Tag: Japan stamp

So many of the stamps I write about display how a far off place is changing. Japan like so many places saw movement of people to big cities and delay of mairage to allow the female to establish a career. A song for children came out of that, perhaps to remind how things once were. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

This stamp is from a long issue of Japanese issues celebrating classic Japanese music, one song at a time. What a great idea for a series of stamps, recognizing the culture as a national treasure. This song is called Akatombo, written in 1927, based on a poem from 1921. You can hear the song here, https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=japanese+song+red+dragonfly&docid=608042600148697588&mid=7F1C6AA85CEADCDA3BD57F1C6AA85CEADCDA3BD5&view=detail&FORM=VIRE   .

Todays stamp is issue A982, a 50 Yen stamp issued by Japan on September 18th, 1980. Two stamps from this long series were issued on that day. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.

The song imagines from the point of view of a young adult looking back. The fantasy/memory of a toddler boy being carried on the shoulders of his big sister back home in a small Japanese village and spotting a red dragon fly siting at the end of a bamboo pole during the colors of sunset. Adding melancholy to the memory is that the big sister at 15 was about to go off and marry never to be heard from again and the toddler was to grow up into a man who gives up his village himself. The song was part of the 1920-1930s Doyo movement in Japanese children’s music. The Doyo movement sought to address the overemphasis on patriotism and westernization in what was coming in the new public schools’ music curriculum.

The song started as a poem by Rofu Miki. His story was close to the story except it was mama that left the home never to be heard from again when his parents divorced at age 5. After the divorce Miki’s mother became a large force in the Japanese women’s movement. When she was laid to rest in 1962, her tombstone read, “Here lies the mother of the dragon fly”.

The song is still very popular in Japan and not just for children. It is often played on I guess not quite church bells at 5:00 o’clock PM signaling the end of the workday. The home village of Miki also has a monument to the song.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the village dragonfly. Who of us cannot relate.  Come again soon for another story to be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.

Michio Miyagi was a blind musician who played the Koto, a Japanese instrument derived from a Chinese Zither. By playing traditional pieces and modifying the instrument to better play western pieces, Miyagi was able to keep interest in an old instrument during a period of rapid westernizing. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

Stamps don’t usually produce sound, except for a few farm out publicity stunt stamps. Therefore it is difficult to convey a musical artist’s talent. On this stamp a different tact is taken. Miyagi is shown to be blind and the complexity of the many strings and moveable bridges of the koto shows the challenges he experienced expressing himself through music.

Todays stamp is issue A1645, an 80 Yen stamp issued by Japan on November 4th, 1994. It was a four stamp issue over several years displaying Japanese cultural icons, in this case koto musician and teacher Michio Miyagi. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 35 cents used.

Traditional Japanese instruments were in decline during the early 20th century as Japan opened up to western culture. Mr. Miyagi was an unlikely person to bring it back. He had a serious eye infection as a child that left him sightless. Already his mother had left the family and he was taken in by his grandmother. He had music lessons on the koto and was certified as a teacher before he was even 10. His family moved to Jinsen, Chosen in the then Japanese colony in modern Korea. Miyagi supported the family by offering lessons. To prepare students for playing the koto, Mr. Miyagi had them apply car wax in a wax on then wax off style. Just Kidding.  At 13, he composed his first piece and this made him known in the music community as a child prodigy. He married and then set out for Tokyo to reach a wider audience.

At first there were many challenges. An old Koto master that had offered career support had been assassinated just prior to Miyagi’s arrival. Also in short order his wife died. Things must have seemed dark.

Miyagi the next year was able to remarry a new wife from a rich family. She was able to put him on a concert tour where he was able to feature a section of his compositions. They were often heavily influenced by western music and he was able to attract a younger audience. He began experimenting with new versions of the koto instrument. An 18 string bass koto and an 80 string version were constructed to better add the sound of the koto to western music. In 1925, Miyagi was able to get a foothold on Japanese radio from the first broadcasts. In 1932, French violinist Renee Clemet toured Japan and he convinced her to play her violin on his signature song “Hari no Umi”. The recording was a world wide hit and soon his works were released worldwide. In 1956 Miyagi fell off a subway train to his death at age 62.

The koto instrument has indeed survived. It even can be heard on some progressive western rock tracts. Notably the British bands Asia on “Heat of the moment” and Genesis on “Mama” The American pop/soul duo A Taste of Honey used a Koto extensively on their 1981 hit “Sukiyaki”. The koto was played by band member Hazel Payne and the song was a reworking of an old Japanese song. You can hear it here,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUBmtfH6pvY  .

