When most people envision Japan, they picture a high-tech, robotic paradise; however, the reality is that in many ways, many aspects of Japanese culture are exactly the opposite. Particularly in the Japanese business world, one outdated, simple item known as a hanko stamp is the key when it comes to conducting business and signing papers. So what exactly is a Japanese hanko stamp, and why is it so important?
What is a Japanese Hanko Stamp?
Hanko, also known as inkan, are stamps that can be used anytime someone needs to use a signature or initial something. Hanko are used for both individuals or for people acting on behalf of a business. A hanko is one’s personal seal and they are used as a “signature” in many different situations, from serious matters such as banking to a more casual instance of receiving a package.
While the idea of a personal seal is cool, many people find it a bit annoying to require a stamp when a signature would accomplish the same task. Especially if you run into a situation where you’ve forgotten yours at home and they can’t just use your signature. In 2020, the Japanese government, in its attempts to modernize its very old school business world, decided to phase out the use hanko. This phase out may take some time or may never actually even happen, so for now, hanko are still very much a thing.
Types of Hanko
Jitsuin (実印) – This is a person’s officially registered seal that has to be registered at a town hall. It comes with an inkan card, which allows you to print certificates of registration (for a small fee). The certificates are normally needed to prove the seal is registered to you and not someone else. This seal may be required when buying a home, car, or other big and expensive items. Also things like setting up a company or taking out a loan require a jitsuin.
Ginkoin (銀行印) – “Ginko” meaning bank and “in” meaning seal. A ginkoin is used exclusively at the bank. This means instead of registering the hanko stamp with the city hall, it will need to be registered at the bank. If you need to do something at the bank, make sure you have your ginkoin with you.
Mitomein (認め印) – Mitome means “approval” and this seal is for personal use. A mitomein isn’t registered anywhere and therefore isn’t legal binding in the same way as a jitsuin. This makes it more useful for things like signing for a package. Things that require a jitsuin will ask for a certificate or registration, which is why jitsuin are legal binding and mitomein aren’t.
Technically you can just use one hanko stamp for all of these different situations. However, it may not be wise to do so because your jitsuin is basically a signature and it can be copied fairly easily. So the less you use it, especially for things where a mitomein would suffice, the less likely it is to be copied.
Do You Need a Hanko as a Foreigner?
Probably not, but many people do just in case. It depends on what you do and whether you sign many contracts. Even then, if you’re foreigner, you can probably just sign your name in most circumstances. If there is a contract that requires a hanko, then it only takes a couple days to get a new hanko and to register it.
Where to buy a Japanese Hanko Stamp?
There are many hankoya (hanko shops) that specialize in making and selling hanko. You can order online at shops like hankoya.com. There are also in-person stores like “Hankoyasan 21”, which is a common hankoya chain in Japan. Since hanko is a specifically Japanese thing, the online shops won’t have any English, so make sure you can read Japanese or at least be ready to Google translate.
If you just want a hanko as a souvenir you could buy from one of the online or specialty shops above; however if you want to save a little money, there are cheaper options. Generic hanko for much cheaper can be found at 100 yen stores like Daiso. These will have common Japanese names or words rather than custom seals. And, because they are generic, they aren’t allowed to be used as a jitsuin or ginkoin. If you’re looking for a cheap but usable hanko, then shops like Donquiote have machines that sell customizable hanko for around 500 yen.
How do I choose what my seal looks like?
There are a few rules for what you can use for your seal. The most important rule is that it has to contain part of your name. It is supposed to be your whole name, but for foreign names they might not fit, so you can do either your whole, just your first, or just your last name. Also, the characters used must be actually part of your name, so using English letters or even the katakana version of your name is fine. However, you can’t use kanji with similar readings/sounds for your name. If you do choose katakana, then it’s important to make sure you have that katakana named registered somewhere on something like a residence card. Otherwise your hanko might be rejected when you try to register it since it wouldn’t technically be your official name.
What Happens If You Lose Your Hanko?
While it is a bit of a hassle, it’s not the end of the world if you happen to lose your hanko. In the case of losing your ginkoin, you’ll need to contact your bank and let them know. They will have you cancel/invalidate the registration for your lost hanko and you’ll then need to register a new seal with them.
It’s a similar process if you lose your jitsuin; however, you must contact the local government office where you originally registered it. They’ll then have you sign some paperwork to cancel your lost hanko and you can get a new one to register. Also, it’s a good idea to contact the police if you lose your hanko. Both to make them aware in case someone tries to use it and also because someone may turn it in to police and you could possibly recover it.
