Today’s card is from Japan, my favourite country. Japan never fails to amaze me. I was so excited to receive this card. This was also one of my first cards, which I received unofficially (not through Postcrossing's algorithm).
The sender has used a pseudonym – LovelySunflower and the card they sent shows a crocodile, which is from the Beppu hot springs in Oita Prefecture. Since I was interested, I looked up on Google about them, and here’s what I found out:
Beppu hot springs or Beppu ‘onsen’ as they’re called in Japan is a group of hot springs in the city of Beppu, Oita. Oniyama Jigoku (crocodile hell) is one of the hot springs included in the Jigoku Meguri (Hell Tour). A long time ago, steam, hot springs, and thermal mud were hindrances to agricultural production, which is why they were hated and called “hells”. However, when tourism began in the area, they revamped the “hells” into the area, we know today.
Usually, crocodiles live in areas warmer than Japan, but because the hot spring makes the area warm, they started using the area to rear crocodiles in 1923. Currently, there are about 70 crocodiles and alligators being raised at Oniyama Jigoku.
LovelySunflower says it is springtime in Japan, which is the time of…? Yeah! Cherry Blossoms! I've only seen them in photos and they are so pretty. I’d love to visit Japan someday.
Let’s see what LovelySunflower says –
“Hello, Greetings from Japan! I am sending you a postcard of “Beppu hot spring” area in Oita pref. They have lots of crocodiles in this area. Kind of hot area. Its spring here and we are having beautiful weather! LovelySunflower. 28th March 2019”
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| published with the permission of the sender |
Unfortunately, the ink which LovelySunflower used was easily erased while in transit. So, I couldn’t understand the 2nd part of their card. But I tried my best to ‘decode’ it and have shared it with you all.
LovelySunflower has stuck a 70-yen stamp which commemorates the International Letter-Writing Week and features a painting of a bird.
There’s an interesting thing I like to do when I receive a postcard and that is, looking for the place from which they sent the postcard. I figure it out by examining the postmark which is inscribed over the stamp.
The postmark on this card was legible but I could not figure out what was written on it. I guess this postmark inspection needs to wait.