The question that perplexes all Japanese learners at the beginning: Why is ha (は) read as wa in Japanese, sounding exactly the same as わ? We all thought Japanese phonetics were pretty straightforward, but just when you think you’ve nailed the hiragana and katakana writing systems, you come across this conundrum. 

Of course, once you’re used to reading, writing, and speaking Japanese, this problem is less of a real concern and more of an annoying tick. It doesn’t matter. It is what it is. No one really knows the answer, right? The same thing goes for ​へ (he), which is sometimes pronounced as ‘e’, and を (wo), which is always pronounced as ‘o’.  

But exploring the cultural significance and history of Japan can help you better understand the language. And if you’re left exasperated by the cookie-cutter answer, we’re here to give you a deep dive into the complex world of the Japanese language and linguistic evolution.

The Short Answer to Why We Pronounce Ha (は) as Wa (わ)

In grammar, は marks the topic of a sentence and is pronounced “wa” instead of “ha.” This is a special rule from classical Japanese that stuck — even though it’s written は, it’s spoken as “wa” when used as a particle.

Let’s take a look at three examples first, containing both the Japanese letters は and わ. 

おはようございます。
Ohayou gozaimasu. 
Good morning.

今日はいい天気ですね。
Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne. 
The weather is good today.

私の名前はコトです。
Watashi no namae wa Coto desu.
My name is Coto.

You may have pronounced the は and わ differently, or even interchangeably. You reflectively say kyou wa instead of kyou ha. Ohayou instead of owayou. And that’s great. That means you already know the proper Japanese phonetics. 

So did the sounds of these particles change since the spelling was set down? Or were the spellings intentionally chosen for some reason? Are there any other irregular kana spellings omitted?

The short answer is simple, really: if the は is used as a Japanese particle, it is pronounced as ‘wa’.  The particle は is the topic particle that identifies the topic of your sentence. 

If it’s used to build a Japanese word, as adjectives, adverbs, nouns, or even names, it goes back to its original pronunciation: ha. 

This is why the word おはようございます, which contains は, retains the typical ‘ha’ pronunciation. In the second and third sentences, は is the particle to help make the subject stand out: My name is Coto. Today is good weather.

The same thing for the character へ. Used in words, it is pronounced: “he”. When it’s a particle, it is pronounced: “e.” 

The Evolution of Japanese Language Phonetics: Wa and Ha

The particle は is still pronounced “wa” because it’s a historical spelling rule that dates back to classical Japanese. Over time, the pronunciation of Japanese sounds evolved, but a few traditional particles kept their old spellings. While most words were updated to match modern pronunciation, particles like は (wa), へ (e), and を (o) kept their original written forms for grammatical consistency — a linguistic “fossil” from Japan’s past.

If you’re still unsatisfied with that answer, we get it. Why is the は  particle specifically an exception? How did the sound and rule evolve into what they are in the present day? That short explanation might have just opened more doors to even more questions. 

The truth is, discrepancies between spelling and pronunciation are common, no matter the language. You’ll probably notice it in English more than in Japanese. Take the word tongue or island, for example. The Japanese language is no different, although the fact that the current Japanese spelling is almost completely phonemic makes anomalies like this stand out more. 

Only a handful of traditional spelling quirks remained, and using は for the particle that is pronounced wa is one of them.

In fact, this is what you need to know: just like society in general, language is ever-changing, and the sounds made by characters will shift over time. 

In the early history of Japanese (before 800 BC), the modern は  row of consonants, comprised of は, ひ, ふ, へ, ほ, were pronounced with ‘P’ as pa, pi, pu, pe, po. 

Enter the Nara Period (710 to 794). The ‘P’ sound underwent another change, shifting to a softer F sound: fa, fi, fu, fe, fo. This pronunciation stayed until the 16th century, judging from the transcripts made by the Portuguese of Japanese words that use the letter F where we would use H today.

For example, take the Japanese word for “mom”: 母. Today, it’s spelled as はは and pronounced as haha. In the old Japanese, the word is pronounced as fafa. 

After the Nara Period came the Heian Period (794 to 1185), where we see another shift: the F sound changed to W, but with a catch: the sound altered only when there was another vowel and when it was not at the beginning of the word.

The pronounciation changed from:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

to:

は    ひ    ふ    へ    ほ 
ha hi hu he ho

This led to a verb such as 買う (買フor kafu in old Japanese) to be read as Kau (stemmed from kawu). The negative form of this verb underwent the same changes: instead of kapanai, it became kawanai.  

母 turns into fawa. The word for river, once pronounced as kafa, became the modern-day kawa. 

This marked the beginning of the transition where は is pronounced as わ. The particle は, which regularly appears after a vowel, was soon normalized as wa.

Eventually, in the Edo Period (1603 to 1867), people from various regions of Japan start to gather in Edo (the old Tokyo), This resulted in various dialects mixing and diluting. Eventually, the ‘F’ sound changed again to the H sound. 

Now, the 母 finally settled to its modern pronunciation that we know today: haha, spelled as はは. However, at that time, despite the new pronunciation, the words still used the old kana that represented the old pronunciation. 

This was the main linguistic problem. Up to World War 2, although the changes from the initial P sound to W sound were then widely accepted, the people still used historical usage. 

This meant 買う was still written 買フ (kafu) and 買わない was written as 買ハナイ (kahanai). Of course, the lack of standardized writing meant there was still a lot of confusing spelling. 

The Japanese Language Reform Changes Writing and Spelling

After World War 2, the Japanese government did a massive language reform to its writing and spelling rules to make things more even across the country. Remember the part where we said a lot of people from regional Japan were gathering in one capital? That was a huge wake-up call. So they decided to clean up the spelling and pronunciation of syllables. The official spelling of words needed to match the new pronunciation rules so that people wouldn’t think the word was supposed to be pronounced a different way. All ‘ha/は’ letters read as “wa” sounds were replaced with wa/わ. 川(かは) now was written as 川 (かわ). The kana へ, which was once pronounced e (now it’s he).

So Why Does The Particle Wa (は) Stick With The Old Spelling? 

The problem with change is that it’s usually easier said than done. Imagine this: close to a hundred million people in a country are following one unsaid linguistic rule. You can change the texts, rules, and writing across all books and paper, which in itself is already a mammoth task,  but you can’t change a society’s collective habit instantly. 

