Quick note: I’ll be travelling through Japan from Oct 26 to Dec 3, sending out a daily newsletter as I go. The newsletter will run for only that time, after which I’ll delete the subscriber list. For more details and to subscribe, head to Mizu Gohan Ocha.
About once a week someone rings our door with a package for number 9. We live at 9A. 9 is at the corner, our doors about 6 feet apart. It would be easy to blame an over-reliance on mapping apps, but it probably has more to do with how old houses have been turned into multi-family apartments.
At least we get a letter. On my first visit to a friend they told me their address was “45 black”. Sure enough, when I got there there were two doors next to each other, one with 45 written in red, the other in black.
Google turns up nothing on why this system exists. For my money I assume it’s like the vertical stairs—the Dutch just like to mess with people.
There is also number + t/o ("tegenover", opposite). This applies especially to woonboten, whose house number is often the same as the brick and mortar house that stands just opposite the woonboot.
Ex: 496 t/o