Editing Japanese addressing system (section)

==Special cases==
As mentioned above, there are certain areas of Japan that use somewhat unusual address systems. Sometimes the differing system has been incorporated into the official system, as in [[Sapporo]], while in [[Kyoto]] the system is completely different from, but used alongside the official system. Kyoto and Sapporo have addresses based on their streets being laid out in a [[grid plan]], unlike most Japanese cities.

===Kyoto===
[[File:Daidairi of Heiankyo.jpg|thumb|[[Heian-kyō]] was laid out on a grid in AD 794, and grid-based addresses continue to be used in today's Kyoto.]]
Although the official national addressing system is in use in Kyoto – in ''Chiban'' style, with {{Nihongo|ward|区|ku}}, {{Nihongo|district|丁目|chōme}}, and {{Nihongo|land number|番地|banchi}}, the ''chō'' divisions are very small, numerous, and there is often more than one ''chō'' with the same name within a single ward, making the system extremely confusing.  As a result, most residents of Kyoto use an unofficial system based instead on street names, a form of [[vernacular geography]]. This system is, however, recognized by the post office and by government agencies.

For added precision, the street-based address can be given, followed by the chō and land number. Sometimes multiple houses share a given land number, in which case the name (either just family name, or full name of resident) must also be specified; this name is generally displayed in front of the house on a {{Nihongo||表札|hyōsatsu|[[name plate]]}}, often decoratively presented, as are house numbers in other countries.

The system works by naming the intersection of two streets and then indicating if the address is {{Nihongo|north|上ル|agaru|"above"}}, {{Nihongo|south|下ル|sagaru|"below"}}, {{Nihongo|east|東入ル|higashi-iru|"enter east"}}, or {{Nihongo|west|西入ル|nishi-iru|"enter west"}} of the intersection. More precisely, the two streets of the intersection are not treated symmetrically: one names the street that the address is on, then gives a nearby cross street, and then specifies the address relative to the cross street. What this means is that a building can have more than one address depending on which cross street intersection is chosen.

For instance, the address of [[Kyoto Tower]] is listed on their website as:<ref>{{cite web|title=アクセス|trans-title=Access|url=https://www.kyoto-tower.co.jp/access/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809101308/https://www.kyoto-tower.co.jp/access/|archive-date=2016-08-09|access-date=2016-05-25|website=Kyoto-tower.co.jp|language=ja}}</ref>
:〒600-8216
:京都市下京区烏丸通七条下ル 東塩小路町 721-1
Following the postcode, this contains the city and ward, followed by the unofficial address, a space, and then the official address:
:京都市下京区 ''Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku''
:烏丸七条下ル ''Karasuma-Shichijō-sagaru''
:東塩小路町 721-1 ''Higashi-Shiokōji 721-1''

This address means "south of the intersection of [[Karasuma Street|Karasuma]] and Shichijō streets" – more precisely, "on Karasuma, below (south of) Shichijō" (Karasuma runs north–south, while Shichijō is an east–west cross street). The street address may alternatively be given as 烏丸通七条下ル (with {{Nihongo|street|通|dōri}} inserted), indicating clearly that the address is ''on'' Karasuma street.

However, the system is flexible and allows for various alternatives, such as:
:京都府京都市下京区烏丸塩小路上ル
:''Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, Karasuma-Shiokōji-agaru''
:"(On) Karasuma (street), above (north of) Shiokōji (street)"

For less well known buildings, the official address is often given after the informal one, as in the address for the Shinatora [[Ramen]] restaurant:
:京都府京都市下京区烏丸通五条下ル大坂町384
:''Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, Karasuma-dōri-Gojō-sagaru, Ōsakachō 384''
:"Ōsakachō 384, (on) Karasuma street, below (south of) Gojō"