Well my drink is empty and I am left to await next year, err Thursday when there will be another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. All the best for 2020. First published i n2019.

We here a lot about Europe getting back to work after the war. It is a frequent topic in the USA as we like to take credit for it by way of the Marshall Aid plan. Japan also got back to work fast and became an industrial powerhouse. One area that fell short though was mining, where loss of empire was clearly felt. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The most remarkable thing about this stamp issues appearance is how it is just a typical Japanese stamp that could be from any era, excepting a new issue. Here we must give some credit to the Allied occupation under General MacArthur. They were still allowing Japan to be Japan, even in defeat. One interesting thing is that it was already the second Japanese post war stamp to feature coal miners. They must have mistakenly thought that coal would be an important part of a hoped for comeback.

Todays stamp is issue A210, a 5 Yen stamp issued by Japan in 1948. The coal miner stamp was part of a 10 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used. As a bulk mailing stamp, unused copies are more rare and valueable. A booklet of 20 of this stamp unused is worth $300.

In the early twentieth century mining was very important to the Empire. In addition to local output there was gold mining in Korea, iron and coal mining in China, and coal mining in Formosa. In 1942, the world’s worst mining disaster, a Japanese run coal mine in occupied China suffered a coal dust explosion that killed 1500 Chinese laborers and 30 Japanese overseers. Most died when ventilation was shut off to put out the fire. The 1967 Bee Gees song seems to have got it wrong placing the disaster in New York in 1941. That all was over after the war. Given how they were run, perhaps that was for the best.

Japan still had small coal deposits at the extreme north and the extreme south of the country. It was located in expensive to axcess veins that required inclined gallery style mining instead of regular pit coal mines. This made imported coal much cheaper to use and Japan became a big importer. Over time of course cleaner sources of energy have been tapped.

Many of the Japanese mines closed in the 70s and 80s. By 1988, less than .2 percent of Japanese workers were employed in mining. In 1974, a small southern Japanese island called Battleship was abandoned by the conglomerate Mitsubishi after the mine reserve there was exhausted. The town around the mine was built of concrete and fortified against typhoons resembling a battleship. For 45 years the concrete city has decayed without anybody living there. See Below.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another drink to toast the coal exporting nations who stepped in to supply Japan’s coal shortfall. It would be a short list of people in those years getting rich off exports to Japan. Come again  for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.

The fact of World War II was that most pilots gave their lives to the cause. Even in victory, the British pilot death toll was 46%. For Germany and especially Japan that toll was even higher. For a few, including todays subject, their skill was so great it saved them. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

A pilot saluting his flag. It must be remembered that this portrait is not a kamikaze. This pilot was expected to win and come back home to tell about it. In general, that was too optimistic. Without misplaced optimism, how many wars would be started.

Todays stamp is issue A150, a 15 Sen stamp issued by Imperial Japan in 1942. It was part of a 16 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $1.50 used.

Today I will tell the story of Japanese Naval Lieutenant Tetsuzo Iwamoto who was one of Japan’s leading fighter aces. According to his diary from the time, he shot down 202 aircraft with his Mitsubishi Zero fighter. Iwamoto was an ace even before Pearl Harbor having been based in Nanking, China and scoring 14 victories against Chinese flown, Russian made Polikarpov I-15 fighters, an out of date biplane fighter. 1942-1944 saw Iwamoto stationed at Rabual in New Guinea where he was in almost constant combat with Australian and American flown fighters. Here his diary credited him with 48 Corsairs, 7 Wildcats, 29 Hellcats, 4 Spitfires, 4 P38s, and 75 various model bombers. The Zero became more out of date as the war went along but never lost it’s unparalleled agility in the hands of an expert pilot. Iwamoto stated that he knew how to beat the American fighters but was impressed how much punishment the heavier fighters could take and keep flying, much more so than his light Zero.

Iwamoto was promoted through the ranks and commissioned as an officer. In 1944 he was transferred back to Japan to train Kamikaze pilots and perform air defense missions including over Okinawa. Unlike Germany where some of the surviving aces were issued jets in the last days of the war hoping for a miracle, Iwamoto flew Zeros till the end.

