The History Behind Japan's International Letter Writing Week

Every October, Japan marks International Letter Writing Week (国際文通週間), a campaign that celebrates cross-cultural communication through handwritten letters. While email and messaging apps have become the norm, this annual observance serves as a reminder of a time when international friendships and family connections often depended on the postal service.

Japan's connection to the event dates back to 1958, when commemorative stamps were first issued to promote international correspondence. Since then, the special stamp releases have become a yearly tradition, often featuring masterpieces by renowned Japanese artists. In recent years, works by ukiyo-e masters such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige have appeared on the designs, allowing the stamps to function as both postage and miniature works of art.

The week is linked to World Post Day on October 9, which commemorates the founding of the Universal Postal Union in 1874. Interestingly, World Post Day itself was officially established at a Universal Postal Congress held in Tokyo in 1969. More than six decades after it began, International Letter Writing Week continues to preserve the simple but meaningful act of sending a letter across the world.

Photo: A post box with an airplane topper at Haneda Airport