Japan: Postal Cards & Postcards

The two 2 Sen foreign post cards mentioned in my former post; the top is 1879 (JSCA FC4, thin white paper) and the bottom is 1892 (JSCA FC8, thick cream paper).  You may notice the slight difference in the paper color, but as mentioned, these papers may easily turn yellow/brownish so the best way for distinguishing is to check the paper thickness.  The paper of 1879 issue is really thin for a postcard !  

The fascinating thing about these 2 Sen foreign postcards are they can bear wide varieties of foreign datestamps.

Detailed information of the two postcards; 

1879 FC4 : Dispatched from Tokyo to Shanghai.  Cancelled with Tokyo Large Bota and Tokyo small circle datestamp (type RSC in "Handbook of Japanese Postmarks", 2008 Edition, JPS), April 8, 1888.  Arrival datestamp of Shanghai small circle datestamp (type C-RSC), subtype "P.O. inscription below",  April 16 1888. 

1892 FC8 : Dispatched from Ryogoku, Tokyo to New York, US. Cancelled with Musashi Tokyo Ryogoku Maru-ichi datestamp (type JBC), November 28, Meiji 26 (1893)  and Tokyo double circle datestamp with "MEIJI" year (type RME) of same date, both in brown ink, and also with Yokohama double circle datestamp with "MEIJI" year (type RME) of December 1st, Meiji 26 (1893) in black . Arrival datestamps of New York, December 22, 1893.
 


- Hironobu

1875 Small Hand Engraved Postal Cards, with Syllabics, 1 Sen (PC8).  Issued 1875 (Meiji 8) May 10. 



Similar to 5 Rin (PC7), in small format on thick normal (western) paper.   four syllabics (1, 2, 3 and 4: イ,ロ,ハ, ニ) in the value tablet.

The two issues with syllabics have been replaced by the next series, without syllabics on 1875 (Meiji 8) June 12.  This short duration makes this series far much more scarce than the next series.  Just a few in my collection, so apologies for the rather bad condition.

This particular example has a so-called "Ku-tsu-wa" (horse bit) cancellation of Yokohama, which is indeed just a worn form of negative cross cancellation, often found in Yokohama. 

- Hironobu

1875 Small Hand Engraved Postal Cards, without Syllabics, 5 Rin (PC9). Issued 1875 (Meiji 8) June 12.



Almost identical to former 5 Rin postcard (PC7), but without syllabics in the value tablet.   Printed on slightly colored western paper, likely to be identical to that of PC7.  

This postal card seems to override the former PC7, and was commonly used in Tokyo city mails, and you can find many of these bearing negative cross cancellation of Tokyo.   

-Hironobu

1875 Small format Hand Engraved Postal Cards: comparison of value tablets

Due to the design difference in the value tablet caused by omitting the syllabics, the former series and latter series of the 1875 small format hand engraved postal cards could be easily distinguished, even if the syllabics are hidden by cancellation and unreadable.   Simply look at the spacings between the upper "1" and "SEN"; the early issues (with syllabics) has wide spacings whereas the latter series (without syllabics) has distinctly narrower spacing.    Of course, existence of the syllabics is the most evident difference !




- Hironobu

I know my recent post of a Japanese post card does not look much like a Meiji koban postcard.  But on second glance, please look at the scan below of the two side-by-side.  The designs are quite similar.  That suggested it might be some sort of early essay or proof of the koban postcard.  Of course, it could also merely be a child's toy sold in a candy shop.  I recently relocated it after having set it aside in the 1970s for research.  I would sure appreciate the help.  Thank you.

Pray forgive me for rescusing this thread from the depth of oblivion to post about something that may not fit with the previous discussion. I noticed that previously forum members have been focused on old Japanese postcards that have been sent through the mail, but I am going to talk about a recent series of commercialised postcards that haven't been sent yet (but that will be sent shortly) -- so no stamp or postmark on them, not even any marking. I guess the Admin(s) will let me know if my post is inapproproate here.

My latest wonderful philatelic discovery was the A-bombed Trees' story thanks to this year's G7 stamps issued in Japan, one of them exceptionally shows a single tree (Hiroshima's official tree: the camphor tree). From there I learn about a project, named ‘Green Greetings’ (Japanese: 緑の伝言) that was founded in 2005 by two local newspaper publishers. Ever year on the 6th of August for the past 17 years, their morning editions would include key visuals serving to promote this project. Now these 17 key visuals have been printed in postcards that are available for purchase.

A few days ago, I finally received these A-bombed Tree postcards!







These cards reproduce the 17 illustrations are the key visuals published in the newspaper on the 6th of August since 2005. If you go to the project’s English site, scroll down to the ‘Project Archive’ at the bottom, you will see all the 17 key visuals. The latter ones even have English translation. I will briefly introduce these 17 designs:

2005: An A-bombed Tree map marks the starting of this project.

2006: This illustrations shows the leaves of the tree species that make up the A-bombed tree population.

2007: Images of A-bombed Trees arrange as a sheet of stamps.

2008: For this illustration, the leaves on the tree take the shape of envelope carrying messages. The leaves are like the tree’s letters that desire to be read by people around the world. The trunk of the tree is damaged due to exposure to radiation.

