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A Complete View of the inside of the Front Gate
Not postally used, but with a message taking up the reverse and describing the scene. We would not know where this was but for the (probable sender’s) “Nikko” notation on the front. Grade: 4
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The Ritsurin Park, of Sanuki. (Hohito)
Unused card. Grade: 1
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Gate
If you can read Japanese, you will know where and what this is. We only recognise the characters for “middle gate”. Unused card. Grade: 1
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Calligraphy
We can’t tell you anything about this except that it’s an unused card. Grade: 1
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Kutchan-cho, Shu Ogawara Museum of Art – 1
Unused card. The museum is in Hokkaido but is this larger caption on the bottom right in Japanese or Chinese? Either way … Grade: 1
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Kutchan-cho, Shu Ogawara Museum of Art – 2
Unused card. The museum is in Hokkaido but is this larger caption on the bottom right in Japanese or Chinese? Either way … Grade: 1
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Geisha (?)
An unused card minimally captioned on both sides and only in Japanese. Forgive us if this lady is not really a geisha but we don’t know what else to say. Tell us if there might be a better description, and we will change it. Grade: 1
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Osaka, Hotel New Hankyu
Cards like this are nice because they go out of date so quickly — though in Japan, maybe less so. Four unused cards are available. Grades: 1
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Love Japan – Help Japan – Tsunami Aid
Unused ad card, part of an international effort. Grade: 1
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Nagasaki, Emperor’s Parade of Lantern Festival
Mailed in 2014, with four different stamps and two postmarks along with an airmail and one other “chop” mark. Grade: 1
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Chrysanthemums
If you can read Japanese, you’ll know all about this card. Otherwise, someone very long ago kindly wrote “The flower arrangements with chrysanthemums” on a flimsy piece of paper and attached that to the back of the card. Grade: 4
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Chrysanthemums (B)
If you can read Japanese, you’ll know all about this card. Otherwise, someone very long ago kindly wrote “The chrysanthemum flower in a flower base” on a flimsy piece of paper and attached that to the back of the card. Grade: 4
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Okinawa (Gotochi)
We’re showing this unused Gotochi card in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Hello Kitty in 3D (set of 4)
The ultimate in Hello Kitty, an unopened set of four 3D cards in cardboard cover and cellowrap. It’s official Sanrio from 2014, with a holographic sticker on the back. Sorry about the scan but you can imagine the problems getting clarity with 3D. Brilliant set. Grade: 1
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Hakodate, Hokkaido
Mailed in 2015, with stamp and postmark. Grade: 1
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Sentou (public bath) Pop-up
Mailed in 2016, with stamp, postmark, and two “chops” of monkeys–as is the Year of the Monkey. This “Pop-up” postcard can be folded out to stand on its own. Grade: 1
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Tateyama – Kurobe Alpine Route – mountain view
Unused card, captioned in Japanese and in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Tateyama – Kurobe Alpine Route – walls of snow
Unused card, captioned in Japanese and in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Tateyama – Kurobe Alpen Route
Unused card, captioned in Japanese and in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Tateyama Kurobe: Mikuriga-ike pond and the Tateyama range
Unused card, captioned in Japanese and in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Tateyama – Kurobe Alpen Route: foliage
Unused card, captioned in Japanese and in its original wrap. Grade: 1
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Volcano
It sure looks like a volcano, but to know the details you’ll need to be able to read the Japanese-only caption on this unused card. Some age-related smudging on the reverse. Grade: 2
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Nagasaki, Megane Bridge
Just because we think it’s interesting, we tell you this story about the bridge, abridged (!) from Wikipedia: “Meganebashi (眼鏡橋?) or Spectacles Bridge, over the Nakashima River (中島川) was built in 1634 by the Japanese monk Mokusu … It is said to be the oldest stone arch bridge in Japan and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property. It received the nickname “Spectacles Bridge” because its two arches and their reflection in the water create the image of a pair of spectacles. On July 23, 1982, a deluge washed away six of the ten stone bridges over the Nakashima River. Meganebashi was badly damaged but almost all the original stones were retrieved and the bridge was restored to its original appearance.” Unused card. Grade: 1
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Nagasaki, Oura Cathedral
Unused card, this scene captioned in Japanese only. Grade: 1
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Nagasaki, celebration
If you can read Japanese, or have Google Translate, the caption might tell you what you want to know about this festival. Unused card. Grade: 1
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Nagasaki, art (set of 8)
Our scan shows you the front cardboard cover (left) and two of the eight cards in this set, which has a broadly religious theme. Unused. Grade: 1
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Happy New Year
Sanrio card mailed in 2016 with stamp, partial postmark, and several graphic “chop” markings. Grade: 3
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Happy New Year, animal friends
Sanrio card mailed in 2016 with stamp, partial postmark, and several graphic “chop” markings. Grade: 3
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Happy New Year 2017, lottery
Government numbered lottery card, mailed in late 2016 (it didn’t win), with pre-printed postage and two additional stamps, and postmark. Grade: 1
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Hiroshima, Hiroden Electric Railway
Wikipedia offers this: “Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (広島電鉄株式会社 Hiroshima Dentetsu Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese transportation company established on June 18, 1910, that operates streetcars and buses in and around Hiroshima Prefecture. It is known as ‘Hiroden’ (広電) for short. The company’s rolling stock includes an eclectic range of trams manufactured from across Japan and Europe, earning it the nickname ‘The Moving Streetcar Museum’.” As a side note, San Francisco’s system has a similar reputation. Card mailed in 2016 with four stamps and two postmarks, and there’s a sort of map of the stops on the address side of the card. Grade: 1
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Happy New Year 2017
Sanrio card mailed in late 2016, with four stamps and full postmark. Grade: 1
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Nikko, Karamon (Gate) Iyemitsu Temple
Unused card, mottled on the reverse with age. Grade: 2
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Tokyo, Shinjuku Station
If you see this area now, you’d think you were on a different planet. Unused Kobundo Nakamura card, aged. Grade: 2
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Hamamatsu, Okura Act City Hotel, night view
Unused. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Prince Hotel Shinagawa, Le Jardin des Delices
Unused. Not a lot of room for a message, though. Grade: 1
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Tokyo, Prince Hotel Shinagawa, night view
Unused. Not a lot of room for a message, though. Grade: 1
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Okinawa, sting ray
Still in the original packaging, this “postcard” is made from a flexible PVC material, not paper. On the reverse, it’s printed (into the PVC) as one might design the address section of a normal card. A novelty item. Unused, distinctive, Grade: 1
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Okinawa, Goya (Bitter Melon)
Still in the original packaging, this “postcard” is made from a flexible PVC material, not paper. On the reverse, it’s printed (into the PVC) as one might design the address section of a normal card. And just what does this represent? Not a forested island, like it looks, but actually the goya bitter gourd (bitter melon), Momordica charantia, a vegetable popular in Okinawa. A novelty item and quirky postcard. Unused, distinctive, Grade: 1
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Okinawa nature scenes (set of 12)
We’ve opened the cardboard cover of this set of 12 unused cards to help you see thumbnails of all 12. Package measures about 5″ x 6-1/2″. Grade: 1
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Okinawa, Yufu Jima Island
Continuing a series of unused cards, captioned mostly in Japanese and Chinese, but with the key identification also in English (or we should say western letters). Grade: 1