Now Japan has all these written texts where the wa ワ is written with the old Japanese rule: wa は kana. At the same time, the other は kana was now pronounced ha (ハ). 

And how do you make the entire nation write the wa は particle as wa わ? 

Simply put, it was too much trouble for Japan to try and make this change work — revamping the entire text, scripts, and literature for two particles was not worth it. The particles were excepted because many felt that changing these exceedingly common spellings would confuse people.

There you have it: up until today, we are saying the は particle according to the modern-day Japanese pronunciation, but the reason why it’s still spelled as ‘ha’ は and not わ is because we are still sticking to its traditional spelling. 

Modern pronunciation. Traditional spelling. Remember that.

Let’s Get Straight to The Point: Why Ha (は) Is Read as ‘Wa’

To sum up, は is pronounced as わ because the transcript reflects a pronunciation that did not change during the language reform. The sound わ  used to be written は in old kana usage in some cases. Old kana usage was much more irregular than it is nowadays. 

At that time, it was decided that for the particles alone, the same letters that had been used should continue to be used even though they are different from the actual pronunciation. 

Other Japanese Particles: Why を Is Read as “O” and へ as “E”

It’s the same thing with the readings for the particles へ and を, too. The modern sound え used to be written as へ in some cases and お as を. Of course, pronunciation varies, and sometimes you can hear a clear difference between お and を, for instance. Still, in all words, besides the particles, the old pronunciation differences have disappeared as time has passed.

There is an exception to the “wa” rule besides the Japanese particle, though. When は is used as the last letter of the greeting phrase, it follows the sound of a ‘wa’ particle. 

こんにちは
Actual spelling: Konnichiha.
Pronunciation: Konnichiwa

こんばんは
Actual spelling: Konbanha
Pronunciation: Konbanwa. 

Original Kana	Pronunciation (Before Reform)	Modern Pronunciation	Modern Spelling	Example Word	Meaning
は (ha)	“wa” (in certain words)	wa	わ	かわ (川)	river
へ (he)	“e” (as a particle)	e (when a particle)	へ (unchanged)	学校へ行く	go to school
を (wo)	“o”	o	を (unchanged)	パンを食べる	eat bread

To Sum It Up

There you have it: the core reason behind this ‘problem’ is simply because Japan never bothered to fully fix the two particles they spelled “wrong”. Instead, they went the easy route and deemed it the official, right way to do it. Problem solved.

The good news is that you’ll only have to deal with these in hiragana. Katakana is almost exclusively for foreign words, so you’re not really going to see particles written in katakana. 

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FAQ

Why is the hiragana “は” pronounced “wa” in some sentences?

In Japanese, when “は” is used as a particle to mark the topic of a sentence, it is pronounced “wa.” This is a special grammatical rule, not a mistake or typo.

Why does Japanese use “は” instead of just writing “わ” for the particle?

It’s a result of historical spelling. Hundreds of years ago, Japanese pronunciation shifted over time, but the spelling for certain grammatical particles remained the same. The particle は was kept to preserve consistency in written grammar.

Why is "ha" used instead of "wa" in "Konnichiwa"?

In “こんにちは” (konnichiwa), the final character “は” is actually the topic particle, even though it looks like part of the word. The phrase is a shortened form of a longer greeting that originally ended in the particle は — so it’s pronounced “wa.”

Why do Japanese add “wa” at the end of sentences?

In casual or feminine speech, “wa” (わ, different from the particle は) can be added at the end of a sentence for emphasis or tone. It adds softness, emotion, or emphasis, often in a light or expressive way. Example: かわいいわ (kawaii wa) = “So cute!”

Out of all Japanese particles that exist, the particle を (pronounced “o”) might be one of the most straightforward. The を particle is used to make a word the direct object of the sentence or the thing that is acted upon by the verb. There is no direct equivalent in English since the language doesn’t use particles to indicate the object or subject of the sentence. 

So let’s explore how the を (o) particle works, its structure, and example sentences.

What is The Particle を (O)?

を is a Japanese particle that designates the direct object, the word that is affected by the verb. For instance, let’s look at a simple sentence:

魚を食べる 
sakana o taberu
I eat fish

The particle を makes 魚 (sakana), or fish, the direct object, meaning it’s the object being acted upon. In this case, it tells us that the fish is the subject. You can think of を as a grammatical tool that turns words into the things that verbs affect in the sentence. 

Is を Pronounced as “Wo” or “O”?

を is pronounced as o, as in “ohio.” But you might be wondering why you often see を being written as “wo” in English. This is because to input を on a keyboard using the Roman alphabet, you have to type “wo”. If you have typed in Japanese on a Roman alphabet keyboard, you probably know that some characters need to be typed differently from how they are actually pronounced.

Pronunciation:

を → o 

Inputting on a Roman character keyboard:

wo → を

Generally, even in modern Japanese speeches, Japanese speakers prefer to spell it out as “o”. The “wo” pronunciation can sometimes be heard in songs, but it is often used to add emphasis, much like in Japanese, where singers sometimes exaggerate the “R” vowels into “L”. 

Structure of The Particle を (O)

を is the only Japanese hiragana character that can only be used as a particle. In most cases, を attaches nouns in a sentence to designate them as the direct object. Take a look at the breakdown below:

Type	Structure
Noun	Noun + を

Usually, verbs come after を, following this typical sentence pattern:

Noun + を + verb

Example:

テレビを見る。
Terebi o miru。
I watch TV.

Changing Word Order with を

You are probably used to Japanese grammar, a typical order that generally goes as follows: subject → object → verb. However, it’s actually common to change the word order to create emphasis while still conveying the same meaning.

For example:

私がハンバーガーを食べた 
Watashi ga hanbaagaa o tabeta
I ate a hamburger

While this is a typical sentence structure in Japanese, grammar in Japanese is quite flexible and can be reordered like the following:

ハンバーガーを私が食べた
Hanbaagaa o watashi ga taberu
The hamburger, I ate it.

Despite the rearrangement of the words, “I ate a hamburger” is still clearly expressed. But, of course, the choice to rearrange the words might work to emphasize the subject or the object in certain contexts. 

Using を (O) at the End of the Sentence

It’s also common to use を at the end of a sentence as well, without saying a verb. Often, the verb is dropped since the meaning of the sentence is obvious based on the context. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples to understand how it works.

Example 1:

何を?
Nani o?
Of what?

