Furusato Hometown Stamps

Japanese furusato hometown stamps are particularly interesting because they depict actual real life scenes and places from the everyday life of the Japanese people. They are truly unique among all the stamps of Japan.

We will start off with the lovely Furusato - 'Scenes in my Heart' Series, which, in a 'cartoonish' style, depict everyday life scenes that are close to the heart of many Japanese. They make for a perfect addition to your Japanese stamps collection.

Furusato Hometown Stamps - Scenes in my Heart Vol.8

The eighth volume of the Japan furusato stamps series 'Scenes in Mt Heart' takes us to the Tohoku region of Japan.

The Tohoku region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu Island. The region consists of six prefectures: Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata.

Tohoku retains a reputation as a remote region, offering breathtaking scenery combined with a harsh climate. Tourism is the major industry in Tohoku.

Unfortunately, since 2011, Tohoku has become synonymous with the 3/11 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster.

Price: US$ 15.70 (incl. shipping)

The furusato hometown stamps depicted here start off with a scene from Fukushima Prefecture.

  1. Scene from Mishima-machi Town in Onuma-gun, Fukushima Prefecture. A beautiful town located in the middle of a Paulownia Tree forest. The Tadami River runs through this picturesque village. It is also famous for porcelain-berry basketry handicrafts.
  2. A bonnet bus passing through Hiraizumi Town in Nishiiwai-gun, Iwate Prefecture. Hiraizumi is famous for its 'Golden Hall' World Heritage Site at Chuson-ji Temple. The town used to rival the imperial city of Kyoto in size and splendor.
  3. Bent house on the coast. Scene from Yurihonjo City in Akita Prefecture. Yurihonjo is famous for its cherry blossom festival.
  4. 'After snowstorm' - Akita City, Akita Prefecture. Akita has been one of the most important feudal cities since medieval times.
  5. Railbus in Tohoku Town, Kamikita District, Aomori Prefecture. The Nabujukan Railway was opened in 1962. It was beloved by fans and earned the nickname railbus.
  6. Sweet Old Home in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. Tsuruoka is well-known for its hot springs.
  7. Making of kokeshi or handmade wooden Japanese dolls in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture.

These Japan prefecture stamps were issued on December 1, 2010.

Furusato Hometown Stamps - Scenes in my Heart Vol.10

Volume 10 of the Scenes in My Heart series covers life in the prefectures of Nagano, Yamanashi, and Niigata.

Price: US$ 17.50 (incl. shipping)

The top image of this furusato hometown stamps sheet illustrates a scene from Kashiwazaki City in Niigata Prefecture.

The city is 'infamous' for having the largest power generating nuclear plant in the world and being struck by a deadly 6.8M earthquake in 2007.

The image itself is entitled 'River Bank House'

The following furusato hometown stamps depict these images:

  1. Double Stamp: Field Trip in Iiyama Town in Nagano Prefecture
  2. Double Stamp: Kite Flying in Minami Tsurugun district Oshino Village in Yamanashi Prefecture
  3. Double Stamp: River Bank House in Kashiwazaki Town, Niigata Prefecture
  4. Double Stamp: Spring in Yamakoshi Village, part of Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture
  5. Yamanashi-City, the town with a view of Mt. Fuji in Nagano City
  6. Snow Shoveling in Nagano City

These Japan furusato stamps were issued on December 1, 2011.

Furusato Hometown Stamps - Scenes in my Heart Vol.6

The sixth installment in the Japan hometown stamps scenes in my heart series takes us to various prefectures throughout Japan.

The background image at the top, shows a scene from the Nagasaki Kunchi Festival. It is also known as the Nagasaki Okunchi Matsuri and is the most famous festival in Nagasaki.

It began as a celebration of fall harvests in the late 16th century and then became a shrine festival. During the persecution of the Christians in Japan, it also served as a way to check for hidden Christians. This is still evident today in the custom of garden showing when the presenting neighborhoods open up their homes to public scrutiny.

Price: US$ 15.70 (incl. shipping)

The individual Japanese hometown stamps depict the following scenes:

  1. Nagasaki Kunchi Festival
  2. Ta-no-kami, God of Rice Fields, festival in Satsuma Sendai, Kagoshima. Dedicated to the god of rice fields to protect harvests.
  3. Koi Nobori, flying goldfish kites, in Iwakura Town, Aichi.
  4. Ningyo Okuri in Waga, Iwate. Festival to clean area of impurities and disease.
  5. Shishi Odori Deer Festival in Kita Uwa, Ehime. A folk ritual in which dancers wear decorative deer masks and antlers to honor dead deer.
  6. Toka-Ebisu Matsuri in Naniwa, Osaka. Ebisu is the patron of good fortune and prosperity. The festival is to bring prosperity to local merchants.
  7. Amahage Demon Festival in Akumi, Yamagata. A local custom where men wearing straw skirts and demon masks to from house to house to scare young children.
  8. Shishi Mai Lion Dance Festival in Wakayama, Wakayama.
  9. Nagashi Bina Matsuri in Tottori City, Tottori. Dolls are floated on a river to dispel disease.
  10. Ohina Gayu Girls Day Festival in Tano Town, Gunma.

These Japan prefecture stamps were issued on October 8, 2009.

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