How to write a Japanese address on an envelope?

Question:

I live in America, and I want to send my friend a letter for his birthday. What is the correct format of a Japanese address on an envelope?

And, will the Japanese postal service be able to understand the address if I write it in English?

Please give me examples of address in the order they would go on an envelope. Thank you so much!

Answer:

Yes, they will understand it. If you write it in "western letters" it is standard to write it as it it written in the west. Addresses vary based on where exactly they are. I'm outside of Tokyo (where the streets do not have names, very common here) and mine (in western letters) is written:

Name

Area, House #
(City)-shi
(Prefecture)-ken
000-0000

But in Tokyo cities, there are wards and districts, so it is written (example pulled from wiki):

Tokyo Central Post Office
5-3, Yaesu 1-Chome
Chuo-ku, Tokyo 100-8994

or in other words:

Name
City Block-Building #, City District
(Ward)-ku, City, Postal Code

And there are other slight regional variations. Read the wiki for complete info!!