Iwamoto was not treated well by his homeland after the war. Called in for questioning several times by the occupation forces, he was not charged with war crimes. He was however blacklisted for employment. There was much pacifist propaganda that viewed the veterans as the pawns of warmongers. Though he desired to fly again for the rest of his life it was not to be. He suffered a misdiagnosed pendacites and then died of sepsis in hospital at age 38 in 1954. The Japanese Self Defense Force Air reformed that same year.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast Lieutenant Iwamoto. I think enough time has passed that we can admire the skill and bravery of veterans of all sides of World War 2. Come again for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.

Sometimes it is surprising what continues in a troubled time. Japan, for the first time in it’s history was occupied by a foreign military. There was a great shortage of food, much damage, many returning from overseas, and an old establishment trying to retain it’s position. There were however versions of this stamp issue to commemorate stamp collecting shows. There were also performances of Noh plays, that dated from the 14th century. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The image on this stamp is not the image of a baby but a mask used by an actor during a Noh play. Through the use of a mask, a then all male actor could portray old or young, male or female. Through tilting his head, the actor is able to convey an emotion  through the mask. The mask is painted egg shells over a base of cypress wood

Todays stamp is issue A172, a 50 yen stamp issued by Japan when it was under post war occupation. This was a thirteen stamp issue in different denominations. Most were issued without gum on the back. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $2 used.

Noh plays began in the 14th century. They are musical plays on serious subjects performed in succession often  with comedic interludes in between. The plays were often based off Japanese literature. Usually a supernatural takes on a human form  to face a challenge on earth. There is another actor playing an antagonist.

The performance of Noh plays became much less common in the 19th century as Japan industrialized and westernized. Then a strange thing happened. There was a movement among the children  of Japan’s newly well off to study the old techniques. As many of the children taking the classes were girls, the acting, chorus and band roles began to open to them,  it would be a while yet before women would be allowed in professional adult performances. The professional adult performances now continue with major government subsidies as Noh is recognized as an important part of Japanese heritage.

Japan was in a fairly desperate state when this stamp was issued. Japan during the war had kept themselves fed by bringing in food from the occupied territories. During the American occupation called Operation Blacklist this was replaced by American food aid paid for by loans to Japan. The many occupation troops also brought with them their own food so not to further tax the Japanese shortage. America launched a series of reforms modeled on the American new deal. Fighting this was the well off under the old system. Where it worked best was in agriculture, where about 40 % of the farmland was bought from the rich and given at token prices to the peasants. In industry, America wanted to break apart the system  of business alliances that choked competition. There was little luck with this though the alliances took a new name called keretzu that indicated they were less formal.

The occupation faded between 1949 and 1952 and the large occupation force mostly left to fight in Korea. On the last official day of it in 1952, a large Japanese newspaper complained that the occupation left the people of Japan listless, irresponsible, and obsequious. Perhaps I could suggest they should see an old play or take up stamp collecting?

Well my drink is empty and nobody is seeing public plays right now. Many indeed are feeling listless, irresponsible, and obsequious. I have a suggestion for them. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.

Japan was very excited to host the 1964 Summer Olympics. To make sure they were ready, The country decided on a dry run, a pre Olympics to try out logistics and venues. The International Olympic Committee said they don’t do pre Olympics, so this became the Tokyo International Sports Meet. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The Japanese stamp issues around the 1964 definitely give off a Japanese feel with the color choices. Showing the athletes as individuals instead of as part of teams is an interesting choice and I think comports with the original Olympic ideal of a countries best having a chance to show that individually.

Todays stamp is issue A507, a 10 Yen stamp issued by Japan on October 11th, 1963, the first day of the international sports meet. It was a single stamp issue. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents whether used or unused.

Tokyo was originally scheduled to host the 1940 Summer Olympics that did not end up happening. Remember Tokyo was also to host the 2020 games that also didn’t come off. In preparation for the 1940 games, many venues were constructed and were ready  for the 1964 games. Japan worried they were not and so wanted a dry run. The International meet was scheduled exactly a year before to match weather and Japanese diplomats sought out prominent athletes from around the world for an expense paid trip to Tokyo.

Japan was very worried about traffic between the hotel hosting the athletes and the spread out venues but extra traffic cops with simple placards reading stop and go worked very well.

The weather was also a worry. It was thought that Tokyo was too hot in actual summertime to host the Olympics and September was typhoon season so October was chosen. Typhoons were the nightmare of the organizers. On the first day of the meet, Typhoon Kit was heading toward Japan and the weather was already wet and windy. There were two more typhoons behind Kit named Lola and Mamie. Thankfully one by one the typhoons changed course and left the games with nice weather.

