A Map of Fukei-in (scenic postmarks) in Japan (bilingual post)

[delda]

Beside fukei-in that are available at many Japanese post offices for a long period of time, there exists another kind pictorial postmark in Japan, called kogata-in (小型印, literally it means ‘small cancel’), which measures 32mm in diameter. These kogata-in are usually commemorative of certain events, and are available for a much shorter period of time ranging from one day to one year. Exceptionally, the usage of the kogata-in can get an extension (to this date I know the usage of 3 kogata-in have been extended beyond an year).

You will find the most recent kogata-in on Japan Post website:

小型印 - 日本郵便

Personally, I have this webpage always open on my browser, so I start my everyday by looking if there is any new kogata-in that interests me

The Doraemon Tram postmark shown in my previous post is a kogata-in that is available until 30 November this year. If you want to get it, here is where you need to send your request:

高岡郵便局
「ドラえもんトラム運行10周年記念」記念押印担当 あて
〒933-8799
富山県高岡市御馬出町34
Japan

[delda]

2 other kogata-in of limited availability that I think will interest a great many Postcrossers feature the anime Gundam:

(1) The iconic RX-78-2

小田原郵便局
「ガンダムマンホール設置2周年記念」記念押印担当あて
〒250-8799
神奈川県小田原市栄町１-１３-１３
Japan

(2) MSM-07S Z’Gok

小田原東郵便局
「ガンダムマンホール設置2周年記念」記念押印担当あて
〒256-8799
神奈川県小田原市前川１４－１
Japan

I will organise a giveaway / lottery to help those who have difficulty acquiring Japanese stamps to get these two postmarks. More about this in the next few days.

[delda]

From a foreigner’s point of view, I think the main challenge in collecting Japanese postmarks is getting enough of mint stamps for the return postage.

Japan Post’s online shop doesn’t accept foreign credit cards and don’t ship to oversea address, so buying Japanese stamps can be an issue for those who live abroad.

You may buy a small number of stamps through proxy such as Buyee, but the cost is rather high.

Sometimes I can find a bargain on Mercari, but most of the time Japanese mint stamps are traded on Yahoo Auction Japan! Bidding on this platform requires passing through a proxy too.

Overall, there is no easy (or cheap) way of overcoming this obstacle.

[delda]

@mooseontheloose –

I will share some of the fukei-in I have collected or helped others to collect that are missing on your map.

HOKKAIDO

美瑛郵便局
〒071-0299
北海道上川郡美瑛町栄町２－１－２

It shows a cottonwood, the ‘patchwork hills’ that attracts countless visitors to Biei, and the Mount Tokachi in the background.

宗谷岬郵便局
〒098-6758
北海道稚内市宗谷岬８－２

Its fukei-in depicts the monument that marks the northernmost point of Japan and a monument of 間宮林蔵, an explorer who mapped out areas of northeast Asia then unknown to Japanese.

東室蘭郵便局
〒050-8799
北海道室蘭市東町２－２７－２

It’s a bit blurry, but the centre of the cancel depicts Muroran Port in the shape of a ship, and in the background is Mount Sokuryo, on the top of which transmition towers (for TV, radio, etc.) stand together with an observatory.

室蘭母恋郵便局
〒051-0003
北海道室蘭市母恋南町２－４－１

This cancel depicts the lighthouse at Cape Chikyu and Charatsunai beach.

室蘭郵便局
〒051-8799
北海道室蘭市中央町１－１－１０

This whale-shaped cancel depicts the Hakucho Bridge and seagull. It is a「変形印」(deformed cancel).

函館港町郵便局
〒041-0821
北海道函館市港町１－２０－２３

This pictorial cancel shows the Goryokaku Tower, the Port of Hakodate, and radio towers on the top of Mount Hakkodate.

函館堀川郵便局
〒040-0025
北海道函館市堀川町５－１７

This cancel shows the city’s tramway, a statue of the poet Takuboku Ishikawa who had worked and was burried in Hakodate, and the Mount Hakodate in the background.

函館松川郵便局
〒040-0074
北海道函館市松川町２３－２６

This cancel depicts the Russian Orthodox Church in Hakodate.

[delda]

TOHOKU

花巻藤沢町郵便局
〒025-0096
岩手県花巻市藤沢町４１１－３

3 elements are incorporated into this pictorial cancel of Hanamaki:

1. The gigantic mural depicting Night on the Galactic Railroad by Kenji Miyazawa in Hanamaki, which uses pigments that absorbs ultra-violet light to shine at night.
2. An image of Amida Nyorai (阿弥陀如来), the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism.
3. A flower: kobushi magnolia.
   
   

花巻二枚橋郵便局
〒025-0314
岩手県花巻市二枚橋町大通り２－１１－３

Kenji Miyazawa once held an academic position in agricultural science when he was teaching in Morioka. At one point due to illness and hoping to develop a closer connexion to the life of peasants, he retired to an impoverished region of Hanamaki to work on a farm. There, he established a private school (私塾) called 羅須地人協会 to teach the locals about modern cultivation techniques improved by scientific methods. It took place at one of Miyazawa family’s residential buildings depicted in this pictorial cancel. On the tablet (in the cancel) is inscribed an exerpt taken from Miyazawa’s「農民芸術概論綱要」 (Introduction to Farmer’s Art).

