Since the 19th century, people have purchased stamps to place atop these messages (or letters, as they were called) and pay for the privilege of having it delivered to their intended contact. The was done by the Post Office. Okay, I'm being a tad sarcastic just by explaining what a letter is, but really... when was the last time you actually sent someone a letter by so-called snail mail?
During my time in Ohtawara-shi (city), Tochigi-ken (Province of Tochigi) in Japan in the early 1990s, I sent out quite literally over 10 letters a week to various people. That's over 1500 letters in three years.
I had already been a stamp collector prior to arriving in Japan (and had also collected coins, comic books, sports cards and more as a hobby). Collecting Japanese stamps was a natural progression for a guy who had no idea how to save his money because he (me) lived by the motto: "Whomever dies and has the most toys, wins."
What is International Letter Writing Week? Y'know... it is exactly what it sounds like, and is like Valentine's Day... a made-up holiday to sell things. in this case, it's to sell stamps while catering to the stamp collector market. So... I guess it caters to me.
I can't find any data describing what days this week actually refers to. I do know that it was begun by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), however, which is a department of the United Nations that coordinates global postal services. Apparently, October 9 is World Post Day, which is celebrated as such because that was when the UPU was founded in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. And, just because we're talking about Japan, this day was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo in 1969.
Prior to that, beginning in 1958 - October 5, to be exact, Japan's post officer began issuing stamps to promote International Letter Writing Week. From what I understand, the actual week in Japan is set at October 6 - 12 every year. I can only guess that it begins with the date of the Japanese stamp's issue every year.
Up above is a scan of one of my mint stamps of the 1958 Japanese issue (C281 in the Sakura catalog of Japanese stamps). It depicts an ukiyo-e (woodblock print) painted by famed artist Hiroshige - I believe it is called : "Kyoto".
Have a look here at some of the individual stamps from this annual Japanese event: LICKED.
Somewhere not quite in mint condition,
Andrew Joseph
Today's title is by Donna Summer from a song she released in 2008. It's dance/disco, but it fit the mold. STAMP IT!