This is a common question to ask when someone doesn’t specify. For instance, if someone says,昨日面白い映画を見た (omoshiroi eiga o mita) or “I watched an interesting movie yesterday,” you could respond with, 何を (nani o).

Example 2:

良いお年を
Yoi otoshi o
To a good new year!

This is a common Japanese New Year expression that roughly translates to “to a good new year.” The full expression includes the verb お迎えください (omukae kudasai).

Using を With Transitive vs Intransitive Verbs

One of the most common hurdles for new Japanese learners is deciding when to reach for the particle を (o) and when to let it go. The secret lies in the relationship between the subject and the action. To master this, we have to look at the world through the lens of transitive versus intransitive verbs.

Keep in mind that を can only be used with a transitive verb. Think of a transitive verb (他動詞; tadoushi) as an “active” force. These verbs require a direct object because someone or something is performing an action upon something else. 

Take the verb 開ける (akeru), meaning “to open.” When you physically reach out and move a door, you are performing a transitive action. In Japanese, you would say:

Transitive Verb:

ドアを開ける
Doa o akeru
Open the door

On the flip side, we have intransitive verbs (自動詞;  jidoushi). These verbs describe a state of being or a change that occurs naturally, without focusing on who started it. When using these, the direct object effectively disappears and becomes the subject of the sentence.

However, when it comes to intransitive verbs where there is no specified direct object, を is omitted. This is because を can only be used with verbs.  For instance, if you walk into a room and notice a door is already in the process of opening, you use the intransitive counterpart 開く (aku). Instead of using を, you switch to the subject particle が, resulting in:

Intransitive Verbs:

ドアが開く
Doa ga aku
The door opened

In this sentence, が is used instead of を, marking how ドア or “the door” became the subject when an intransitive verb is used. 

This is not to be confused with passive voice, where direct objects are still used with verbs like “eaten” or 食べられる (taberareru). Rather, intransitive verbs turn direct objects into subjects, which is why the Japanese particle changes. Let’s take a look at an example.

を vs Other Particles

Often, it feels like different particles can be used in similar situations, causing tons of confusion around deciding the correct particle to use. So, let’s explore how を is used compared to a couple of other particles.

1. を vs から (Kara)

を and から (kara) surprisingly have some overlap, specifically when discussing leaving a place. Say, you want to describe leaving your house. Which one should you use? Well, it actually depends on whether you are exiting or starting from your house.

Using を

When using を, the focus will be from the perspective of leaving your house. 

家を出る。
Ie o deru.
I leave the house.

Using から

When using から, the focus will be from the perspective of coming from your house.

家から出る。
Ie kara deru.
I come from my house.

2. を vs で (De)

を and で can also have some confusing overlap since sometimes you can use these particles to describe walking in a park, for example. But both of these particles express different situations.

Using を

When using を, you are describing the action of walking through a route rather than being at a location.

公園を歩く。
Kouen o aruku.
Walk through a park.

Using で

When using で, you are describing the location where an action is happening.

公園で歩く。
Kouen de aruku.
Walk in the park.

3. を vs は (Wa)

In a certain context, the particle は can replace を, but with a catch: when は (wa) replaces を (o), the meaning of your sentence shifts from a simple statement of fact to one of emphasis or contrast. In Japanese grammar, this is called topicalization. You are taking the “object” and promoting it to the “topic.”

Basically, you use を when you want to tell someone what you are doing as it is. You can replace it with は when you want to single out an object to compare it to something else or to emphasize that this is the specific thing you are talking about.

Why? When you switch to は, you are signaling to the listener: “Regarding this specific thing (as opposed to other things), here is the deal.” 

肉を食べます。
Niku o taberu
I eat meat.

When you replace the particle を with the same sentence, you add a new layer of context behind it.

肉は食べます。
Niku wa taberu
I eat meat (Speaking of meat, I eat it). 

We also swap to は when an object has already been brought up in conversation. If the object is what everyone is already looking at, it is no longer just an “object”. It is the topic

For instance, when your colleague is asking you about a report, they might ask:

レポートはどうですか？
Repooto wa dou desu ka?
How is the report?

In this case, when you want to answer, using を would feel slightly disconnected, like you’re introducing the report for the first time. Using は acknowledges that “the report” is the star of the current conversation.

レポートは書きました。
Repooto wa kakimashita.
As for the report, I wrote it.

Examples Sentences with を

Let’s take a look at some example sentences using を in different situations to really understand how this grammar tool works in actual spoken Japanese. Before that, check out the full vocabulary that appears in today’s examples at the table below.

Kanji / Writing	Furigana	Romaji	English
毎日	まいにち	mainichi	every day
日本	にほん	nihon	Japan
雑誌	ざっし	zasshi	magazine
読む	よむ	yomu	to read
大学	だいがく	daigaku	university
経済	けいざい	keizai	economics
勉強する	べんきょうする	benkyō suru	to study
公園	こうえん	kōen	park
歩く	あるく	aruku	to walk
階段	かいだん	kaidan	stairs
上る	のぼる	noboru	to go up; climb
橋	はし	hashi	bridge
上	うえ	ue	above; on top
たいてい	—	taitei	usually
朝	あさ	asa	morning
家	いえ	ie	house; home
出る	でる	deru	to leave

1. Direct Object (Most Common Use)

This is the most common and important use of を. It clearly expresses what you eat, read, watch, make, and much more. 

Example:

毎日、日本の雑誌を読む。
Mainichi, nihon no zasshi o yomu.
I read Japanese magazines every day.

2. With する (Suru) Verbs

When you use nouns with the verb する (suru), meaning “to do,” they become verbs. So, を marks what you’re doing.

勉強をする
Benkyou o suru
to study

However, in casual speech, を is often dropped to make the expression shorter, essentially transforming it into a single verb: 勉強をする (drop を) → 勉強する. This allows you to add other objects without making the sentence feel convoluted. 

Example:

大学で経済を勉強している。
Daigaku de keizai o benkyou shite iru.
I am studying economics at university. 

4. Using を for Movement Through Space 

を can also mark the place an action moves through, not just an object. You may think the particle で plays a similar role; however, で expresses destination. When using を, you express movement along a route or path, rather than the destination. 

This includes not only places like parks or roads, but also directional paths such as up, down, across, and along. Let’s take a look at some examples to get a better idea.

