On August 11, 2023, Satoricha was born. To commemorate this significant event, we not only celebrate the day itself but extend the festivities throughout the month of August. From a raffle to special articles and guest appearances, Satoricha.com and all its channels come together for this celebration. While the special article marking the start date (August 11) could focus on a guest sharing their expertise in a particular section of Satoricha, I have decided that starting this year, articles celebrating August 11 will discuss timeless pieces of paper that narrate the stories of individuals or events that defined specific periods. Just like tea, to appreciate its beauty, we must be gentle and attentive to the grand details and the small nuances that compose it. These pieces of paper are better known as stamps, or as I prefer to call them, postage stamps.
The captivating history of stamps, formally known as postage stamps, dates back to May 1840 with the issuance of the Penny Black, the world’s first postage stamp (Stamp World, n.d.). Before stamps existed, correspondence was handled quite differently. People would write, fold the paper, and indicate the recipient. The postman would deliver the letter, and the recipient was responsible for the shipping costs. Due to high fees and the lack of control over-inflated or double charges, recipients often opt not to pay, resulting in losses. Sir Rowland Hill introduced a weight-based postal system in 1837 to address this issue, creating the first adhesive stamp. The launch of the Penny Black in 1840 revolutionized mail delivery by allowing prepayment, making this essential service more accessible. This small but powerful invention led to a massive increase in the volume of mail sent and remains an icon in postal history. Since then, the United Kingdom has upheld a unique tradition: it is the only country that does not include its name on its stamps, instead featuring the image of the reigning monarch.
Each country has its own designs and traditions, but few are aware that strict regulations govern the creation and distribution of stamps. The significance of stamps is underscored by the existence of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), which manages these pieces of history. Founded in 1874 and headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, the UPU is the second-oldest international organization in the world, comprising 192 member countries. It is the primary forum for cooperation among postal sector stakeholders (UPU, n.d.).
The UPU provides advisory, mediation, and liaison services, offering technical assistance as needed. It establishes rules for international postal exchanges and formulates recommendations to stimulate the growth of mail volumes, parcels, and financial services and enhance service quality for customers.
While this summary barely scratches the surface of the extensive history and significance of stamps, we hope Satoricha will have many more anniversaries to delve deeper into the world of stamps and philately. You might wonder why we should focus on stamps. Each time Satoricha has a special guest, it is a tradition to present them with a personalized digital stamp as a token of appreciation—for instance, the Oolong Alchemist and his elixir.
This stamp alludes to the article's title and aims to capture the image of the high mountains where Sean’s oolong tea is produced, which resembles an elixir waiting to be discovered once infused.
Therefore, I plan to explore the world in this article and future ones on this date, asking individuals related to the field to share insights about the stamps from their country or collection and why they find them intriguing. (If you are in the field of philately or have knowledge to share, please contact me.)
For August 2024, I am pleased to present stamps from Japan. I contacted several postal services, requesting their input on the following question: What stamp do you consider the most emblematic, and why? Sakamoto from Japan Post was very helpful in providing insights.
Sakamoto & Japan Post Co., Ltd. (2024) responds:
Name: "Ryūmon Stamp" (Ryūmon Kitte)
This is Japan's first stamp, issued on April 20, 1871. The "文" was a unit of currency.
Four denominations were issued: 48 mon (red-brown), 100 mon (blue), 200 mon (red), and 500 mon (green-blue). The following year, when the currency unit changed, the postal stamp values transitioned from "文" to "銭" (sen), with the same design in values of 1/2 sen, 1 sen, 2 sen, and 5 sen, along with the addition of perforations.
Mr. Sakamoto regards this as an emblematic stamp because it symbolizes "the beginning of the modern postal system in Japan."
Name: "1 Yen Ordinary Stamp (Hisoka Maejima)" (Maejima Hisoka)
Since the 1 yen ordinary stamp was issued on August 10, 1947, the design of "Maejima Hisoka" has been utilized with slight modifications to the present day.
The current design, with its arrangement of text, was adopted in the stamp issued on February 22, 2015, when the design of ordinary stamps was unified, including the placement of the denomination and other texts.
Mr. Sakamoto considers this an emblematic stamp because "Maejima Hisoka" is known as the "Father of modern Japanese mail" and symbolizes "the modern postal system in Japan."
Name: One of the stamps from the "Special Edition Stamp Album for the 150th Anniversary of the Postal Service" named "Maejima Hisoka."
On August 25, 2021, the "Japan 2021 International Philatelic Exhibition" was held, marking the 150th anniversary of the postal service, for which a unique stamp was designed to delight national and international stamp collectors.
Mr. Sakamoto views this as an emblematic stamp since 2021 commemorated the 150th anniversary of the postal service with the issuance of three sheets of washi paper stamps (self-adhesive). One of the sheets is dedicated to "Maejima Hisoka."
The washi paper stamp sheet (self-adhesive) features the first adopted design in Japan. It was developed by the National Printing Bureau in collaboration with a paper manufacturing company and was tested for suitability for machine sorting, leading to its issuance. It symbolizes the high technology of Japanese printing, dedicated to "the Father of the modern postal system, Maejima Hisoka."
Mr. Sakamoto elaborates on the material used for the washi paper stamp sheet (self-adhesive): "Mino Kikai Suki Washi," produced by a paper company in Mino City, Gifu Prefecture. Mino Washi paper, with a history spanning 1,300 years, has evolved from handmade paper to "Mino Kikai Suki Washi." The "Honminoshi" technique, considered the origin of Mino paper, was recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2014.
As can be seen, while many view stamps as a mere payment protocol, they are pieces of history that timelessly encapsulate cherished moments from a country. In the case of Satoricha, they encapsulate a moment of past and future where, through the transmission of knowledge, we engage with individuals who help us acknowledge that we are eternal learners in this life—T.E.A. Methodology.
I hope this first anniversary is just the first of many to come. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this journey, contributing their bit of tea and helping to nurture a community thirsty for more. Simply, thank you.
Satoricha ~
The images of the stamps provided in this article are used with permission from Japan Post. They are intended solely for reference in the present context and should not be used for any other purpose.
References
Sakamoto, & Japan Post Co., Ltd. (2024, Agosto 7). Correo en respuesta a solicitud de sellos postales Satoricha [Preguntas de sellos realizadas por Satoricha para articulo sobre estampillas,]. In Solicitud de Satoricha [Correo]. https://www.post.japanpost.jp/index_en.html
Stamp World. (n.d.). Postage Stamps History. StampWorld. Retrieved August 11, 2024, from https://www.stampworld.com/en/articles/postage-stamps-history/
UPU. (n.d.). Universal Postal Union. Universal Postal Union. Retrieved August 11, 2024, from https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union