COVER N. 277 - JAPAN

Postmark: Yokohama Kanagawa Japan - 28.06.2023 

Posted on the 28th June; Received on the 10th July 2023

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Sardines....

Officially, Portuguese and Japanese first met in 1542, when Portuguese sailors first arrived in Japanese soil. 

The relationship between the two was soon deepened by commercial reasons, Portuguese traders acting as middlemen in selling to the Japanese Chinese goods like silk and porcelain which the Chinese Emperor had embargoed as an avant la lettre economical sanction motivated by the actions of Japanese Pirates against Chinese territory and subjects.

Of course, The Japanese were also highly interested in the miraculous weapons the Portuguese first showed them... muskets, and what more solid staple to further economic relations than…  weapons....but again I digress, since I have to go back to sardines.

Why?

Because they are the main theme of the sheet containing 10 self-adhesive 84Yen stamps, issued on 28JUN2022, of which 2 stamps can be seen on the FDC Akira kindly sent me. Thanks a lot Akira!

Of note is the fcat that the stamps feature some delicate silver printing that really stands out in direct light.

The set, as indicated above comprises  ten stamps. Eight of them are illustrated with images of sardines, one with a diver and another one with a turtle (also on the cover). I see no reason for the inclusion of these two last stamps in the sheet other than contributing to the  layout of the sheet composition, which mainly features a school of sardines.

And what do sardines have to do with Japanese-Portuguese relations?

Well, that I know of, nothing, but I had to begin the post somewhere and sardines, for a Portuguese, have almost the same semiotic value than  "a Portuguesa",  our national anthem.

In fact, come the summer months and there's no place in Portugal where the smell of fat sardines being grilled on a coal barbecue won't permeate the air.

Sardines are such a Portuguese thing that the logo for the Capital's annual city's festivities is a sardine, "dressed" in the winning proposal of the contest which is annually organised to this end. 

Of course, grilled sardines is not a Portuguese exclusive, but I doubt it that there is another country where the humble yet delicious dish occupies such a central place in the country's gastronomy...

I wonder if they  are also consumed fresh in Japan....

(tac tac tac tac tac tac--- sound of keys being fast pressed on keyboard)

Yes, they are, grilled, pickled, raw...

Then that's it; that's the link I needed to bring all this text together.... 

The very nice FDC  was sent from Yokohama, as attested by the amazingly clear postmark and although I cannot understand the wording on the commemorative postmark, I cannot but be awed by its quality both in what concerns graphism and application.

All this typing late at night… guess what I’ll be having for lunch tomorrow?