2009: This one focuses on the second generation of A-bombed Trees that have been brought to other places/countries.

2010: A tree once acted as the barrier to prevent the spread of the fire for a building that was destroyed in the bombing. In 1993 when it't time to rebuild the building, architect came up with a design to incorporate the surviving tree into the building with staircases going around the tree.

2011: The remain of the museum building next to this surviving tree (which only resprouted 5 years later) had protected it from being completely destroyed in the bombing. Since them, both have continued to take root in each other's company to witness the city's recovery.

2012: Camphor tree makes up the largest A-bombed Tee population. It has become a symbol of hope for the city dwellers who in 1973 voted it to be the official tree of Hiroshima.

2013: A-bombed Tree No.7, an eucalyptus whose survival that has encouraged many people including Keiji Nakazawa, manga-artist and author of Barefoot Gen.

2014: An average sakura tree is said to live between 60 to 80 years. This surviving sakura standing by a school’s entrance has lived, since the bombing of 1945, over 60 years. Students helped to carry its descendents to the rest of the country.

[From this year onward English translation is provided in the project archives.]

2015: The illustration shows selected A-bombed Trees around the hypocentre (one of them in white/pink is a sakura). Today, second and even thrid generation of the A-bombed Trees' saplings have been sent to and are now growing in different parts of the world.

2016: Many A-bombed Trees have recovered but with the side effect of bending towards the hypocentre. Because the side of their trunks that was most affected by the bombing grew more slowly than the rest of the trunk.

2017: A-bombed Tree No.22, a plane tree (Platanus) in a school yard. Its trunk has a hole which is the aftermath of the bombing. This project also aims at providing arboristic care required for these surviving trees that all have damages to their bodies to live longer.

2018: A-bombed Tree No.1, the weeping willow that is the closest tree to the hypcentre. Notice that it bends towards the direction of the hypocentre.

2019: The project has set up Google Map and an app to facilitate visitors going on am A-bombed Tree Tour.

2020: When it was time to build the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, the plan was intentionally designed to set a massive A-bombed Tree at a straight line linking the Cenotaph and the A-bomb Dome. The tree is the tallest A-bombed tree that had stood at the same spot before 1945 against the ravages of time.

2021: These 12 A-bombed Trees were planted around a temple's pond before 1945. Today, they stand still despite the drastic change in their surrounding.

I recently acquired these items that feature Miyajima's speciality -- しゃもじ (Syamoji) -- to be matched with one of the G7 Summit stamps.


[Image side.]


[Address side. Left: the name of the person sending New Year greetings and his/her address. Right: empty.]


[Wooden shaped 'postcard' with the mention of 郵便は「が」き.]

Are the paper version and the wooden version the same thing? (Barren the difference in ' はかき' and 'はがき', one of which I believe is an older appelation.) 

None of them has printed postage though.

dorincard -- Can these items be used to create (traditional) maxicards?

@linda, only the rectangular paper postcards are "approved" by traditional maximaphily.

Many postal administrations prefer only that format for processing postcards in the mailstream.

But you can mail some unusual formats and materials.
The Post will (grudgingly?) deliver.

I created some maxicards with whatever suited my fancy, and some of them are potentially mailable as postcards. Or they have already been mailed, unusual as they are.

Linda,

A modern postal card does not have an image big enough to satisfy the maximaphily purists. They prefer picture postcards.

Your blank back postcard is OK, especially since it was "commercially available" as a "postcard".

Postal cards of Doraemon issued by Japan Post (set of 5).







[The address side with printed postage]

Found in the back of a small lot of Japan Revenues. Usage a mystery to me.


       

Hugh:

I have some like that. I wrote the following on my blog: maeda-yoshihiko.blogspot.com/2024/10/1890.html

Can't upload photo here for some reasons.

Since your cards are from Meiji, Taisho, and Showa, I am sure people practiced this sort of stuff for many years. These cards are uncommon. The only reason I can think of people doing it was for a bit of privacy, making the reading more difficult for postal employees. Of course, they could still read them, but more effort was needed.

I say that on the presumption of the sender doing the blackening, and using a hard pencil to write the text. I say this, as I can see a bit of graphite on your post dated Aug 25, 2024...see the top of your second photo, slightly left of center. But then, there may be another type as you suggester, where the recipient did the blackening.

If that is the case, perhaps we can start cataloging them as Type I and Type II. And even assign sub-types? You got me interested.

Is this the correct way to reply to a post? Or do I click some link? What is the diff. between "post quick reply" and "reply"?

Wow! That unused card is wild. This is proof that blackening was done before writing message. So, we can call that Type I. Now we need to find Type II, where black was added over the text. Is that even possible? I would think blackening will pretty much cover the text, whether it is graphite or the impressions made using any form of stylus. Any thoughts?

Here is a partial blackened card with graphite over "sumi" ink. It was sent by Okamoto Naotaro of Osaka dated March 9, 1891 and addressed to Toyama (Tomiyama) Shibato (Shibahito) in Kobe. No idea what the message says, and was found about the sender, 岡本直太朗.



I uploaded another interesting card on my blog just now: maeda-yoshihiko.blogspot.com/2024/10/23820.html