National Museum of Western Art | Japan

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The National Museum of Western Art is the famed architect's only built project in the far east. It remains open today and houses the work of significant western artists including Rodin, Manet, Picasso and Pollock. The Museum is located in the museum and zoo complex in Ueno Park in Taito, central Tokyo. 

Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (1887 – 1965), known as Le Corbusier, was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now called modern architecture.

In 2016 UNESCO added the building to its list of significant architectural and historical sites, along with 16 other Le Corbusier projects. 

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Takashima Coal mine | Japan

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Takashima Coal Mine is part of the Unesco World Heritage site inscribed  under the name ‘Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining’. A group of sites that played an important part in the industrialization of Japan from the middle of the 19th century to the early 20th century.

Coal was needed in vast quantities for the Industrial Revolution. Located on Takashima Island, the Takashima Coal mine was Japan’s First Steam Engine-Powered Shaft Mine. The first Japanese coal mine that worked with western technology. The postcard shows the open collar of Hokkei Pit. 

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Tokyo, capital of Japan

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Tokyo is both the capital and most populous city of Japan, with over 13 million inhabitants. 

What makes the ‘perfect capital city card’ ? In my opinion a proper view of the city with name of the city on the foreground. So this card matches my criteria pretty much. But.. on closer inspection the card shows 'only' Nishi-Shinjuku, a skyscraper business district in Tokyo. Not sure if this is the 'best representation' of the city.

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International-letter-writing-week-stamp 2013.

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Historic Village of Shirakawa-gō | Japan

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The Shirakawa-go region in Japan is famous for the traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old. The design is exceptionally strong to withstand the weight of the region's heavy snowfalls in winter.

The Historic Villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Autumn colors | Japan

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Momijidani Park or Maple Park is a park stretching along the Momijidani river.

Cherry blossoms in spring, fresh green leaves in early summer and autumn tints in fall, the change of seasons is the attraction. 

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70 Years since atomic bomb on Nagasaki | Japan

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Japan is the only nation in the world who suffered a nuclear attack. Three days after the bombing of Hiroshima another atomic bomb devastated Nagasaki, killing more than 70,000 people. This happened August 9, 1945. Today 70 years ago.

The card shows Urakami Cathedral in Nagasaki. Construction of the original Urakami Cathedral, started in 1895, after a long-standing ban in Japan on Christianity. The cathedral was in a 500m range of the atomic bomb and completely destroyed. The cathedral was rebuilt in 1959 on the original site.  

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Kiyomizudera Temple Kyoto | Japan

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Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Issued in 1998, part of a set of two stamps depicting traditional houses.

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Zen Rock Garden | Japan

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The Ryōan-ji garden is considered one of the finest surviving examples of kare-sansui ("dry landscape"), a refined type of Japanese Zen temple garden design, generally featuring distinctive larger rock formations arranged amidst a sweep of smooth pebbles (small, carefully selected polished river rocks) raked into linear patterns that facilitate meditation. (Thank you Wikipedia, couldn’t have explained it better, or ‘at all’). 

 

The temple and its gardens are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is one of the 17 Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. Kinkaku-ji(the Golden Pavilion) is also one of these Kyoto monuments.

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The stamp on the left is issued by the Department of Tiny Stamps.

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Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine | Japan

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The Iwami Ginzan was a silver mine near the city of Ōda, located on Japan’s Honshū island. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. Active for almost four hundred years until closing down in 1923.

The mine and surrounding landscap was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.

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International letter writing week stamp 2014.

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The Great Buddha Statue of Tōdai-ji | Japan

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Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple's main hall is the world's largest wooden building. The massive building houses a 15 meters tall bronze statue of Buddha (Daibutsu). 

The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Thank you very much Steve!

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The giant Buddha of Kamakura | Japan

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The Great Buddha of Kamakura is a monumental outdoor bronze located at the Kōtoku-in Temple in Kamakura, Japan. 

The bronze statue, the second tallest in Japan, dates from 1252. The statue was originally housed in a wooden structure, but that structure was destroyed several times. Since 1495 the statue has no roof over its head.

Thx Steve!

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Himeji Castle | Japan

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Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex located in Himeji, Japan. The wooden castle dates back to 1333 and is nicknamed "White Heron" castle because of its white walls which are covered with white plaster. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

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International letter writing week 1997.

Thx Steve!

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Nikko Toshogu Shrine | Japan

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Nikko Toshogu is a Shinto shrine located in Nikko, Japan. It is part of the "Shrines and Temples of Nikko", a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shinto (meaning "way of the gods") is the largest religion in Japan.  

Pictured on the card is the Yomeimon Gate. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, elaborately decorated with 508 sculptures of all kinds of dragons and (imaginary) animals. There are also numerous sculptures of people from Chinese legends and Japanese life.

 

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International letter writing week 1997.

Thx again Steve!

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Itsukushima Shinto Shrine | Japan

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The Island of Itsukushima, in the Seto inland sea, has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times. The first shrine buildings here were probably erected in the 6th century.

The construction in red is the great Torii, the boundary between the spirit and the human worlds. During low tide, you can walk to the foot of the great Torii.

The shrine is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

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International letter writing week 1997.

Thx Steve!

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Kinkaku-ji Temple | 金閣寺 , Japan

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Kinkaku-ji, commonly known as the Golden Pavilion, is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf.The temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

The temple is part of the Unesco WHS, inscribed as “The Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)”. This site consist of seventeen parts that are situated in Kyoto and surroundings. 

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Shuri castle | 首里城, Japan

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The castle is located on Okinawa Island which is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands. The Kingdom of the Ryukyus reigned over Japan's southwestern islands for approximately 450 years from 1429 to 1879.

Shuri Castle was both the royal residence for the king and his family and the administrative center of the Shuri Royal Government. It also served as a religious center to administer the rituals performed by the cultural and artistic activities, with many musicians, dancers, artisans and craftsmen active in the castle area.

In the spring of 1879, the king was exiled from Shuri Castle, and Okinawa Prefecture was established. Shuri Castle then became the military headquarters of the Japanese troops and served as school buildings. 

The castle was registered as a World Heritage Site in 2000.

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Nachi Falls, Japan

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The Nachi Waterfall, with a drop of 133m, is one of the highest waterfalls in Japan. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".

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Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome in Hiroshima, Japan

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The Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome (or Genbaku Dome) is a skeletal domed building in Hiroshima City. It serves as a memorial to the people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Over 70,000 people were killed instantly, and another 70,000 suffered fatal injuries from the radiation.

The dome was registered on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1996 as a monument that reminds us of the tragedy of the bombing. 

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Yakushima Island, Japan's first Unesco site

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Yakushima is a round-shaped, subtropical island. 

It is covered by an extensive cedar forest that contains some of Japan's oldest living trees. Ooko-no-taki' is the tallest waterfall with the largest amount of water in Yakushima.

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Japan's highest mountain: Mount Fuji | 富士山

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Mount Fuji is with 3,776 meters Japan's highest mountain is located outside Tokyo on the island of Honshu. The nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshiped as a sacred mountain throughout the centuries. Mount Fuji is an active volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708.

The nickname of Mount Fuji is Konohana-Sakuahime which means "causing the blossom to bloom brightly," which referring to pink cherry blossoms which frame the snow-white mountain in the spring season.

In June 2010 Mt. Fuji was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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Hanshin Koshien Stadium. The stadium was built to host the national high school baseball tournaments, and opened on August 1, 1924.

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