Example 1:

新宿の公園を歩く。
Koen o aruku.
I walk through the park in Shinjuku.

Example 2:

階段を上る。
Kaidan o noboru.
I go up the stairs.

Example 3:

橋の上を歩く。
Hashi no ue o aruku.
I walk across the bridge.

5. Using を with Leaving a Place

を is also used to describe leaving a place by pairing it with verbs like 出る (deru), which means “to leave.” You might be thinking that this is very similar to how the particle から (kara) is used. You’re completely right; however, there are some differences in nuance. 

You can think of using を to simply describe leaving a place. But when using から (kara), you are describing leaving or coming from a place.

Example:

たいてい、朝の9時から家を出る。
Taitei, asa no ku ji kara ie o deru.
I usually leave the house at 9 in the morning.

Conclusion

を (o) is an essential particle that is used to designate the word that is being affected by the verb in the sentence. It’s one of the building blocks of Japanese and is useful for letting the listener know, for instance, that you are eating the apple, りんごを食べる (ringo o taberu / I eat the apple), and not the other way around, りんごは食べる (ringo wa taberu / the apple eats)!

Learn Japanese with Coto Academy!

To really get a better idea of how to use を correctly in Japanese conversation, you should practice as much as possible. So, we highly recommend taking Japanese classes with us at Coto Academy, where we teach practical Japanese from practical everyday phrases to how to read and write Japanese you will see in everyday life. 

We will soon be opening a campus in Shinjuku and already have campuses in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama. But, if you’re not in Japan, no worries! We also offer online classes! No matter where or how you decide to learn with us, we offer both intensive and flexible courses, which can be tailored to your Japanese level or your specific language goals. Sign up below to get started!

FAQ

What does the particle を mean in Japanese?

The particle を marks the direct object of a verb, or the word that is being affected by the verb. For example, 本を読む (hon o yomu), or read a book. を makes the word 本 (hon), or book, the direct object that is being “read” by the subject.

Is を always used for objects?

While its primary use is for designating objects, を can also be used for movement, which may not necessarily be an object. For instance, when describing a path or space you move through, you can say 公園を歩く(koen o aruku) or “to walk through the park.”

Can I drop を in casual speech?

It is quite common to drop を in casual conversation, for example, rather than saying ご飯を食べる (gohan o taberu), or I eat food, you can instead say ご飯食べる (gohan taberu).

Do all verbs use を?

No, not all verbs use を; some verbs use other particles like が, に, or で instead, based on the situation. For example, 日本語が分かる (nihongo ga wakaru), which means “to understand Japanese,” uses が, rather than を.

Want to learn more about Japanese particles? Read our guide on:

• Guide to Japanese Particle の (No): Functions, Use, Examples
• Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Particles
• Why Do We Pronounce Ha as Wa in Japanese?

It’s overwhelming to think about all the unique kanji you have to remember; however, there’s a little secret to making kanji much easier to remember called radicals. Let’s say it’s our radical solution to remembering kanji — no pun intended. Radicals are basically the building blocks of kanji; while there are seemingly endless amounts of unique characters, they are all combinations of radicals. 

Just remembering some of the most common radicals will allow you to memorize — and understand — thousands of kanji with a fraction of the effort and time. So, let’s break down how radicals work and how you can use them to remember kanji.

What Are Kanji Radicals?

Kanji radicals, or bushu (部首・ぶしゅ), are essentially components that make up a single kanji character; they can be thought of as a smaller part of a whole. Some radicals are kanji on their own and can be used to form other kanji. For example, 木 (ki) means tree on its own, but can be used as a radical. When combined with another radical, say 一 (ichi), meaning one, you create the character 本 (hon), meaning book.

木 (ki) + 一 (ichi) = 本 (hon)

But many kanji radicals cannot be used by themselves and must be used in conjunction with other radicals to form a kanji. For example, the radical, 儿, interpreted as “legs”, is only used as a component. So, you can use this radical in conjunction with other radicals or kanji, like 口 (kuchi), meaning mouth, to make the character, 兄, meaning older brother.

儿 + 口 (kuchi) = 兄 (ani)

Radicals are the common parts you can find in different kanji. While every kanji is unique, generally, there are a limited number of common radicals that you can quickly start to recognize. So, they are convenient patterns you can use to remember different kanji. 

If you need to review Japanese writing systems, check out our blog: Japanese Writing System Explained: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Why Should You Study Kanji Radicals?

Studying kanji radicals is helpful because radicals are like tiny building blocks that make up big kanji characters. When you learn the small pieces first, the big characters don’t feel so scary anymore. It’s easier to remember them because you can see how the parts fit together.

Radicals can also give you clues about what a kanji means, so you can sometimes guess the meaning even if you’ve never seen it before. Learning radicals makes reading and writing kanji much easier and a lot more fun.

Types of Kanji Radicals

There are 7 types of radicals categorized by their position, including left, right, upper left, bottom left, bottom, top, or middle. 

1. へん: Left

へん (hen) are radicals positioned to the left of the character. Certain radicals have specific forms when placed to the left, such as 人 (hito), or person, written as 亻 when positioned to the left of other elements.  

Example 1:
彳in 行く(iku): to go

Example 2:
亻(person) in 仕 (shi): official or civil service

2. つくり: Right

つくり (tsukuri) are radicals positioned to the right. Similar to left radicals, つくり radicals are often altered. For example, 刀 (katana), or sword, becomes 刂 when written to the right of other elements. 

Example 1:
刂(sword) in 別 (betsu): another

Example 2:
月(moon) in 明 (mei or myou): bright

3. かんむり: Top

かんみり (kanmuri) are radicals positioned at the top. 

Example 1:
宀 (roof) in 守る (mamoru): to protect

Example 2:
艹 (grass) in 花 (hana): flower

4. あし: Bottom

あし (ashi) are radicals positioned at the bottom.

Example 1:
儿 (legs) in 兄 (ani): older brother

Example 2:
心 (kokoro) in 急 (kyuu): sudden

4. にょう: Lower Left

にょう (nyou) are radicals positioned at the bottom left. 

Example 1: 
⻌ (walk) in 込む (komu): to crowd

Example 2:
廴 (long stride) in 建 (ken or tate): build

5. たれ: Upper Left

たれ (tare) are radicals located in the upper left. 

