into practice

The formal letter structure in Japanese is learnable as a system: seasonal greeting + health enquiry + main message + closing phrase + sign-off. Once the skeleton is clear, the variation is in which seasonal phrase to use and what vocabulary fits the main message.

italki has 30,000+ teachers across 150+ languages, including qualified Japanese teachers who review letter drafts, explain register choices, and use correspondence as a starting point for formal vocabulary work. Find a Japanese writing tutor and write a short formal letter in your next session; it covers keigo, seasonal vocabulary, and polite expressions in one exercise.

FAQ

What is the difference between tategaki and yokogaki?

Tategaki is vertical writing (top to bottom, columns from right to left), the traditional format for Japanese letters, books, and formal documents. Yokogaki is horizontal writing (left to right), now widely used for letters, email, and everyday writing. Both are acceptable for correspondence; traditional formal letters still often use tategaki.

What does 拝啓 mean?

Haikei is a formal opening salutation with no direct English translation. It comes from characters meaning I humbly bow, and functions as the equivalent of Dear [recipient] in formal English letters. It is always followed by a seasonal greeting phrase and is always closed with 敬具 (keigu).

Do Japanese people still write letters by hand?

Yes, particularly for special occasions: thank-you letters after weddings or funerals, seasonal cards (年賀状 nengajō for New Year, 暑中見舞い shochūmimai for summer), and formal correspondence where a personal touch matters. Handwritten letters carry more weight than typed or digital messages in most formal contexts.

What is nengajō?

年賀状 (nengajō) are New Year cards sent to family, friends, colleagues, and business contacts in Japan. They are sent so that they arrive on January 1 and follow their own conventions: a brief seasonal greeting (akemashite omedetou gozaimasu) and a note of appreciation for the past year. The postal service runs a special nengajō postcard system with unique designs.

How do you end a letter to a friend in Japanese?

Common casual closings include 元気でね (genki de ne, take care), またね (mata ne, see you), 体に気をつけてね (karada ni ki o tsukete ne, look after yourself), or simply the writer’s name followed by より (yori, from).