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THE AMBASSADORS STAMP CLUB
"OMNIBUSCLUB"

Evolution of Japanese Stamps
(Part 2)

By Amb. Moto Nishimura

Writing about the evolution of Japanese Stamps is a fascinating subject. Without of the material, help and support of the the Institute for Posts and Telecommunications Policy (IPTP) and Osaka Kampo Center, this work would have been impossible.

 

Large Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest takes Center

January 1, 1899

There were increasingly insistent calls for the government to change the design of the Small Coin stamp, which had been in use for many years. It was replaced by a stamp whose design featured a large imperial chrysanthemum crest in the middle. This new design reflected the views of government and society at the time.
The English words identifying the country of origin as seen on the small coin stamp were also removed.
These stamps are commonly called the 'Chrysanthemum stamps.' They were used until 1913.
Part of the design of the Chrysanthemum stamps showed a post town bell, which was the symbol of transport and communications in Japan.

First Stamp Booklet Issued

December 30, 1906

The stamp booklet was issued as a convenient way of carrying around stamps while traveling. The stamp booklet consisted of several of the most commonly used stamps placed inside a cover to form a booklet.
The character for 'booklet' printed on the front was originally the character meaning 'notebook.' However, this character was excluded from the list of official Current Characters which was drawn up after the Second World War and therefore precluded from use. It was replaced by the character for 'register.' From 1954 the booklet was simply marked 'Postage Stamps' and in 1987 the name was again changed to the nickname 'Yupen.'

First Design Featuring a Person

February 20, 1908

Increasingly, mail being sent overseas required high postal charges. In some cases enough stamps of existing denominations to represent the postal charge could not fit onto the package. Furthermore, a stamp of 1 yen or higher was requests for establishment of a telephone line. New stamps were therefore issued which became known as the 'large sum stamps.' These were the first ordinary stamps to feature a person (an image of Regent Jingu) in the design.
The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 damaged the original plates that had been used up until then. The design was re-drawn and new plates were made.

Stamp Design Prize Contest

August 31, 1913

With the passing of Emperor Meiji, the new era of Taisho began. Stamp designs were completely changed. For the first time an open contest with prizes was held to select a new stamp design. An entry by Tazawa Shogen (an employee of the Printing Bureau) was chosen and adopted as the design for the new standard stamps. These stamps are known as the 'Tazawa stamps' after the design's creator.
In 1914 a watermark was included in the Tazawa stamps to prevent copying. The new versions of the stamps are commonly called the 'Taisho watermark stamps.'

First Scenery Design

January 1, 1922

The postal charges for mail sent overseas were revised with the basic charge set at double the previous cost. Charges were 4 sen to send printed matter, 6 sen to send a postcard and 20 sen for a letter. The corresponding stamps had to be produced. Three stamps featuring a design of Mount Fuji with a deer were issued and became known as the 'Fuji Deer stamps.' This was the first time that a design showing scenery had been used on a standard stamp.
The stamps were printed using the three colors green, red and blue that were established by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) Agreement. Each denomination was a different color. The stamps were issued with various subsequent color changes until 1937.

Stamps Printed by a Non-government Corporation

October 25, 1923

The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 destroyed the warehouses of the Printing Bureau and Communications Ministry (the current Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications). The equipment necessary for producing stamps and most of the stamps which had been stored were lost. As an emergency measure to make up for the shortage of stamps, the government consigned production of stamps to a private corporation. This corporation produced stamps known as the 'Earthquake stamps.'
The stamps did not have perforations or glue, but a watermark called the 'earthquake watermark' was used. The Printing Bureau was reconstructed much sooner than expected and the earthquake stamps were abolished on April 30, 1925.

Issue of Stamps Featuring Scenery

July 5, 1926

In 1925 the Overseas Postal Regulations were revised and postal charges were reduced. To correspond with the new overseas postal charges, three types of stamps featuring Mount Fuji, the Tosho Shrine in Nikko and Nagoya Castle were issued.
These were the first standard stamps in Japan to have a rectangular shape. The stamps feature well-known places in Japan and the stamps have become known as the 'Scenery stamps.'
These stamps were issued on various types of paper and in different colors until 1937.

To Be Continued. Part III in the Next Issue...

Amb. Moto Nishimura, MA, Ed.D, Vice Dean of Rotary Peace Ambassadors and Hon. Member of the Rotary Club of Wagga Wagga-Kooringal, RI Dist. 9700. He is a peace educator and a strong advocate for healthy cultural interactions.

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