Example 1:
厂 in 原 (hara): original

Example 2:
疒 in 病 (byou): sick

6. かまえ: Enclosure

かまえ are radicals that enclose other characters.

Example 1:
門 (gate) in 問 (toi): question

Example 2:
口 (mouth) in 国 (kuni) country

Understanding Radical Variants

As you may have noticed, many radicals transform based on their position in the kanji character. For example, 人 (hito) becomes 亻when placed to the left. This is so the kanji character can feel more balanced. Often, radicals are simplified so they can fit neatly into the kanji character. 

It may be confusing at first, but don’t sweat! They are the same character, just with a simplified variation. Here is a table of some of the most common radical variations you will run into.

Radical (Full Form)	Variant	Meaning	Common Position	Example
水	氵	water	left	海, 洗
心	忄	heart/emotion	left	急, 性
心	⺗	heart	bottom	想
手	扌	hand	left	持, 打
言	訁	speech	left	話, 読
食	飠	food	left	飲, 館
金	釒	metal	left	鉄, 銀
糸	纟	thread	left	紙, 結
犬	犭	animal	left	独, 猫
示	礻	altar/spirit	left	社, 礼
衣	衤	clothing	left	被, 製
刀	刂	sword	right	別, 列

Strokes in Kanji vs Radicals

Kanji can get very complex, with many consisting of countless strokes. Strokes are counted by the number of times you have to lift your pen to complete writing a character. All Kanji follow a specific order of strokes, which generally go from left to right and top to bottom, and following the correct order will generally amount to a certain number of strokes. However, radicals are much simpler, consisting of fewer strokes. Which makes kanji a lot easier to remember. 

For example, the kanji 忘れる (wasureru), or “to forget”, is 7 strokes, but it’s only 2 radicals: 亡 (na) or “gone” and 心 (kokoro) meaning “heart”. So, if you remember these radicals, the kanji will be much easier to remember:

亡 (na) + 心 (kokoro) = 忘 (bou/wasu)

亡 only has 3 strokes, and 心 has around 4, which makes these radicals much easier to remember than characters with 7 or even more strokes directly.

Ways to Remember Radicals & Kanji

While radicals don’t have the same stroke counts as full kanji characters, they can really add up, with some radicals having up to 12 strokes. This might make radicals, themselves, difficult to remember. But unlike kanji, where every unique “word” has its own character, radicals are commonly found in each kanji, almost like letters. While letters in English represent specific sounds, radicals are associated with different meanings or even pictographic images. 

So, you can try to use the meanings or their associated images of radicals as mnemonic tricks to help you remember them!

1. Use The Meaning of Radicals to Remember Kanji

As we keep mentioning, radicals are the roots of kanji and so their meanings actually relate to the meaning of the kanji itself. Let’s take a look at a few examples to demonstrate what we mean.

Example 1:

水(mizu) also written as氵, meaning “water”, appears in: 

• 海 (umi) meaning “the sea”
• 洗 (sen) meaning “wash”

Both of these kanji are related to water, therefore, the character 氵, is used.

Example 2:

心 (kokoro) also written as忄, meaning heart appears in:

• 急 (kyuu), which means “hurry”
• 感 (kan), or “feeling”

You can think of how your heart beats when you’re hurrying or how you feelings are felt in the heart. 

Example 3:

手 (te) also written as 扌, meaning hand, appears in:

• 持つ (motsu) which means “to hold.” 

Since you have to hold things with your hand, it’s obvious why 扌is present in this kanji.

Example 4:

金 (kin) also written as 釒, meaning “metal”, appears in:

• 鉄 (tetsu) which means “iron”
• 銀 (gin) which means “silver”

Both of these characters are words for elements involving metal.

2. Use Radicals to Create Simple Visual Stories

Most radicals, and by extension kanji, have their simplistic images, but many times it might be difficult to see how the current characters look anything like their associated meanings. So, it might help to create some stories based on the meanings and their symbols.

Example:

木 (ki) means tree, which looks like a trunk with branches, and 人 (hito) means person, so you can think of the kanji character, 休み (rest) as:

休 (rest) = person (亻) leaning on a tree (木)

3. Give Radicals Personality

Instead of thinking of radicals as abstract symbols, try treating them like characters to help you remember them.

Example 1:

女 (woman) + 子 (child) → 好 (woman + child), this character means “like,” so you can think of it as the “love” a woman has for her child.

Example 2:

立 (stand) + 木 (tree) + 見 (see) →　親 (parent). So, you can think of this character as concerned parents standing on top of a tree to watch their child.

4. Use Shape-Based Mnemonics (Not Just Meaning)

Some radicals are easier to remember by their shape rather than their meaning. This is especially true for kanji whose shapes have nothing to do with their meanings. 

Example 1:

广 → looks somewhat like a roof hanging over something, think of a “building” such as in the kanji character 店 (mise) meaning store, which, of course, has a roof.

Example 2:

辶 → looks like someone walking, or just movement in general. This makes it easier to remember kanji characters like 込む (komu), meaning to crowd, or 逃げる (meaning to escape).

Whether or not the shapes and the actual meanings of the radical align does not matter. Just using any shape to help you remember them best is the goal!

The Most Common Radicals to Know

So, what are the most common radicals you should know? We provided a list of the most common radicals you will likely need to know for writing common kanji. We organized each table by the number of strokes of the radical.

Each table will show the different variants of each radical, their readings in furigana, romaji, position (left, right, top, bottom, bottom left, enclosure, or just single), and example kanjis the radicals are found.

After memorizing these common radicals, see how much easier it is to remember kanji by checking out our list of 100 Basic Kanji Every Beginner Should Know.