仙台八幡町郵便局
〒980-0871
宮城県仙台市青葉区八幡４－１－３

This cancel shows the main shrine of Osaki Hachimangu Shrine (大崎八幡宮), which was made into a National Treasure of Japan.

[mooseontheloose]

These are fantastic! I’ll add them to map, but it’s slow going with 10,000 cancels! I’ve almost finished the Kansai area, then I’ll start working on other regions.

[delda]

KANTO

日光郵便局
〒321-1499
栃木県日光市中鉢石町８９６－１

This cancel shows a bunch of important cultural properties in Nikko:
(a) Nikko Toshogu Yomeimon Gate
(b) Nikko Toshogu five-storied pagoda
(c) Shinkyo Bridge
(d) Nikko’s Cedar Avenue.

芝郵便局
〒105-8799
東京都港区西新橋３－２２－５

This cancel that shows Tokyo Tower has been in use since 1959, the next year when the tower’s construction was complete.

六本木ヒルズ郵便局
〒106-6106
東京都港区六本木６－１０－１（六本木ヒルズ森タワー６階）

The main subject of depiction in this cancel is Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, the 54-story skyscraper in which Mori Art Museum is located.

横浜港郵便局
〒231-8799
神奈川県横浜市中区日本大通５－３

名古屋東新町郵便局
〒460-0004
愛知県名古屋市中区新栄町３－１２

This cancel shows the Nagoya Castle and one of the two golden shachi (鯱) on the roof of the castle. Shachi is a Japanese mythological creature living in the sea with a tiger head and a carp body who can summon clouds and control the rain. As such, it is commonly seen in traditional Japanese architecture as a talisman to prevent fire.

[delda]

KANSAI

京都清水郵便局
〒605-0862
京都府京都市東山区清水4-180

This cancel depicts the stage of Kiyomizu-dera, Kiyomizu ware and vase.

Kiyomizu-dera is by far one of the most popukar buddhist temples in Japan. It’s strategically located halfway up Kyoto’s Higashiyama mountain peak, which offers stunning scenery throughout the four seasons. It’s a popular location to view cherry blossoms in the spring, and coloured leaves in the fall.

In front of its main hall is a veranda, called Kiyomizu Stage, that is suspended off a steep cliff and supported by 18 large pillars that are about 13-metre high. Originally, it was a place where Noh dance-drama was peformed to the Buddha. Today this traditional wooden structure is a popular touristic attraction that allows visitors to overview the city of Kyoto.

京都北白川郵便局
〒606-8265
京都府京都市左京区北白川東小倉町１

There are 3 symbols of Kyoto incorporated into this cancel:

(a) Higashiyama Jisho-ji (commonly called Gingaku-ji), a Zen temple in Kyoto which by legend is said to have been conceived to emulate the gold-leaf coated Kinkaku-ji.

(b) Shirakawa women dressed in kimono and holding a bouquet of flowers over their head. Today, these women can be seen at the annual Jidai Matsuri (時代祭, lit. ‘Festival of the Ages’), which includes a historical reenactment parade dressed in historically authentic costumes (for an example of the procession involving Shirakawa women, please see this Youtube video).

(c) The character ‘大’ of the Daimonji (大文字) festival, during which five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding Kyoto.

[delda]

CHUGOKU

広島小町郵便局
〒730-0041
広島県広島市中区小町２－２０

This cancel shows a peace dove with the Atomic Bomb Dome, which is part of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park today.

宮島郵便局
〒739-0559
広島県廿日市市宮島町５９０

This cancel of Itsukushima depicts a scenery as seen from the noh stage of the famous Itsukushima Shrine (commonly called ‘Miyajima-jinja’) that is located on an island off Hiroshima prefecture. It shows the ‘floating’ giant torii gate that is immersed under the sea at high tide, and a Noh danse performance used to pay homage to gods.

[delda]

KYUSHU

長崎松山郵便局
〒852-8118
長崎県長崎市松山町６－８

This cancel depicts the Peace Statue in the Peace Park in Nagasaki.

長崎北郵便局
〒852-8799
長崎県長崎市川口町９－２０

Like the previous cancel, this cancel shows the Peace Statue in Nagasaki together with the Urakami Cathedral (浦上天主堂), which was destroyed by the bombing and was rebuilt in 1959.

長崎小曽根郵便局
〒850-0937
長崎県長崎市小曽根町１－３２

The subject of depiction in this cancel and the matching stamps is the Oura Church (大浦天主堂) in Nagasaki, which is said to be the oldest Christian church in Japan. Together with some 11 other sites related to Catholic persecution in Japan, this church was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

熊本中央郵便局
〒860-8799
熊本県熊本市中央区新町２－１－１

This cancel depicts the Kumanoto Castle and the erupting Aso Volcano in the background.