As the initial part of the address is familiar, it is often abbreviated – for example, {{Nihongo||京都府京都市|Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi|"Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City"}} can be abbreviated to {{Nihongo||京都市|Kyōto-shi|"Kyoto City"}}, as in the Kyoto Tower listing. More informally, particularly on return addresses for in-town mail, the city and ward can be abbreviated to the initial character, with a dot or comma to indicate abbreviation – there are only 11 [[wards of Kyoto]], so this is easily understood. For example, 京都市 ''Kyōto-shi'' is abbreviated to 京、 ''Kyō–'' and 下京区 ''Shimogyō-ku'' is abbreviated to 下、''Shimo–''. Combining these (and dropping [[okurigana]]), one may abbreviate the address of Kyoto Tower to:
:〒600-8216
:京、下、烏丸七条下
:''Karasuma-Shichijō-sagaru, Shimo–, Kyō–, 600-8216''

===Sapporo===
Sapporo's system, though official, differs in structure from regular Japanese addresses. The city-center is divided into quadrants by two intersecting roads, Kita-Ichijo and Soseigawa; blocks are then named based on their distance from this point, and farther from the city center, multiple blocks are included in each. The east–west distance is indicated by ''chōme'' (a slightly unorthodox usage of ''chōme''), while the north–south distance is indicated by ''jō'', which has been incorporated into the ''chō'' name.

The address to [[Sapporo JR Tower]] is:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jr-tower.com/profile/ |title=会社概要 {{!}} JRタワー 札幌駅から直結のショッピングセンター 〈アピア・エスタ・パセオ・札幌ステラプレイス〉|trans-title=About us {{!}} JR Tower, shopping malls connected to Sapporo station (Apia, Esta, Paseo, and Sapporo Stella Place) |website=Jr-tower.com |access-date=2017-05-27|language=ja}}</ref>

:札幌市中央区北5条西2丁目5番地
:''Sapporo-shi, Chūō-ku, kita-5-jō-nishi 2-chōme 5-banchi''

This address indicates that it is the fifth building on a block located on 5 ''jō'' north and 2 ''chōme'' west of the center, named with the actual cardinal names of ''kita'' (north), ''minami'' (south), ''nishi'' (west), and ''higashi'' (east). The directional names for ''jō'' extend for about 7 kilometers to the north–south along the main Soseigawa Dori, but only about 3 kilometers at the most to the east and west; outside of that area, ''jō'' have other names, though the starting point of each is still the corner in the direction of the city center, often using landmarks such as the [[Hakodate Main Line]] or large roads to mark the new numbering.

For example, far in the outskirts is the Sapporo Tachibana Hospital, at:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fukuwakai.or.jp/access.html |title=札幌立花病院 {{!}} -アクセス |trans-title= Sapporo Tachibana Hospital {{!}} Access|website=Fukuwakai.or.jp |access-date=2017-05-27|language=ja}}</ref>

:〒006-0841　札幌市手稲区曙11条2丁目3番12号
:''Sapporo-shi, Teine-ku, Akebono-11-jō, 2-chōme-3-ban-12-gō''

Building 12 on block 3 of a ''chōme'' measuring 11 ''jō'' north and 2 ''chōme'' west of where the Hakodate Main Line meets Tarukawa Street. Or Toyohira Ward office, at:<ref>{{cite web|title=区役所案内|trans-title=Ward office guide|url=http://www.city.sapporo.jp/toyohira/ward_office/01gyoumu.html|access-date=2017-05-27|website=City.sapporo.jp|publisher=札幌市豊平区役所 [Toyohira Ward, City of Sapporo]|language=ja}}</ref>

:〒062-0934 札幌市豊平区平岸6条10丁目1-1
:''Sapporo, Toyohira-ku, Hiragishi-6-jō, 10-chōme-1-ban-1-gō''

Building 1 on block 1 of a ''chōme'' measuring 6 ''jō'' south and 10 ''chōme'' east of where a small street meets the [[Toyohira River]]. The direction is understood based on the quadrant of the city the ''jō'' is considered to be in, which may be off from the actual direction to the city center, depending on the landmark used.

Far-flung and less crowded parts of the city may instead use a standard ''chō'' name, rather than a numbered ''jō'', such as [[Makomanai Park|Makomanai]].

