How to reconnect?

[u/joe8354]

Hello all, I am looking for advice on how could I go about finding a particular long-lost connection.

Here is the story. My dad, when he was living in Žilina in the former Czechoslovakia in the 1960's, used to have a pen pal from Yokohama. He is unfortunately no longer around, but he used to mention her sometimes and I also found some letters from her. So I am wondering if she is still around and perhaps would be interested in an update?

I know all her details (name in English transliteration, date of birth, the high school etc.) but the address unfortunately does not exist anymore (at least according to Google maps). And of course I can't just post her full data here on Reddit.

So, any ideas?

[u/DanDin87]

At some point you'll have to share the details if someone is to help. Depending on the area, the address might still exist, just that it needs to be written in a certain way. What would be her age today?

[u/starsie → u/DanDin87]

I agree. Yokohama redistricted its wards in 1969, so if OP could at the very least share with us the area name. OP, could you give us the address without the name of the person? Japanese addresses give city blocks, not individual house addresses. If she lived in an apartment, the building would have a name, but there would be many tenants.

[u/joe8354 → u/starsie]

Thanks. That's one thing I'm trying to find out, what can I share - I understand privacy is taken very seriously in Japan.

[u/starsie → u/joe8354]

If you can narrow it down to a contemporary ward, you could contact the ward office for information on the person you are looking for.

[u/DeadlyMercury → u/joe8354]

The way address works in Japan is that you have

prefecture - city/village - ward - district, followed by numbers: city block (丁目) - subblock - building. Sometimes districts are small, so only two numbers are present, without subblocks.
And on the next line name of the building and optionally apartment number.

I would say you can give address without numbers, since it gives a relatively big area, plus postal code is related to that area. For example, in Yokohama it is something like:

220-0005 神奈川県横浜市西区南幸２丁目-１７-１
相鉄南幸第7ビル １階

(some random place near Yokohama station)

220-0005 Kanagawa, Yokohama, Nishi-ku, Minamisaiwai 2-17-1
Sotetsu Minamisaiwai Building #7, 1F

So if you drop numbers and building name, you are left with 神奈川県横浜市西区南幸 which is what 220-0005 index describes. And as result you are looking at whole Minamisaiwai rather than a specific building.

[u/joe8354 → u/DeadlyMercury]

Thank you all for this info. The address is nnnn Fukaya-Machi Tozuka-cu (nnnn = 4 digits). Is that helpful in any way?

[u/DeadlyMercury → u/joe8354]

I guess your problem is not even how address changed, but how do you write it.

It is not Tozuka-cu, but Totsuka / Totsuka-ku / 戸塚区
And not Fukaya-Machi but Fukayacho / 深谷町

Here is an example, a school: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EcYU1XN1P21A8Cae7
1688-2 Fukayacho, Totsuka Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 245-0067

[u/joe8354 → u/DeadlyMercury]

Thanks! When I put the number and Fukayacho, Totsuka to Google, it doesn't find anything. Would that mean that the address no longer exists?

[u/DeadlyMercury → u/joe8354]

Yes. Both in a way such building does not exist anymore or In a way that it could be moved/renamed since 1960s/1970s.

For example, there is this change ins 1999, where part of Fukuyacho was moved under Harajuku, but I don't see any 4 digit addresses there: https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kurashi/koseki-zei-hoken/todokede/jukyo/jisshi/20200131114935969.html#4A29D

You can also try to contact email in the bottom of this page (using some translation tool), but if they don't have enthusiasm to track changes related to old property (and they definitely don't want to help you track a person), the only option you have is hiring licensed private investigator, which is not really realistic/practical.

[u/anb596]

u can post this kind of videos to find,and tell people what you all know.Maybe this will help u.