鹿児島中央郵便局
〒890-8799
鹿児島県鹿児島市中央町１－２

This cancel shows 3 elements representative of Kagoshima:
(a) The statue of the Japanese samurai and nobleman Saigo Takamori (西鄕隆盛, 1828-1877), native of Kagoshima and one of the three nobles who led the Meiji Restoration that modernised Japan. His statues are everywhere in the city of Kagoshima.
(b) City of Kagoshima as seen from atop a hill.
(c) Sakurajima – Sakura Island, right off Kagoshima Port, on which the most active volcano of Japan is located. It is constently erupting and dropping volcanic ash. A popular souvenir of the area mixes this volcanic ash from the island and concrete to make all sorts of small sculptures and decorative objects.

大泊郵便局
〒893-2604
鹿児島県肝属郡南大隅町佐多馬籠８７２

This cancel depicts the souternmost point of Japan, Cape Sata and an observatory.

[delda]

OKINAWA

首里寒川郵便局
〒903-0826
沖縄県那覇市首里寒川町２－６３

This cancel depicts the main hall of Shuri Castle that was destroyed by fire in 2019, and the Shuri Kinjo-cho (Shuri cobblestone street).

[delda]

@mooseontheloose

Rachelle – These photos are all mine, except the one for 花巻二枚橋郵便局. You can use and edit them anyway you like.

[delda]

@mooseontheloose

I’d also like to create a list of the “small” postmarks, the ones that are black (not red) and often just for a limited time (like letter-writing day, or from USJ, etc.).

Those ‘small cancels’ are called kogata-in (小型印). They seem to be imprinted with red ink as well — at least for the Doraemon Tram cancel I got recently (please see my previous posts).

[mooseontheloose]

Thanks @delda!

I have another question, maybe you or someone else can answer. I notice that in most post offices, when I ask for a hand cancel (whether fukei-in or kogata-in) that the staff records every time those cancels are used in a book by stamping those cancels in the book. It’s usually the kogata-in, I always seem to be the one to ask them to pull out the big hand stamp for the fukei-in (they usually update the date while I’m there). Does anyone know why the reason why they do this? I’m sure it’s just something banal like keeping track of usage, but you never know.

[delda]

@mooseontheloose

the staff records every time those cancels are used in a book by stamping those cancels in the book

To be honest, I have never seen any staff recording that a fukei-in was used in a book. Is it only done in Kyoto area?

When I get inside a Japanese post office asking for a fukei-in (usually I show them an image I found online), the staff would go to get a wooden box that contains the fukei-in and an ink pad from a shelf or a drawer. After adjusting the date on the fukei-in, the staff would test it by applying the postmark on a loose sheet of waste paper; sometimes they even show me the test result to make sure that it’s what I want. Then they rotate and position the rubber stamp many times before applying it on the item I present. The whole process is meticulous (they really take great care in postmarking), but I have never seen anyone pulling out a book to record anything.

Another time to a post office staff I presented an unusual request, not about the fukei-in, but about the regular Japanese cancel (it’s for a philatelist friend living in the U.S. who couldn’t get those specific stamps postally used, so she fixed mint copies on a large sheet of paper and asked me to have them hand-cancelled in person). The lady double checked with me every location where the postmark should be applied, and did so very attentively, but again there was no ‘stamping in a book’ in my presence.

[mooseontheloose]

Actually, it’s not something I have noticed here in Kyoto, but maybe it’s because I only go to the big post offices here. However, on my recent trips to Shiga, Mie, and Wakayama (just got back yesterday), I’d say in about 90% of the cases (almost always in small postal offices), that they pulled out a big ledger book that has a kind of grid on the page (the rectangles are big enough to handle the cancels) and would stamp the cancel into the book. Unfortunately I don’t have a picture to show because I’m sure they’d say no (although I suppose it doesn’t hurt to ask).

[delda]

I too usually went to small post offices while travelling from Hokkaido to Okinawa, but I was in Japan only between October 2022 and January 2023. Maybe things have changed since then?

[mooseontheloose]

I don’t know. I’m fairly new to cancel-collecting but this is something I’ve noticed in at least 3 different prefectures (Shiga, Mie, Wakayama). I’ve haven’t noticed in Kyoto, Nara, Hyogo, or Osaka, but when I get cancels there they seem to almost always do them out of sight, so maybe the ledger is someplace I haven’t noticed. If I can figure out a polite way to ask why they do it, I’ll try to find out.

[delda]

@delda

Additional notes about rule #2:

I forgot to mention that your fukei-in request should be addressed clearly to the post office staff. Or else they may think it’s intended for someone who will come to pick the mail up and dare not open it. I have added more notes about this in my original post above.

[delda]

Here is the current postage rate charged by Japan Post for international lettermail:

Sending a standard-sized postcard to the rest of the world requires 70 yen.

Note that irregular-shaped postcard such as a gotochi counts as an oversized lettermail, which costs more to send.