Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today’s topic is hanko 判子.
In Japan, hanko seals are used in place of a signature. A hanko is a small, cylindrical object with one’s name engraved on the surface of one end. It is usually made of wood, but ivory and stone are also used. There are two types of hanko, jitsuin 実印, which is registered with the local government, and minomein 認め印. Jitsuin are not for everyday use, but they’re necessary for public documents such as major transactions adn contracts. Mitomein are used not only in business but in everyday situations such as doing bank transactions or receriving registered mail. People usually buy ready-made mitomein but jitsuin must be ordered because they are engraved by hand.



March 28th News, from NILS Japanese language school.