This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Now ubiquitous in many of Japan’s 9,000 stations, the first eki stamp appeared in 1931 at Fukui station near the Sea of Japan coast, ...

As stamp markets go, Japan is of interest for a number of reasons. It is a mature market in a prosperous country where demographics favor growth in stamp collecting. Japan has demographically aged ...

Japan has many charms: impeccably timed trains, vending machines that can surprise any type of traveller, and… stamps. Not just any stamps — eki stamps, the proudly inked souvenirs hiding in stations ...

Though signing things by hand is slowly gaining more popularity in Japan, most official processes still rely on using hanko, a name stamp used to prove your identity. They’re used for anything from ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Now ubiquitous in many of Japan’s 9,000 stations, the first eki ...