The Missing Post Office (Japanese: 漂流郵便局, Hyōryū Yūbinkyoku, "drifting post office")[1] is an artwork by Japanese artist Saya Kubota. It is a "post office" where undeliverable letters are collected, using the former Awashima Post Office building on Awashima Island in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture.
| Missing Post Office | |
|---|---|
 The Missing Post Office building in October 2014 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Post office |
| Location | 1317-2 Takumacho Awashima Mitoyo, Kagawa 769-1108, Japan |
| Coordinates | 34°16′14″N 133°37′54″E / 34.27054°N 133.63157°E |
The Missing Post Office was created by Kubota as an installation for the Setouchi International Art Festival in 2013. It is not affiliated with Japan Post. Kubota serves as the "post office worker" of the Missing Post Office, and Katsuhisa Nakata, the former postmaster of the Awashima Post Office, as the "postmaster". The public is encouraged to send mail there, preferably on postcards. Its address is c/o Hyoryu Yubinkyoku 1317-2 Takumacho Awashima, Mitoyo Kagawa 769-1108 Japan.
Post office installation
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The Missing Post Office is in the renovated wooden post office building on Awashima Island,[2] which was built in 1964 and in service until 1991. The building is 10 minutes on foot from Awashima Port.[3] Letters received at the post office are stored in a "Missing Post Office Box", designed and constructed by Kosuke Nagata with the help of Junpei Matsushima.[1] There are 100 of these metal boxes, suspended from the ceiling by piano wire.[4] The concept of the Post Office Box is based on the idea that it cannot be stocked and held in place because the address is unknown.[5] The Post Office Box is designed to make the sound of waves when turned.[6]
The Missing Post Office receives mail from all over the world. Addressees include deceased individuals, future descendants, first loves to whom the writers were never able to express their feelings, themselves, and long-time favorite items.[2] Letters to the deceased are especially common.[6] The sender's name does not need to be written, and the item is sent as "Missing Post Office general delivery". The Missing Post Office prefers postcards to sealed letters.[7] "Posting sets" with the Post Office's address are sold there,[7] and some visitors write messages on the spot.[8]
As of November 2022[update], the Missing Post Office is open from 13:00 to 16:00 on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Only postmaster Nakata is usually present.[8] Received pieces of mail are displayed as works of art and can be read by anyone,[2][4] but staff do not know what message is in which Post Office Box,[7] and after being read, there is no guarantee they will return to the original Post Office Box and will instead continue to "drift".[8] A visitor who believes a message is addressed to them is permitted to retain it.[9]
History
editMany things drift ashore on Awashima Island. Visiting the island to seek inspiration before the Setouchi International Art Festival, Kubota saw her reflection in the window of the former post office, felt that she had "washed up here", and decided to create the Missing Post Office as "a place where people could experience the same sensation that I did."[citation needed]
The Missing Post Office opened as part of the Setouchi International Art Festival on October 5, 2013. During the festival, it was open from 10:00 to 17:00 with an entrance fee of 300 yen.[7] About 400 pieces of mail were collected during the month-long festival;[8] when about 200 a month continued to arrive after the festival, Kubota decided to keep the Missing Post Office open.[6][10]
On May 10, 2014, when more than 1,500 messages had been received, the project was introduced on NHK General Television's NHK News Ohayo Nippon.[2] On August 24, 2014, a "Missing Post Office in Takamatsu Airport" was installed, extending the project off the island.[11][12] From October 18 to October 20, the post office had a special "Autumn Opening", and a live concert was held by the "Monk Band", consisting of active monks.[citation needed] In January 2016, a London branch opened.[13]
The Missing Post Office had received 3,500 messages by January 2015, and more than 3,800 by the following month when the book Missing Post Office was published, inspired by a Shogakukan editor who visited the Missing Post Office in the summer of 2014 and saw visitors reading the letters.[10] A "Publication Commemorative Opening" was held on February 7, 2015.[10][14]
In popular culture
editThe Missing Post Office appears at the end of the third episode of the January 24 broadcast of the 2022 Fuji TV drama series Don't Call it Mystery.[citation needed]
It is mentioned in The Republic of Happiness, by Ito Ogawa.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Missing Post Office". JParchitects (in English and Japanese). 松島潤平建築設計事務所. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b c d "続々とハガキ届く"漂流郵便局"". 特集まるごと. 日本放送協会. 2014-05-10. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ 木脇みのり (2013-11-06). "漂流郵便局 久保田沙耶". 朝日新聞デジタル. 朝日新聞社. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b "漂流郵便局―届かぬ思い、受け付けます 亡き母へ「闘病つらかったね」 昔の恋人へ「なぜ一番好きと言えなかったか」（1/2ページ）". 産経WEST. 産業経済新聞社. 2014-12-06. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ "瀬戸芸秋会期☆アーティストご紹介！〜久保田沙耶さん その①〜". エフエム香川. 2013-09-22. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b c モンブラン (2014-10-30). "届け先ない手紙受け付け!瀬戸内海小島の「漂流郵便局」亡くなった人への思い". JCASTテレビウォッチ>ワイドショー通信簿. ジェイ・キャスト. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b c d "漂流郵便局からのお願い". エフエム香川. 2013-09-26. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b c d 石川良二 (February 2015). "届かぬ思いを受け付けます 〜漂流郵便局 MISSING POST OFFICE（香川県三豊市）〜". 西日本レポート. 株式会社いよぎん地域経済研究センター. Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ^ "漂流郵便局（ひょうりゅうゆうびんきょく）とは". コトバンク. 2014-02-05. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ a b c 花田祥瑞 (2015-01-26). "粟島「漂流郵便局」 局留めの思い、本に". YOMIURI ONLINE. 読売新聞社. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
- ^ "漂流郵便局in高松空港 三豊市・アートの島粟島PR展＆みとよマルシェ". うどん県旅ネット. 香川県観光協会. 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ^ "【漂流郵便局in高松空港 三豊市・アートの島粟島PR展＆みとよマルシェ】". 三豊市観光協会. 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
- ^ Woo Song Mi (2016-01-20). "Awashima's 'Missing Post Office' opens London branch". Japan Times. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
- ^ "書籍「漂流郵便局」出版記念開局|トピックス". みとよ 暮らし手帳. 香川県三豊市政策部田園都市推進課. Archived from the original on 2015-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-12.
External links
edit- 漂流郵便局 - Official Twitter (in Japanese)
- 粟島の漂流郵便局 - Introductory Video
- The Missing Post Office - Mitoyo Tourism and Exchange Authority
- "There might be something waiting for you at Japan’s Missing Post Office" - Japantoday
- "Awashima’s Missing Post Office Keeps Your Undeliverable Letters" - Tokyopast3