Complete Guide to Japanese Emails and Etiquette (Structure + Templates)

Writing emails in Japanese can feel pretty intimidating at first for Japanese beginners, especially if you're used to the casual tone most English emails have these days. Japanese business email etiquette follows a specific structure that might seem formal or even rigid, but once you understand the pattern, it becomes second nature. Whether you're applying for a job in Japan, contacting a potential business partner, or just trying to communicate professionally with Japanese colleagues, knowing how to properly format your emails will make you look way more credible. Let's break down exactly how to write emails in Japanese without embarrassing yourself.✍🏻

Understanding Japanese email basic structure

Japanese emails follow a predictable format that you'll see in pretty much every business email. The structure has four main parts:

This isn't like English where you might just dive straight into "Hey, quick question about the meeting." Japanese emails require you to build up to your actual point through layers of politeness. Think of it as a ritual where skipping steps makes you look unprofessional or even rude.

The good news? Once you memorize the template, you can reuse it for basically every email you send. The phrases stay mostly the same, and you just swap out the specific details.

Complete guide to the perfect subject line

Your subject line needs to be clear and specific. Japanese people receive tons of emails daily, so vague subjects like "Question" or "Hello" will get ignored fast.

Start with a category marker in brackets, then add the specific topic. For example:

The brackets help the recipient immediately categorize your email and understand the purpose of your email. You'll see this email format everywhere in Japan, from business emails to university announcements.

Keep subject lines under 20 characters when writing Japanese emails. Japanese reads quickly, so you don't need long explanations here.

Opening with the proper greeting in Japanese business emails

Every Japanese email starts by addressing the recipient. You can't just jump into "I'm writing to ask about..." like you might in English.

Referring to the recipient

If you're writing to a company but don't know the specific person's name, use:

This translates roughly to "To whom it may concern at 〇〇 Company." The is the formal way to address an organization.

If you know the person's name, use:

Never use in business emails. is the respectful version you need for professional contact.

Greetings

After the name, drop down a line and include a greeting phrase. The most common one is:

This literally means something like "I am in your care" or "Thank you for your continued support." You'll use this phrase in basically every business email to someone you've already been in contact with. It's the standard greeting that shows you recognize the ongoing professional relationship.

If this is your first time contacting someone, use:

Introducing yourself properly when writing emails in Japanese

Right after your greeting, you need to introduce yourself if the recipient doesn't know you well. Even if you've emailed before, a brief introduction helps, especially in Japanese business culture where context matters.

A basic self-introduction follows this pattern:

The verb is the humble form of "to say/be called," which is appropriate when introducing yourself in a business email.

If you're a student or don't represent a company, you can say:

Getting to your main part of the email

After the greeting and introduction, you finally get to explain why you're writing according to the Japanese business etiquette. Japanese emails typically include a brief transitional phrase before diving into the actual content.

Common phrases include:

Then state your purpose clearly. Use polite language throughout, which means incorporating (Honorific language). This includes using the polite です/ます forms and adding honorific prefixes like ご and お to certain nouns.

For example:

The main body should be concise but complete. Japanese business culture values clarity, so don't be vague about what you need in the email’s content. At the same time, avoid being too direct or demanding, which can come across as rude.

Closing phrases to complete the structure of an email

Japanese emails require a proper closing section. You can't just sign off with "Thanks" or "Best" like in English.

Before your signature, include a closing phrase. Common ones include:

This is the most common closing, roughly meaning "I humbly ask for your favorable consideration." You'll use this in probably 80% of your emails.

For more specific situations:

Then add your signature block. This should include:

Japanese signatures often include way more detail than English ones. Some people even include their company's full address and fax number (Yes, fax machines still exist in Japan).

Keigo for business emails: Honorific terms for Japanese email etiquette

Here's the thing about writing email in Japanese language: you absolutely need to use correctly. There are three types:

Common respectful verbs you'll use:

Common humble verbs for your own actions:

Using the wrong level of keigo can make you sound either too casual (Disrespectful) or weirdly over-polite (Awkward) in Japanese culture. When in doubt, go more formal rather than less.

Common phrases to write an email in Japanese

Here are some phrases that'll show up in tons of different email situations:

Write emails to coworkers vs. bosses in Japanese companies

The level of formality changes depending on who you're emailing. Writing to your boss requires more formal language than writing to a coworker at your same level.

That said, email tends to be more formal than face-to-face conversation in Japanese business culture. Even if you chat casually with a coworker in person, your emails might still follow the standard polite format. It depends on your company culture and relationship.

When writing within your company, you might use as a greeting instead of . This phrase literally means "you must be tired" but functions as a standard workplace greeting.

Sample email format template

Here's a complete example of a business email in Japanese:

: 【お】について
ABC

になっております。 XYZのと
ですが、のについてお、ごいたしました。
なをお
お、よろしくお

XYZ
Tel: 03-1234-5678
Email: [email protected]

Tools and resources for learning Japanese email writing

If you're not a native speaker, you'll probably want some help writing these emails, especially at first.

Anyway, if you're serious about improving your Japanese beyond just emails, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words and save them while reading actual Japanese content online. You can read real business articles, see how native speakers write, and build your vocabulary naturally. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

Learn Japanese with Migaku

Write business emails easier with the right tools

Look, memorizing all these phrases and structures takes time. You're going to mess up, and that's fine. Most Japanese people will appreciate that you're making the effort to communicate properly in their language, even if your keigo isn't perfect. The key is to practice with real examples and get feedback. Reading actual Japanese business emails helps way more than just studying grammar rules.

Repeat small efforts!🔃