At the Daiichi Hotel where the international athletes stayed Japan had arraigned for thirteen house detectives to keep the male athletes off the female athlete’s floor. They were not completely successful. 15 year old Swedish swimmer Elisabeth Ljunggren announced that she had fallen in love with 21 year old German swimmer Hans Joachim Klein. He then said that though of course he liked her, he would not describe their relationship as love. Whatever it was, both athletes won gold medals.

It was quite an effort to bring in the world athletes. At the 1952 games in Melbourne Australian Harold Conally hammer thrower had fallen for a Czech discus thrower named Olga. By 1963 they were married, raising a family in Finland. The Japanese delegation visited them in their home to try to get them to  participate in the 1963 meet. Harold was still in competitive form. Olga was embarrassed when she was also invited. She told the Japanese delegation that she was no longer in competitive form so it would be wrong for her to go on the free trip to Tokyo. The Japanese discussed it and said that Olga, as a famous Olympic gold medalist should come anyway and tour Japanese schools exercising with the children  while her husband competed. She went and it was the impetus for Olga to get back into shape for the 1964 Olympics.

The dry run went off quite well. The ceremonies were timed to the minute except the opening ceremonies running three minutes late. In the dry run for the dry run, the dignitaries had been impersonated  by school children and the the children proved faster at getting off the stands for the march out.

Well my drink is empty and heres hoping that the reschedule of the Tokyo Olympics is able to come off. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting

This stamp was part of a series of souvenir sheets that celebrated historic sites around Japan that were now recognized as world heritage sites. I often make fun of the United Nations for fecklessness, but this is one of the best things they do. Recognizing what is important culturally and historically  and speaking above politics and with one world voice for the preservation. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

One can see from the detailing how much care was taken to show these stamp subjects in the best light. This stamp issue comprised six sheets of 10 stamps each. Think of the effort that must have gone in to getting just the right photo and then making sure that it is going to show properly on a small postage stamp. Now add the detailing for the rest of the souvenir sheet. Now combine that effort 60 times over and remember this is all just one stamp issue of many. Good job, Japan.

Todays stamp is issue A2129, an 80 Yen stamp issued by Japan in 2001. Each of the 6 souvenir sheets contained 10 stamps and showed views of the UNESCO World Heritage site in a certain locale, in this case Nikko. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 55 cents individually used. The full sheet of 10 is worth $18. All the six sheets and all the individual stamps have the same stated value.

The Nikko temple and shrines complex was built in the 17th century. The 103 buildings of the complex include 3 temples, two of which are Shinto and one of which is Buddhist. The buildings are still under the ownership of their respective religious organizations. The whole complex is surrounded by an old growth forest that dates from the time of the buildings. They are considered to be great examples of the Edo period of Japanese architecture and are quite reverential to Shogun Tokugawa leyasa. This period is important because at the time Japan was united but closed off to the outside world, with the exception of a small Dutch trading post. The growth of a new aristocracy led to decorations from this period to be notably elaborate.

Japan applied and was successful in applying for the UNESCO declaration of the importance of the site at Nikko which was granted in 1999. Already back in 1950 the whole complex was declared a national treasure that limited changes that could be made. The site is blessed in that it has never gone through a period of being looted or neglected. In 1957 the old growth forest that provides such a strong background and context to the site was made a national park to avoid development.

The biggest threat to a complex like this is fire and this is where changes were allowed. Sprinklers and hydrants now abound and there is a designated fire brigade.

Well my drink is empty and I will happily pour another to toast Japan for doing such a good job with their heritage sites and their stamp designers for highlighting the effort. Come again tomorrow for another storythat can be learned from stamp collecting.

Why is old Japanese man writing a letter in old style German. I thought he might be some sort of ambassador from the Axis alliance period. That man of course would not be getting honored with a postage stamp in modern Japan. Instead this is more interesting from a time when Japanese realized they had much to learn from the west in general and a man might find the broadened horizons life changing in the individual. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The stamp promotes the 8th Congress of the international Association of German studies. The group promotes the fact that the German language is the basis also for Dutch, the Scandinavian languages, and Yiddish. The commonality means there is a basis for cooperation. Well fine, but what does that have to do with Japan. The Japanese stamp designer might have peaked your interest to study the connection. Subtly but the more you look the more there is to see.

Todays stamp is issue A1578, a 62 Yen stamp issued by Japan on August 27th, 1990. It was a single stamp issue. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents used.

