Overview
Stepping into a Japanese post office (郵便局) for the first time can be surprisingly involved. Staff move quickly, forms must be filled out correctly, and knowing what to say makes all the difference. Japan Post handles far more than mail — it doubles as a bank, an insurance provider, and even an online retailer. Japanese banks (銀行) have their own procedures too, often requiring specific documentation and terminology that catches newcomers off guard. The words in this set cover what you'll actually encounter: sending packages, transferring money, checking your balance, and exchanging currency.
Essential Words
Post Office Vocabulary
郵便局
yuubinkyoku
— post office
郵便
yuubin
— mail; post
手紙
tegami
— letter
封筒
fuutou
— envelope
切手
kitte
— postage stamp
小包
kozutsumi
— parcel; package
荷物
nimotsu
— luggage; parcel; goods
送料
souryou
— shipping fee; postage
住所
juusho
— address
差出人
sashidashinin
— sender
受取人
uketorinin
— recipient; addressee
速達
sokutatsu
— express mail; special delivery
書留
kakitome
— registered mail
Bank Vocabulary
銀行
ginkou
— bank
口座
kouza
— bank account
預金
yokin
— deposit; savings
引き出す
hikidasu
— to withdraw (money)
振り込む
furikomu
— to transfer money (into an account)
通帳
tsuuchou
— bankbook; passbook
ATM
ATM (ee-tii-emu)
— ATM; cash machine
暗証番号
anshou bangou
— PIN number; personal identification number
手数料
tesuuryou
— handling fee; service charge
両替
ryougae
— currency exchange; money change
為替
kawase
— money order; exchange rate
残高
zandaka
— balance (in an account)
Key Phrases
この小包をアメリカに送りたいのですが。
Kono kozutsumi wo Amerika ni okuritai no desu ga.
I would like to send this package to America.
速達でお願いします。
Sokutatsu de onegai shimasu.
Please send it by express delivery.
この手紙に切手を貼ってください。
Kono tegami ni kitte wo hatte kudasai.
Please put a stamp on this letter.
口座を開きたいのですが、どうすればいいですか。
Kouza wo hirakitai no desu ga, dou sureba ii desu ka.
I would like to open a bank account — what should I do?
ATMでお金を引き出すことができますか。
ATM de okane wo hikidasu koto ga dekimasu ka.
Can I withdraw money from the ATM?
残高を確認したいです。
Zandaka wo kakunin shitai desu.
I would like to check my account balance.
円をドルに両替してもらえますか。
En wo doru ni ryougae shite moraemasu ka.
Could you exchange yen into dollars for me?
友達の口座にお金を振り込みたいのですが。
Tomodachi no kouza ni okane wo furikomitai no desu ga.
I would like to transfer money into my friend's account.
手数料はいくらですか。
Tesuuryou wa ikura desu ka.
How much is the service fee?
送料はいくらになりますか。
Souryou wa ikura ni narimasu ka.
How much will the shipping cost be?
Cultural Notes
Japan Post (日本郵便) runs the country's postal network, but walk into any 郵便局 and you'll find it does much more than deliver letters. The in-house bank, ゆうちょ銀行 (Japan Post Bank), lets you open savings accounts, pay utility bills, and buy insurance — all at the same counter. Expect queues, especially on weekday lunchtimes.
For domestic parcels, many people skip Japan Post entirely. 宅急便 (takkyuubin) services from companies like Yamato Transport (ヤマト運輸) are fast, trackable, and widely used. Drop-off is easy too — most コンビニ accept packages, so you rarely need to queue at a post office counter.
Japanese bank accounts still come with a physical 通帳 (passbook). Many people update theirs at ATMs every few months to print a running transaction history. Wire transfers (振り込み) require more detail than you might expect: the recipient's bank name, branch name (支店), account type, account number, and full account holder name. Get that information in writing before you go to the counter.
Related Articles
- Mastering Shopping & Money in Japanese (Vocabulary N4)
- City & Directions (Vocabulary N4)
- At the Bank (Conversation N4)
- Jobs & Occupations (Vocabulary N4)
- How to Talk About Hobbies & Sports (Vocabulary N4)
- Travel & Transportation (Vocabulary N4)
Practice Tips
Run through real scenarios out loud before you need them. Practice saying 「この小包をアメリカに送りたいのですが」at home until it stops feeling like reading and starts feeling like speech. Write the words you keep forgetting on index cards and put them somewhere you'll actually look — beside your monitor, on the bathroom mirror, inside your wallet.
Grouping words by function beats memorizing them in isolation. Cluster the sending words: 送る、切手、封筒. Keep money words together: 預金、引き出す、残高. Procedure words form a third cluster: 住所、暗証番号、手数料. When you recall one word from a group, the others follow naturally.
Search YouTube for Japanese daily-life vlogs — people opening bank accounts, mailing packages, using ATMs. You'll hear the vocabulary in real speech, including polite filler phrases and hesitations that textbooks skip. Fifteen minutes of this beats an hour of flashcard drilling.