1 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Furigana	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
一	—	いち	ichi	one	single	一, 三, 本
丨	—	ぼう	bou	line	single	中
丶	—	てん	ten	dot	single	丸
丿	—	の	no	slash	single	久
乙	—	おつ	otsu	second	various	九
亅	—	はねぼう	hanebou	hook	right	了

2 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Furigana	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
人	亻	ひと	hito	person	left	体, 休
儿	—	にんにょう	ninnyou	legs	bottom	兄
冂	—	どうがまえ	dougamae	open box	enclosure	同
冖	—	わかんむり	wakammuri	cover	top	冠
刀	刂	かたな	katana	sword	right	列
力	—	ちから	chikara	power	right	動
匕	—	さじ	saji	spoon	right	化
十	—	じゅう	juu	ten	top	千
卩	⺋	ふしづくり	fushizukuri	seal	right	却

3 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
土	—	つち	tsuchi	earth	left	地
女	—	おんな	onna	woman	left	好
子	—	こ	ko	child	left	字
宀	—	うかんむり	ukanmuri	roof	top	家
山	—	やま	yama	mountain	left	島
彳	—	ぎょうにんべん	gyouninben	step	left	後
艹	ー	くさかんむり	kusakanmuri	grass	top	花
⻌	辶	しんにょう	shinnyou	walk	bottom-left	道
廴	—	えんにょう	ennyou	long stride	bottom-left	延

4 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Position	Example
心	忄	こころ	kokoro	heart	left/bottom	思, 急
手	扌	て	te	hand	left	持
水	氵	みず	mizu	water	left	海, 洗
火	灬	ひ	hi	fire	bottom	熱, 然
木	—	き	ki	tree	single	林, 校
日	—	ひ	hi	sun	single	明, 時
月	—	つき	tsuki	moon	left	服, 期
王	—	おう	ou	king	left	現, 球
犬	犭	いぬ	inu	dog	left	独

5-6 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
目	—	め	me	eye	5	left	見
石	—	いし	ishi	stone	5	left	破
示	礻	しめす	shimesu	altar	5	left	社
禾	—	のぎ	nogi	grain	5	left	秋
皮	ー	けがわ	kegawa	skin	5	right	披, 彼
糸	纟	いと	ito	thread	6	left	紙
耳	—	みみ	mimi	ear	6	left	聞
肉	⺼	にく	niku	flesh	6	left	背
虫	—	むし	mushi	insect	6	left	蛇
衣	衤	ころも	koromo	clothing	6	left	被

7-8 Strokes Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
言	訁	こと	koto	speech	7	left	話
貝	—	かい	kai	shell/money	7	left	買
足	—	あし	ashi	foot	7	bottom	路
車	—	くるま	kuruma	vehicle	7	single	転
酉	—	とり	tori	wine	7	left	酒
金	釒	かね	kane	metal	8	left	鉄
雨	—	あめ	ame	rain	8	top	電
青	—	あお	ao	blue	8	single	情
門	—	もん	mon	gate	8	enclosure	開

9-12 Stroke Radicals

Radical	Variant	Reading	Romaji	Meaning	Strokes	Position	Example
食	飠	しょく	shoku	food	9	left	飲
首	—	くび	kubi	neck	9	top	道
馬	—	うま	uma	horse	10	single	駅
高	—	たかい	takai	tall	10	top	高
魚	—	さかな	sakana	fish	11	single	鮮
鳥	—	とり	tori	bird	11	single	鳴
黒	—	くろ	kuro	black	11	single	墨
啇	—	てき	teki	divide	11	top	商
無	—	む	mu	nothing	12	bottom/full	無, 舞
黄	—	き	ki	yellow	12	single	横

Conclusion: Radicals Make it Easier to Remember Kanji

Kanji can feel endless and overwhelming, but radicals break them down into smaller parts that are easier to remember and are used in kanji repeatedly. While there still seems to be a lot to remember, they are still much fewer than kanji, but even radicals are made up of other radicals! As you start to remember them, you will start pick up on common patterns, how the same radicals are used in different characters. 

If you really want to learn kanji with more structure to reach your goals, we highly recommend taking Japanese classes with trained instructors who can tailor to your needs at Coto Academy. We offer practical Japanese courses that teach how to read and write kanji as well as practical language in daily conversation.

We have a new campus opening in Shinjuku, in addition to our current campuses located in Shibuya, Iidabashi, Minato, and Yokohama! And if you’re not nearby, you can take classes online! We offer a variety of courses that can adapt to your schedule and level. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up below!

FAQ

What are kanji radicals?

Kanji radicals (部首・ぶしゅ・bushu) are the building blocks of kanji. A radical is a component inside a kanji that is traditionally used to classify the character in dictionaries. Radicals often give clues about meaning and sometimes hint at category (like water, hand, speech, etc.).

How many kanji radicals are there?

Traditionally, there are 214 classical radicals, based on the Kangxi dictionary system from China. However, not all 214 radicals are commonly used today, with most people typically encountering 100 or fewer regularly. So, while 214 is the official traditional number, you don’t need to memorize all of them to read Japanese.

Do radicals have meaning?

Yes, most radicals have meanings associated with them, especially since many of them stand as kanji on their own. For example, 木 (ki) means tree or even 氵(mizu) means water and is used with water-related kanji characters. However, not every radical clearly reflects modern meaning. Some serve more structural or historical roles.

How many radicals can a single kanji have?

Traditionally, each kanji is assigned one official radical for dictionary classification. However, a kanji visually contains multiple components that operate as radicals. For example: 語 contains 言 (speech) and 五 (five). From a learning perspective, it’s helpful to think of kanji as being made up of multiple meaningful parts, even if only one is technically the radical by dictionary standards.

Should I learn radicals before starting to learn kanji?

Learning radicals before kanji can definitely help, but we recommend learning them side by side. By learning radicals alongside your kanji studies, you will start to pick up on more characters more effortlessly. New kanji will feel less different since you will be accustomed to some of the radicals that make them up. Also, remember, many radicals are also kanji themselves. 

You might be interested in reading: 

• Most Difficult Kanji Characters to Write
• The Best Way to Learn Kanji Effectively in 8 Steps
• Top 5 Kanji Writing Apps to Master Your Kanji Learning
• Kanji Worksheet Free PDF Download: JLPT N5 – Unit 1: Numbers
• Kanji Worksheet Free PDF Download: JLPT N5 – Unit 3: Body parts

Whether you are coming to Japan to look for work or just want to apply to Japanese companies, a good cover letter will help you stand out! Just like in any other country, a cover letter is a chance for you to make an impression on your potential employers and personally explain your experience and motivations. This is your chance to show who you are beyond the hard figures on your resume.

A cover letter is a stepping stone for your employers to get to know you a bit more personally. With that said, how do you write a good cover letter, that too, in Japanese?

