Recently I joined
Postcrossing, where you send postcards to people all over the world, and receive postcards back. It's been really fun sending and receiving actual mail, and finding out something about a person from another place.
It's presented a bit of a challenge at my local post office, though - I'm guessing I'm the only person ever to walk in there wanting to send a postcard to Belarus!
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| A postcard I received from the Netherlands |
Soon after joining Postcrossing, I started getting requests for swaps of gotochi postcards, which I'd never heard of.
Gotochi postcards are regional postcards from all over Japan produced by Japan Post, with a signature bold cartoon style and unusual shape. In a clever marketing technique, the postcards can only be purchased at a Post Office within the prefecture they represent, making them great collectors items and an excellent way to highlight the unique characteristics of each prefecture of Japan.
Here are ten of my favourites:
1. Wakayama prefecture - rice and umeboshi (pickled plum). This year, I am living in Wakayama. Any bowl of plain white rice will forever remind me of the place. I love that of all the things they could have picked to be on a postcard, a bowl of white rice and a pickled plum made the cut. When I showed this picture to one of my classes at the Junior High I teach at, one boy commented, "simple is best".
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| Wakayama - bowl of rice with umeboshi (pickled plum) |
2. Ishikawa prefecture - dolls
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| Ishikawa - dolls |
3. Kyoto prefecture - Maiko (apprentice Geisha). This card is so pretty.
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| Kyoto - maiko |
4. Saga prefecture - hot air balloons
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| Saga- hot air balloons |
5. Mie prefecture - pearls
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| Mie - pearls | | | |
6. Okinawa prefecture - Ryukyuan dancer.
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| Okinawa - Ryukyuan dancer |
7. Iwate prefecture -Kappa (river child).
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| Iwate - Kappa river child |
8. Shizuoka prefecture - tea plantation with Mt Fuji in the background
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| Shizuoka - tea plantation |
9. Akita prefecture - igloo
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| Akita - igloo |
10. Osaka prefecture - Takoyaki. A famous dish of fried octopus dumplings. I'll miss these when I return to Australia!
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| Osaka - takoyaki |
Now, of course, I've started my own collection. If you live in Japan and would like to send me a card (before August 2012),
write me an email. I'll send you one back from Wakayama.
