Translating Letters To and From Japanese: Family Letters, Cards and Thank-You Notes

If you have a letter, card or message in Japanese that you want to understand, or one you want to send to someone in Japan, a native translator can translate it with the tone and politeness intact. This is common for family letters from Japanese grandparents, old letters found in a relative’s belongings, thank-you letters to a host family, and New Year cards. Personal letters like these don’t need a certified translation, just an accurate and sensitive one. Here’s what to expect and how to send a letter for translation.

Letters people often have translated

• Family letters from Japanese grandparents or relatives, especially when the next generation no longer reads Japanese.
• Old letters and postcards found among a family member’s belongings, sometimes decades old.
• Letters to a host family before or after a homestay. See Japanese for a homestay.
• Thank-you letters to a teacher, a company or someone who helped you in Japan.
• New Year cards (年賀状, nengajō) and seasonal greetings.
• Messages to a partner’s family, for example before meeting them for the first time.

Why letters need more than a dictionary

Japanese letters follow conventions that machine translation handles poorly:

• Seasonal openings. Many letters begin with a line about the weather or season, which sounds strange if translated literally.
• Politeness levels that show the relationship between writer and reader.
• Set closing phrases, such as wishing the reader good health.
• Handwriting. Handwritten Japanese, especially older or very cursive writing, can be hard for software and even for some readers to make out.

A good translation keeps the warmth and the voice of the writer. When you write to Japan, it also follows these conventions so your letter reads as polite and natural.

Very old handwritten documents

Letters from a few decades ago are usually readable by a native speaker, even with older kanji forms. Documents from much earlier periods may be written in a cursive script that only specialists read fluently. If we receive something like that, we’ll tell you honestly what we can read before you commit.

How to send a letter for translation

1. Scan or photograph every page in good light, flat and in focus. Include envelopes and the backs of postcards, which often have names and dates.
2. Tell us who wrote it and to whom, if you know. Family context helps with names and relationships.
3. Say what you need: a full translation, a summary, or names and dates only.
4. For letters you’re sending, write what you want to say in English and tell us your relationship to the reader.

Privacy

Family letters are personal. A professional translator keeps them confidential and uses them only for your translation. If you prefer, ask for a confidentiality agreement.

A note on official documents

This kind of translation is for personal understanding and communication. If you need a translation for a court, an immigration office or another authority, they may require a certified translation, which we don’t provide. Ask the organisation what it accepts. For other documents, see our guide to translating Japanese documents.

Want to read them yourself one day?

Many people who start with a translation of a grandparent’s letters go on to learn Japanese. Our guide for heritage learners is a good place to start.

How Hanabuddies can help

Our native Japanese team translates personal letters, cards and messages between Japanese and English with care for tone and meaning. Send us clear photos of the letter or the text you want to send, and we’ll reply with a quote.