Japan

Time Traveler | Cool Facts! | Technology | Post Explorer

Time Traveler
  The pioneer of Japan's first postal service was Hisoka Maejima, also affectionately known as the "Father of Post". In the 1870s, stalls selling stamps and mailboxes started mushrooming along the streets, and postmen started to wear Westernized uniforms, attracting a great deal of attention from the conservative Japanese of that time.

On April 20, 1871, the inaugural relay service between Tokyo and Osaka began. The journey took 3 days and 6 hours, and was run by dark blue happi coat-clad postmen.

The postal service in Japan is declared a monopoly i.e. no privatized courier company can have the right to compete with it. International mail services arrived slightly later. In 1875, the first direct route with the United States was developed, and this was a historic milestone in the development of the Japanese post.

Cool Facts!
  The Japanese postal service has some very considerate facilities for the disabled. Postage is complimentary for any Braille material or audio recordings that are sent to the blind by recognized institutes. This is to ensure that the handicapped in Japan do not get isolated in terms of communications.
The Japanese postal service delivers about 26 billion pieces of mail annually.

Japan gets its fair share of earthquakes and heavy snow, hence the postal service has set up special emergency plans in the event of a national disaster. For instance, makeshift postal deliverers will be used to run the postal service temporarily. In addition, postage will be waived for food supplies sent to aid disaster victims.

Technology
  The incredulous speed at which Japan developed had a large strain on the postal service, which was of utmost importance in maintaining effective communications. Hence mechanization was soon introduced. Sorting and segregating of mail was to be done by machines, and an ingenious postal code reader was introduced.

Post Explorer
  The understanding of the Japanese address requires the understanding of the structure of Japan. Japan is divided into different prefectures, and within each prefecture there are various towns and cities. As with a Western city, there are also zones within a Japanese city.