===Ōita===
Many areas of [[Ōita Prefecture]] including the cities of [[Ōita, Ōita|Ōita]] and [[Usuki, Ōita|Usuki]] commonly use an unofficial parallel system known as {{nihongo|"administrative wards"|行政区|gyōseiku}} or {{nihongo|"neighbourhood council names"|自治会名|jichikaimei}}.<ref name="usuki">{{Cite web|title=暮らしの窓口 > 住民基本台帳 > 住民異動届|trans-title=Life events > Basic Resident Register > Reporting address change|url=http://www.city.usuki.oita.jp/modules/usuki01/article.php?storyid=1#05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720193413/http://www.city.usuki.oita.jp/modules/usuki01/article.php?storyid=1|archive-date=2013-07-20|website=Wayback Machine|publisher=臼杵市役所 [City of [[Usuki]]]}}</ref>  While outwardly similar, these addresses end in ''kumi'' (組) or ''ku'' (区):

:大分県大分市羽屋4-1-A組
:''Haneya 4-1-A-kumi, Ōita-shi, Ōita-ken''

:大分県臼杵市臼杵洲崎四丁目1組
:''Suzaki 4-chōme 1-kumi, Usuki-shi, Ōita-ken''

As the names indicate, these derive from traditional neighbourhood councils.  While they continue to be used locally (e.g. school and electoral districts) and may be accepted for mail delivery, they are not considered official addresses, and individual buildings in each ''kumi'' will also have a standard ''ōaza-banchi'' address.<ref name="usuki"/>  For example, Usuki City Hall, while within Suzaki 4-chome 1-kumi, has the formal address of Usuki 72–1, which may be prepended with  ''{{Interlanguage link|ōaza|ja|大字}}'' for clarity:

:〒875-8501
:大分県臼杵市大字臼杵72-1
:''Ōaza Usuki 72-1, Usuki-shi, Ōita-ken 875-8501''

===Katakana blocks (''bu'')===
Some cities in [[Ishikawa Prefecture]], including [[Kanazawa, Ishikawa|Kanazawa]] and [[Nanao, Ishikawa|Nanao]], sometimes use [[katakana]] in the ''[[iroha]]'' ordering (イ・ロ・ハ・ニ ... ) instead of numbers for blocks. These are called ''bu'' (部).  For example, the address of the Kagaya Hotel in Nanao is:<ref>{{cite web|title=会社概要 {{!}} 企業サイト|trans-title=Company profile|url=http://www.kagaya.co.jp/company/gaiyo/index.html|access-date=2017-05-27|website=Kagaya.co.jp|publisher=和倉温泉 加賀屋グループ Kagaya Group, Wakura onsen hot-spring|language=ja}}</ref>

:〒926-0192<br/>石川県七尾市和倉町ヨ80
:''Wakuramachi yo 80, Nanao-shi, Ishikawa-ken 926-0192 ''

===''Jikkan'' instead of numbered ''chōme''===
Some cities, including parts of [[Nagaoka, Niigata]], use [[celestial stems|''jikkan'']] (甲・乙・丙 ... ) prefixed to the block number to indicate traditional divisions.  These function similarly to ''chōme'' and are treated as such in addresses.  For example, [[Yoita, Niigata|Yoita]] police station in Nagaoka has the address:<ref>{{cite web|title=新潟県警察ホームページ - 警察本部・警察署のご案内【県内の警察署：与板警察署】|trans-title=Home > Guide to the headquarters and police stations > local police stations in our prefecture > Yoita police station|url=http://www.police.pref.niigata.jp/station/yoita/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121219184052/http://www.police.pref.niigata.jp/station/yoita/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 19, 2012|access-date=2017-05-27|website=Police.pref.niigata.jp|publisher=新潟県警察 Nigata Prefecture Police|language=ja}}</ref>

:〒940-2402<br/>{{Lang|ja|新潟県長岡市与板町与板乙5881-3}}
:''Yoita-otsu 5881-3, Yoita-machi, Nagaoka-shi, Niigata-ken 940-2402''