Stamps, Japanese, 1944

The story of Japan’s postal system with its postage stamps and related postal history goes back centuries. The country’s first modern postal service started in 1871, with mail professionally travelling between Kyoto and Tokyo as well as the latter city and Osaka.

Japan’s growing postal system relied heavily on human-powered transport, including rickshaws, as well as horse-drawn methods of delivery. For example, while commemorating the 50th anniversary of Japan’s postal service, the country’s 1921 government released decorative postcards depicting intrepid horseback riders carrying the mail. Prior to the 1920s, local delivery was mainly by men- and horsepower, not principally different to Europe.

A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage. Then the stamp is affixed to the face or address-side of any item of mail—an envelope or other postal cover (e.g., packet, box, mailing cylinder)—which they wish to send. The item is then processed by the postal system, where a postmark or cancellation mark—in modern usage indicating date and point of origin of mailing—is applied to the stamp and its left and right sides to prevent its reuse. People buy stamps as a way to pay for the service of mailing a letter or package.

Stamps, Japanese, 1944 - image1

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