COVER N.107 - JAPAN

Postmark: First Day of Issue Postmark: Philately Week 04-04-20 (Japanese date system) / Shizuoka - Japan 20-04-22 (Western date system)
Posted on the 20th April; received on the 29th April 2022
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A beautiful FDC from Japan. Thank you so much, Fumiaki!

I had to go and look, because I was confused by the several postmarks on the stamps. I couldn't make out the different dates, until I remembered (fx: sound of slap on forehead): the Japanese  Calendar is not the same as ours! Even though the days and months follow our pattern, we are now in year 4 of the Reiwa era, hence the 4.4.20, on the postmarks that cancel the stamps.

The FDC carries two of the three84 Yen  stamps issued on 04APR22, to celebrate Philately Week 2022.

Not familiar with the concept I did a bit of searching and came across an article in a philatelic e-magazine which mentions that the Japanese  Philately Week dates back to 1947 when it was created by the Ministry of Communications with the aim of promoting the dissemination of Japan's culture through philately.  I also learned there that the paintings depicted in the 2 stamps are, respectively:

-  Woman Exhaling Smoke from a Pipe, by  Kitagowa Utamaro 

-  Actor Ichikawa Ebizo in the Role of Takemura Sadanoshin  by Toshusai Sharaku 

According to the Postmark, the FDC was sent from the city of Shizuoka, the capital of the Prefecture with the same name, in the Island of Honshu.