Understanding and Translating Letters from Your Child’s School in Japan
Japanese schools send home a steady stream of printed letters (お便り, otayori): monthly newsletters, event notices, lists of things to bring, health forms and lunch menus. To keep up, learn the twenty or so words that tell you what action is needed and by when, use a camera translation app for a quick gist, and get anything important, such as health forms, trip permissions and meeting notices, properly translated or checked by someone who reads Japanese. Many parents also ask the class teacher whether notices can be shared digitally, which makes translating easier.
Types of letters you’ll receive
| Letter | What it is | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 学校だより・学年だより | School or year-group newsletter with the month’s schedule | Note dates, early finishes and days off. |
| 行事のお知らせ | Event notice: sports day, school trip, open class | Check what to bring, times, and any reply slip. |
| 保健調査票 | Health questionnaire | Fill in carefully; mention allergies and conditions. |
| 給食献立表 | School lunch menu | Check allergens with the school. |
| 個人面談・家庭訪問のお知らせ | Parent–teacher meeting or home visit notice | Return your preferred time slots. |
| 連絡帳 | Contact notebook between teacher and parent | Read daily; reply briefly when asked. |
Words that tell you what to do
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 持ち物 | mochimono | Things to bring |
| 提出・締め切り | teishutsu, shimekiri | Submit, deadline |
| 保護者 | hogosha | Parent or guardian |
| 切り取り線 | kiritori-sen | Cut along this line (reply slip below) |
| 押印・サイン | ōin, sain | Seal stamp, signature |
| 雨天延期・雨天中止 | uten enki, uten chūshi | Postponed if it rains, cancelled if it rains |
| 上履き・体操服・水筒 | uwabaki, taisōfuku, suitō | Indoor shoes, PE kit, water bottle |
| お弁当 | obentō | Packed lunch (no school lunch that day) |
| 下校・早帰り | gekō, hayagaeri | Going home, early finish |
Translation options, from quick to careful
- Camera translation apps give a fast gist of printed letters, but struggle with handwriting, vertical text and school-specific words. Fine for “what is this about?”, risky for health and safety.
- Ask the school. Some schools and local governments offer support for families who don’t read Japanese, or can send a simpler version.
- A human translation for anything important: health forms, trip permissions, rules, letters about your child. We provide uncertified translation for personal reference, which is what most school letters need. See translating Japanese documents.
Replying to the school
Short, polite replies are best. In the 連絡帳, a simple いつもありがとうございます。 before your message, and よろしくお願いいたします。 at the end, sets the right tone. For meetings with teachers, see interpreters for school meetings and preparing your child for school in Japan.
How Hanabuddies can help
We translate school letters, forms and notices from Japanese into English for personal reference, and help you write short replies to teachers. We can also interpret parent–teacher meetings in person or online, and our native tutors teach online lessons for parents who want to read school letters themselves. See Japanese for parents in Japan.