What Are Japanese Cover Letters

Cover letters, or カバーレター (cover letter) in Japanese, are a relatively new concept in Japan and were not typically part of a Japanese hiring process. However, they are being more adopted, especially with the increase in Japanese job boards. A cover letter is meant to provide context for your resume, personally introduce yourself, and ultimately persuade your potential employer that you are worth the time to interview. However, there are some key differences in structure, where Western cover letters are considered somewhat flexible, in Japan, you should stick to the following structure and content:

1. Name and Personal Details
2. Company Name and Details
3. Introduction
4. Qualifications & Reasons for wanting to join
5. Closing Statement & Request for Response
6. Sign-off

What a Cover Letter is Not

Your cover letter should not be a detailed autobiography describing your life from birth. You don’t need to share your whole life story, just parts that are relevant. For example, if you’re applying for an engineering job, you can say something like “ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated with how machines worked…” and then discuss how this led you to pursue your current academic or work qualifications. Remember to keep it relatively concise, ideally under 1 page.

Also, cover letters are not meant to be generic papers that are mass-mailed to a bunch of companies. They are meant to be personalized, showcasing your unique interest in the company you’re applying for.

Do You Need a Cover Letter in Japan?

Traditionally, Japanese companies only required a Japanese resume, or rirekisho, and submitting a cover letter was uncommon. However, nowadays, many English-based jobs in Japan recommend or require a cover letter, especially when submitting an English resume.

Still, although a cover letter may be listed as “optional,” it is highly recommended. It helps you stand out, demonstrates professionalism, and clearly explains your suitability for the position. In the early stages of the application process, the cover letter may not always be carefully reviewed. However, in the later stages, especially before final interviews, it is increasingly read by hiring staff and potential supervisors.

A cover letter in English should be formal, concise, and well-structured. It should summarize your career so far and highlight your skills and relevant experience that may not be fully reflected in your resume.

Breakdown of Japanese Cover Letters

As briefly discussed, there are 6 main sections of a typical Japanese cover letter: personal details, company details, introduction, body, closing, and sign off. So, let’s break down in detail how you should write each part, piece by piece.

1. Name & Personal Details

Typically, at the very top of the resume is your name, followed by your address, phone number, and email address. You can align it to the right to make the section feel more separated from the rest of the cover letter. It’s not uncommon to have the date after your name and personal details.

2. Company Name & Details

Generally, you also provide the details of the company, including the name of the hiring manager, the company name, and the address. Some people decide to align the section to the right instead of the first section. This just helps to make each section feel more readable.

3. Introduction

Finally, for the actual cover letter, an introduction is normally written in Japanese as 採用ご担当様 (saiyou go tantou sama), which means Dear Hiring Manager. But it’s somewhat standard to use this common phrase at the start of a formal letter:
Example 1:
拝啓　貴社ますますご清栄のこととお慶び申し上げます。
Haikei kisha masumasu goseiei no koto to oyorokobimoushiagema su.
Dear Sir/Madam, I am happy to hear your company is doing well.

After the greeting, you introduce yourself by providing your name, the name of the position you are applying to, and expressing your interest. Here are some common phrases you can use when expressing interest in the company:

Example 2:
ぜひ一度、お話を伺える機会をいただければ幸いです。
Zehi ichido, ohanashi o ukagaeru kikai o itadakereba saiwai desu.
I’d really appreciate being given the chance to speak to you further about this.

Example 3:
・・・新聞で貴社の募集広告を拝見し、応募いたしました。
…shinbunde kisha no boshuu houkoku o haiken shi, obou itashimashita.
I wish to apply for the job post you advertised on…

Then, at the end of your introduction, give concrete reasons why you are interested in this job. Include useful phrases such as:

Example 4:
私は特にこの仕事に興味があります。なぜなら・・・
Watashi wa toku ni kono shigoto ni kyoumi ga arimasu. nazenara…
I am particularly interested in this job, the reason why is…

Example 5:
・・・として御社に勤務したいと考えております。
…toshite onsha ni kinmu shitai to kangaete orimasu.
I would like to work for you, in order to…

**Explaining Why You’re Leaving Your Company

If you’re currently working, you don’t necessarily need to give a reason for leaving your current company, especially since it’s better to focus on why you want to join the hiring company. But, if you feel the need, you can briefly describe the circumstances for why you are applying for the company and planning to leave your current employment. Try to emphasize pull factors (characteristics about the company that are motivating you to apply) without using any negative language about your current company (it’s actually a bad look). We highly recommend framing your plans to leave as a positive next step, rather than something negative, like you disliking something about your current company, or because your contract is ending.

Your reason should sound like you have learned something from your previous job. Here are some phrases that help you emphasize that:

Example 1:
現在の・・・の経験を活かし、さらに規模の大きいプロジェクトを担当したいと考えたためです。
Genzai no… no keiken o ikashi, sara ni kibo no okii purojekuto o tantou shitai to kanaeta tamedesu.
I would like to make the most of my experience in…, and take charge of larger-scale projects.”

Or an opening sentence describing what you currently do:

Example 2:
“現在私は・・・で・・・の担当として勤務しております。
Genzai watashi wa …de …no tantoutoshite kinmu shite orimasu.
Currently, I am working for… and my responsibilities include…

4. Qualifications & Reason for Wanting to Join

This is the meat of your cover letter, where you describe your background, why you think you are a fit, and why you would like to join the company. For writing this part, you should thoroughly read the job description and research the company so you can tailor your related work experience and skill sets to the qualifications of the job and the culture of the company.

Here are some common Japanese phrases you can use to highlight your skills:

Example 1:
・・・として・・・年働いてきた経験があります。
…toshite…nen hataraite kita keiken ga arimasu.
I have …years of experience working as…

Example 2:
・・・を使いこなすことができます。
…o tsuka konasukoto ga dekimasu.
I am an experienced user of…

You should also discuss your career objectives, how the position aligns with your goals, and how you can contribute to the company. Here is a phrase you can use:

Example 3:
貴社の・・・の実績を拝見し、・・・の分野において、今までの・・・のスキルを活かした仕事が可能だと考えました。また、・・・という社風にも大変魅力を感じております。
kisha no…no jisseki o haiken shi, …no bunya ni oite, ima made no… no sukiru o ikashita shigoto ga kanouda to kangaemashita. mata, …toiu shafunimo taihen miryoku o kanjite orimasu.
Having seen the achievements of your company, I thought that I could leverage my skills in… for the position in the field of…

Top Tip:
Increase your chances of being interviewed by matching your skill sets to the requirements listed on the job post.

Vocabulary

To help you, here are some skill-related vocabulary words that you can incorporate into your cover letter!

