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Shinkoku, Fuuzdku (sic)
Google wasn’t much help at all on this scene, since it’s clearly not a photo of a lagoon in Truk. The actual spelling in the caption doesn’t give any clues, either. So, it’s up to you. Unused, sturdy, aged old card. Grade: 3
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Tokyo, Diet Building at night
Mailed from Tokyo in 2000, with one stamp and nearly full postmark. There’s a ghost in here. You can’t see it in the picture (it’s a ghost, after all) but it prevents the caption on lower front bottom from showing up, no matter what we do to enhance it. Grade: 2
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Ashizuri
Mailed from Tokushima in 1990, with stamp and two full postmarks. Grade: 2
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Tokyo, 1923 earthquake aftermath
We can’t read the caption, but we trust Andrew, the writer, implicitly and so we also know the card comes after 1923. But before 1984, when it was mailed, with three stamps and full Shiba postmark. Grade: 2
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Senjoga-hara
Card mailed in 1981 with three stamps and postmarks run amok. Grade: 2
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Cartoon
Maybe “cartoon” isn’t the best way to describe this, but we weren’t sure what else to say. Mailed in 1985 with one stamp and really full Yokohama postmark. Grade: 2
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Sumo
Mailed in 1985 with one stamp and a postmark from Narita Airport, the card has a bit of postal battering, and despite what the writer suggests, we never quite looked like a sumo wrestler. Almost there, but not quite. Grade: 2
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Sagano, outside Kyoto
We are a sucker for autumn leaves, especially as we have lived most of our life where there aren’t any. Card was mailed in Tokyo in 1985, with stamp and full postmark. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Ginza on Sunday
Looks like it was a nice day outside. The card was mailed in 1979, with a stamp and mostly readable postmark. Grade: 1
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Mt. Fuji and cherry blossoms
Mailed in 1977, stamp, postmark, nice sentiments. Grade: 3
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Mt. Fuji in morning sunrise
Another of these cards with huge white borders. This one was mailed from Malaysia (not Japan) in 1991, and has the Malaysian stamp and full postmark. The card is aging and has minor postmark smudging on the front. Grade: 3
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Ritsurin Park
One of the very few cards mailed with a postage meter instead of a real stamp, in 1990. On the front, it’s nice. Grade: 3
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Mt. Fuji and rape blossoms
This brings to the end–for now–our Japan series, and with it the need to keep entering cards of Mt. Fuji. But we never fail to appreciate the beauty of the scene. This card was mailed in 1984, with two stamps and partial postmark. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Kinshicho Tobu Hotel
It’s nice that they clarify this is a shot of the exterior. Unused card. Grade: 2
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Tokyo, Kinshicho Tobu Hotel, interior
Unused card from about 2000. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Hotel New Japan, night
Two of these 1970s cards are available. One is unused (Grade: 1, $3) and the other was mailed from Tokyo in 1977 with stamp and full postmark (Grade: 1, $6).
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Tokyo, Hotel New Japan
Unused card from about 1977. Grade: 1
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Golden Bat cigarettes
Advertising card for this old but re-launched cigarette brand, mailed from Tokyo (Meguro) in 2000 with four stamps and two postmarks. There is some postmark smudge on the front as well. Grade: 3
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Tokyo, Four Seasons Hotel, spa and health club
We never grew into the spa culture, but this looks worth of Nero and the Roman Empire. Maybe that was the idea. Three unused cards are available, from the 1990s. Grades: 1
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Tokyo, Hotel Okura
Four cards from the early 1980s are available. Three are unused (Grades: 1, $3). The other was mailed from Akasaka in 1983, with stamp , full postmark, and red airmail marking (Grade: 1, $3.50).
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Tokyo, Hilton Hotel pond
Unused card, probably from the 1980s. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, ANA Hotel
Two of these unused and incredibly sterile cards are available. Grades: 1
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Tokyo, ANA Hotel, Atrium Lobby
“Sunlight streams through the green leaves and the sound of waterfalls play,” if you can imagine. Two unused cards are available. Grades: 1
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Tokyo, Keio Plaza Inter-Continental Hotel
We try not to be too cynical about most cards but sometimes we can’t help wondering why they turn out the way they do. All we know is that it’s not by accident. We just find these quite stark. Four cards are available. Two are unused (Grades: 1, $3). One was mailed in 1983 with stamp, Shinjuku postmark, and affixed airmail sticker (Grade: 1, $4), and the fourth was mailed in 1986 with a postage meter (Grade: 3, $2).
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Tokyo, Keio Plaza Hotel lobby
Two unused cards from the 1980s are available. Grades: 1
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Tokyo, Ginza Dai-ichi Hotel
Unused card from the 1980s. Maybe earlier. Grade: 1
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Narita, Nikko Narita Hotel
Unused card from the 1980s. Mottling is starting on the reverse. Grade: 2
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Tokyo, ANA Hotel
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Asakusa Kaminari-mon Gate
Card mailed from Tokyo in 1998, with stamp, Shibuya postmark, and USPS orange barcoding indistinctly on the front. Grade: 3
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Tokyo, Night view, Tokyo Bay
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Night view – Shinjyuku
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, night view of Shinjyuku and Tokyo Tower
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, night view of Sunshine 60
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Kinugawa, Clear Stream of Kinu-Nagatoro
Unused, barely aged yet very old card. Grade: 1
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Haruna, Frozen Lake Haruna
Mailed in 2009, this nice card has two stamps, postmark, and tri-lingual blue airmail sticker affixed. Grade: 1
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Kyoto, Higashihonganji Temple
Unused card, not at all new but looks new. Grade: 1
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Four Seasons of Kyoto
Mailed in 2010 with two different stamps and two different postmarks, this card has four tiny animal stickers on the reverse, and is captioned “Wonderful Kyoto, A Collection of Excellent Photographs.” Grade: 2
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Tokyo, Hyatt Regency Tokyo Hotel
Mailed in 2010 with two stamps, mostly legible postmark, address label affixed, red air mail mark, and three small stickers that are built into the message. Grade: 3
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Tokyo, Prince Hotel
Mailed from Taiwan (NOT Japan!) in 2010, the card has the address pasted on, and a full postmark. Grade: 3
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Tadanoumi, bathing place
If you just want a cheap, very old card, this is it. Terrible condition. Grade: 5