Changes in Japanese Mailbox (3/9)

Q & A: Where did the name 'postbox' as used in Japan come from?

The official name is 'postal mailing box,' decided upon in 1948.
The reason it came to be called a 'postbox' in Japan is probably because the English word 'POST' was marked on the cover of the letter drop.

Mailbox Exclusively
for Air Mail Round Mailbox
with Eaves (1934)
When the air mail postal
system began on April 1,
1929, a mailbox exclusively
for air mail was provided. Improvements to the existing
round mailbox with eaves
were made in 1934. The new
round mailbox allowed bulky
mail articles to be inserted.
The letter drop was designed
to open wide when pushed down.

Substitute Mailboxes

In 1937 the Sino-Japanese War broke out. With a war in progress, research was conducted into the possibility of using substitute material mailboxes so that the iron mailboxes could be used to manufacture war supplies. Substitute mailboxes made of reinforced concrete, satinite, Stoney and ceramic appeared.

Concrete mailbox Stoney mailbox Arita porcelain mailbox
Held by Arita Historical and Folk Museum Shigaraki-yaki ceramic mailbox
(Originally a private mailbox for a spinning company)

Mailbox Exclusively for Air Mail	Round Mailbox with Eaves (1934)

When the air mail postal system began on April 1, 1929, a mailbox exclusively for air mail was provided.	Improvements to the existing round mailbox with eaves were made in 1934. The new round mailbox allowed bulky mail articles to be inserted. The letter drop was designed to open wide when pushed down.


Concrete mailbox	Stoney mailbox	Arita porcelain mailbox Held by Arita Historical and Folk Museum	Shigaraki-yaki ceramic mailbox (Originally a private mailbox for a spinning company)