English	Japanese	Hiragana	Romaji
Excellent communication skills	コミュニケーション能力	こみゅにけーしょんのうりょく	Komyunikeshon nouryoku
Deductive reasoning	演繹的推理力	えんえきてきすいりりょく	Enekiteki suiriryoku
Logical thinking	論理的思考能力	ろんりてきしこうのうりょく	Ronriteki shikou nouryoku
Good interpersonal skills	対人能力	たいじんのうりょく	Taijin nouryoku
Analytical skills	分析能力	ぶんせきのうりょく	Bunseki nouryoku
Negotiation skills	交渉能力	こうしょうのうりょく	Koushou nouryoku
Presentation skills	プレゼンテーション能力	ぷれぜんてーしょんのうりょく	Purezenteeshon nouryoku
Machine learning Skills	機械学習能力	きかいがくしゅうのうりょく	Kikai gakushuu nouryoku
Programming languages	プログラミング言語	ぷろぐらみんぐげんご	Puroguramingu gengo

5. Closing

In the closing section, briefly reiterate your interest, leave a strong closing statement that shows your motivation to work for the company, and politely ask for a response to your application. To start your closing paragraph, you can use some of these common phrases to express your motivation to work for the company:

Example 1:
貴社の一員となり、思う存分自分の力を発揮したいと考えております。
Kisha no icchin to nari, omou zonbun jibun o hakki shitai to kangaete orimasu.
I am highly motivated and look forward to the varied work that a position in your company would offer me.

Then, near the end of your closing section, here are some expressions to show gratitude and how they can contact you to move forward in the process.

Example 2:
お時間を割いていただいてありがとうございました。お目にかかれる日を楽しみにしております。私には・・・を通してご連絡ください。
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to the opportunity to personally discuss why I am particularly suited to this position. Please contact me via…

Example 3:
お忙しいなか恐縮ですが、どうぞ宜しくお願いいたします。
Oisogashii naka kyoushuku desuga, douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Sorry to bother you when you are busy, and thank you for your consideration.

These expressions are great for ending your cover letter since they show appreciation for the reviewer’s time and consideration and encourage them to contact you again. These are a few of the many expressions you can use to close your cover letter. You always want to close strong by expressing appreciation and how you are looking forward to continuing the process with them.

6. Signing-Off

At the very end of the cover letter, you should sign off like you would an email. But depending on how you started your cover letter, you would have to pair your opening with the closing. One of the most common openings used in both cover letters and formal letters in general is as follows:

拝啓 (haikei) meaning “Dear Sir/Madam,” which can only be paired with 敬具 (keigu), meaning “Sincerely,” or “Regards.”

Sometimes it is common to sign off with a signature, but in most cases, you can just type your name, especially since you will mostly send cover letters online.

Quick Tip: After sending your resume, wait about 2-3 weeks and send a follow-up by letter, email, or phone. Contrary to what people might believe, this proactive approach is often seen as a good characteristic by the hiring company and shows your enthusiasm and willingness to work for the company.

Do’s & Don’ts for Writing Cover Letters

Here are some things to be mindful of when you write your cover letter!
Things to do:

• Write clearly and accurately
• Use full sentences
• Use correct grammar
• Be confident
• Keep the length of the cover letter to 1 page or less (it is a summary of your resume)
• Let a native Japanese or a Japanese of yours read your letter and give you feedback on how to improve
• Use correct industry jargon, but do not overuse it
• Show that you have done research about the job for which you are applying
• Use positive, future-forward language expressing how you’re excited to continue working with the company.

Things not to do:

• Avoid using overly haughty words; confidence is good, but you don’t want to come across as arrogant or prideful.
• Try not to start all your sentences with “I”. Makes you look like a one-man show
• Avoid too many contractions such as I’m, don’t, He’s or she’s.
• While humor can help you stand out, try to ensure your tone is formal and do not rely too heavily on humor.
• Do not use exclamation marks.
• Do not say anything negative about your previous employer. This will not give you the best impression on the hiring team.
• Do not use short forms or text speak.

Read More: Guide to Japanese Keigo

Conclusion: Cover Letters Can Help You Stand Out in the Japanese Job Market

While cover letters were not the most common in the Japanese job market, they are slowly becoming common, especially as companies are starting to post more roles on job boards. So, try using some of the expressions on this blog on your next cover letter. These expressions will help your cover letter sound professional and clear while also expressing your interest in joining the company.

Start taking Japanese lessons and succeed in job hunting in Japan!

If you want to start learning Japanese, take classes at a top language school like Coto Academy. At Coto, you’ll gradually ease into both the Japanese language and culture, learning real Japanese as it’s spoken in everyday life.

We offer both part-time and intensive courses across four campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama. Soon we will be opening a campus in Shinjuku! We also have interactive online lessons so you can learn Japanese wherever you are.

At Coto Academy, classes are small, with only 8 students per classroom, so you get plenty of speaking practice and individual attention, and the curriculum is personalized based on different goals, whether you want to improve your business Japanese or practice more conversations.

Interested in studying with us? Fill out the form below for a free level check! You can also schedule a free consultation or chat with our team to find the best learning path for you.

FAQ:

Are cover letters required when applying for Japanese companies?

Japanese cover letters are not always required and are not as common as they are for Western companies. However, they are starting become more popular with companies that post jobs online and on different job boards.

How long are Japanese cover letters?

Japanese cover letters are typically concise, usually around one page or less, often consisting of just 3–4 short paragraphs that clearly discuss your background, motivations for joining, and appreciation to the interviewers for taking the time to consider your candidacy.

Do I have to explain why I'm leaving my current job?

Generally, it’s not necessary to discuss why you’re leaving your current company since you should just focus on what is motivating you to join the company. If you mention leaving your current job, keep it professional and positive. Avoid negative comments about previous employers. Detailed explanations are usually saved for the interview.

Should I write my Japanese cover letter in keigo?

Polite language (です・ます form) is standard. For more formal written submissions, respectful business expressions are recommended, like the ones we mentioned in this article. However, avoid overly complex keigo if it sounds unnatural. Clear and professional Japanese is better than forced formality.

Can I use the same cover letter for multiple companies

You can reuse the structure, but you should always customize the company name, why you’re interested in that specific company, and how your skills match their business. Japanese employers value sincerity and effort, so generic applications are easy to spot.