Sunday 28 October 2012

International Letter-Writing Week, Japan



Wow I was so close to not participating in today's task...I couldnt find anything on the theme hobbies, until I opened my old letters-box. And oh what a splendid coincidence - I've found a beautiful stamp celebrating the International Letter-Writing Week in Japan.
''International Letter-Writing Week was initiated in 1957 at the 14th Congress of Universal Postal Union (UPU), with the aim of contributing to the world peace by promoting cultural exchange through correspondence among people around the world. It was decided to observe this event during the week that includes October 9, the date of the UPU's establishment. International Letter-Writing Week was set in Japan for the week of October 6 to 12. MPT has been issuing stamps annually to commemorate this event since 1958.'' (Source: www.onlineworkshop.net)
The stamps usually show Japanese traditional paintings - in 2008 they depicted three of "Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido Road " by Utagawa Hirohsige (1797-1858), ukiyoe artist in the late Edo era.

I am a huge ukiyo-e fan, as of Japanese culture, so I am really happy to have found this! The picture itself doesnt show a hobby but celebrates one of the greatest hobbies there are. I used to be very active in writing letters as a kid, these days postcards take up most of my time xD
You can check the different takes on today's Viridian's Sunday Stamps challenging theme yourself ;)

6 comments:

  1. Oh yes, I remeber writing paper letters to relatives and friends. I still have a box of their letters to me.
    Thank you for participating!

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  2. this was indeed a challenging theme this week. but then almost anything could become a hobby! I think I have a couple of these Japanese stamps - I will have to look more closely to see what they depict.

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  3. I'm afraid letter writing seems to have been abandoned these days but it could well be a hobby still. I would have thought that postcards count. Mice stamp.

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  4. i still encounter people who write letters...good for them :))

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  5. I'd never heard of an International Letter-Writing Week. What a good idea! I'm at the moment considering taking up pen-palling again.

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  6. I have a couple of the Japanese letter writing stamps (not this one), they are always lovely. I was always envious Japan had a letter writing day, not realising it was a world wide event until reading this post. I recently read 'The Makioka Sisters' who were always sending (or not sending and making excuses) letters where it was interesting to learn that the calligraphy was important.

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