In 1620, the Dutch were able to set up a trading post near Nagasaki that was tolerated by the Shogun Japanese governments. The Dutch were there to facilitate exports of silk and deer hides to the West. Soon a two way trade developed as the Japanese realized the Dutch were far ahead in areas like industry and medicine.This gained knowledge was called Rangaku. Mori Ogai was born into a family of physicians that served Japanese feudal lords in 1862. As part of his medical training to join the family practice, Mori studied the Dutch language to better make use of the Dutch medical textbooks being used. Upon graduation, the new physician was commissioned into the Imperial Japanese Army medical corps. Through the Army an opportunity to further his studies for four years in Germany opened up. His knowledge of Dutch made Mori the obvious choice for the German opportunity.

Upon returning to Japan in 1888, Mori rose rapidly in the medical corps, eventually becoming it’s head. What he is most famous for however is his writing career that began after his return. His first book, “The Dancing Girl” was quite a sensation in Japan. It was the autobiographical story of a Japanese exchange student that had an affair with a German dancer named Elise. When it was time to return to Japan, the student has to chose between a promising career in Japan and his love for Elise. He choses his career and leaves Elise alone and pregnant and she has a mental breakdown. This wasn’t the typical Japanese story of the time.

Mori’s most famous story was “The Wild Geese”. This was set in Tokyo and the story of a banker who is unhappy with his nagging wife and takes a young, poor, mistress named Otama. Otama finds the situation with the banker soul crushing until she meets a young medical students who she falls in love with and dreams he will rescue her from her miserable life. These books were aimed at females who previously hadn’t much attention in Japanese literature. Mori’s real love life was also dramatic but perhaps he was not also the hero, he had a string of bad marriages.

Mori’s daughter Mari also became an important author. She was an originator of the Yaoi style of Japanese fiction written by women for women. These are homoerotic stories of older men who have affairs with much younger teenage boys. Seems a strange thing for women to read about.

Well my drink is empty and I will pour another to toast the designer of this stamp, A German language convention in Japan doesn’t sound like it would be interesting, but I really enjoyed this stamp. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.,

When an economy changes, society follows. Japan was still an advanced rich country, but I bet they never thought a few economic reverses could have the men go from the hard working, hard drinking company man to the comic book and anime loving herbivore man in one generation. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.

The stamp today was drawn by a child showing old style folk dancers. It was a four stamp issue displaying the chosen winners of an international design contest. In addition to the folk dancers, there were butterflies, flowers and a depiction of world peace. Not really my type of thing. The next issue from was Kabuki performers. This issue shows much better what possible from stamp designing professionals and the contrast shows why it might best be left to them.

Todays stamp is issue A1601, a 62 Yen stamp issued by Japan on May 31st, 1991. It was a four stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents used.

In 1989 Emperor Hirohito died and was replaced by his son Akihito as the 125th Japanese Emperor. His period is referred to as the Heisei era. The change coincided with some pretty radical changes in the economy. The economy had grown greatly on an export driven boom that sent Japanese manufactured goods aimed at the middle class around the world but especially to the USA. The resulting foreign exchange greatly boosted the value of the Japanese Yen and with that asset values of stocks and real estate. The hollowing out of the middle class in the USA and elsewhere and the emergence of lower cost South Korea following closely Japan’s playbook had a devastating effect. First the excesses in asset valuation disappeared over night. This reduction in wealth was felt immediately at the individual level. The hollowing out soon reached Japan’s manufacturers and  they were not able to sustain practices of lifetime employment that Japan perceived was so central to their superiority. Some may ponder the entitlement involved in just assuming that other places will forever pay for the privilege of Japanese goods in place of their own products. I wonder, as an American, how it was allowed to happen in the first place.

Younger Japanese men no longer had such promising careers to look forward to despite ever higher levels of educational achievement. They took to continuing youthful pursuits such as video games, anime, and comic books. Japan has remained a leader in those fields even as those giant Japanese conglomerates from another era struggle.

So we get to the herbivore man. They are insulted as grass eaters and sexless based on them not marrying or, I guess we have to list this separately now, fathering children. It is however a global truth that women will not marry men if they are not advanced economically by the union. So the marriage and child birth rate declined directly with the collapse in economic opportunity for men. In Japan as in most places, women are ever more in the workforce but there has not been a corresponding growth in out of wedlock births as elsewhere. This may be some evidence of the herbivore slight. Oriental Asian men do have on average lower levels of testosterone. The preponderance of an Asian style diet among American young men  facing similar economic challenges has resulted in the “soy boy” slight.

Well my drink is empty and I think my wife and I will have a cheeseburger for dinner. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.