Addressing an institution in writing

The idea

After an organisation, division or unnamed team, use 御中. After a person’s name, use 様 instead. In the body, 貴課 respectfully refers to the recipient’s division; choose the appropriate term for its actual organisation.

Examples

• 市役所しやくしょ市民課しみんか御中おんちゅうTo the Citizens’ Affairs Division, City Hall
• 総務部そうむぶ採用担当さいようたんとう御中おんちゅうTo the recruitment team, General Affairs Department
• 総務部そうむぶ山田やまだ様さまTo Ms or Mr Yamada, General Affairs Department
• 申請しんせいについて、貴課きかにお伺うかがいします。I am writing to ask your division about the application.
• 必要ひつような書類しょるいをご教示きょうじいただけますと幸さいわいです。I would appreciate it if you could tell me which documents are required.
• お忙いそがしいところ恐おそれ入いりますが、よろしくお願ねがいいたします。I apologise for troubling you when you are busy, and thank you for your attention.

Watch out

Do not attach 御中 and 様 to the same addressee. 担当御中 addresses a team when no individual is named; a named person takes 様.

Try it yourself

1. 市役所しやくしょ 市民課しみんか＿（御中おんちゅう／様さま）

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   御中

   御中 follows the division as an organisational addressee.

2. 市民課しみんか 山田やまだ＿（御中おんちゅう／様さま）

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   様

   様 follows Yamada because the recipient is a named person.

3. 書かき言葉ことばで相手あいての課か：＿（貴課きか／弊課へいか）

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   貴課

   貴課 refers respectfully to the recipient’s division; 弊課 refers humbly to one’s own.

Use it today

Address a city division, then write a brief inquiry about required documents. Replace the addressee with a named official and adjust the honorific.