When you walk through a Japanese neighborhood, you might notice small plates attached near the entrance of houses.
These are called Hyousatsu (nameplates), and they carry the family name of the people living inside.
More than just a sign, they are a cultural marker of identity and tradition in Japan.
What Is a Hyousatsu?
A Hyousatsu is a nameplate that usually shows the family’s surname.
Sometimes the first names of family members are added as well.
For visitors, postal workers, and delivery staff, the Hyousatsu makes it easy to confirm that the right person lives there.
Designs and Materials
Traditionally, Hyousatsu were made of wood, with names written vertically in brush strokes.
Today, designs are much more varied:
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Materials: wood, metal, ceramic, marble, or plastic.
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Fonts: vertical or horizontal, in Japanese kanji, hiragana, or even alphabet letters.
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Styles: from simple and traditional to modern and decorative.
The design often reflects the personality of the household, making it both practical and expressive.
Why It Matters in Daily Life
Unlike some countries where addresses are enough, Japan’s delivery system is very name-oriented.
Couriers and postal workers confirm deliveries based on the name of the resident, not just the street number.
This makes the Hyousatsu especially helpful in everyday life.
Changing Attitudes
In recent years, some people have stopped putting Hyousatsu outside their homes.
The reasons include:
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Privacy concerns: not wanting to reveal family names publicly.
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Safety: fear of crime or identity theft.
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Optional custom: there is no law requiring households to display one.
So while the Hyousatsu remains a familiar sight, attitudes toward it are evolving with modern life.
Conclusion
The Hyousatsu is more than just a plate with a name.
It reflects Japanese ideas about identity, community, and practicality.
Whether traditional or modern, it is a small but fascinating detail of everyday life in Japan.
Have you noticed a plate mounted onto the gatepost or by the entrance door of a residential house? They are called ‘Hyosatsu' and the letters indicated on it is the householder's name.
Hyosatsu － name plate － carries the family name of the residents, the first name of the householder as well as other family members' names can be added optionally.
We can recognize it as your house
In that way, Hyosatsu is an aid for the identification yet also what personalise the house. Therefore, people usually choose the one very carefully.The plate helps to identify the house you visit or for the postmen and deliverers to confirm the name of the receiver.
Since deliverers are obliged to deliver items not to the house number but to the individual it is addressed to, it's very important to be sure if the very person resides there.
Name Plate Design
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Conventionally, they are made of wood, probably the name is written vertically from top-to-bottom on them as seen in traditional Japanese writing.
Though people now have multiple choices in terms of material and design, even the shape.
It can be of metal, ceramic, marble stone or easy plastic. Often they carry the name written horizontally either in Japanese or even in alphabet of any font of their liking.
However, people started to have different opinions regarding the Hyosatsu system nowadays
Some people are not willing to reveal the name to anonymous. The world is not safe and peaceful as before and you cannot remain innocent as good old days.
So it is not a surprise that there are the people who don't want to display the Hyosatsu at their house.
It is not obligatory so it's up to you.
