Mastodawn

OK, this is a thread about Japanese stations (and other places) rubber stamps!!

I'll take you virtually to a trip through 30 places all across Japan. Of course this is not a comprehensive tour but it's the best I could do. Let's go!

1. #Harajuku Station. Next to the Yoyogi Park and to the center of alternative fashion for youngsters. The old building was sadly replaced in recent years but the torii across the bridge feels as gorgeous as one can imagine.

2. Meiji Jingû gardens. It has many other names, but the beauty is the same. One of the quietest and most beautiful spots in downtown Tokyo. Pay the admission fee, it is really worthy. Take a stroll for the whole marked path to find one of the coolest little places you'll come across in the city: Kiyomasa's well. I won't spoil the surprise.

3. #Ikebukuro Station. The stage of Tokyo. A vibrant neighbourhood. Many foreigners come here for the anime merch shops, but here you can also find a bookstore 10 storeys tall: Junkudô.

4. #Bakurochô Station. Once a thrilling open mall with a lot of cheap stores selling a wide range of items, Bakurochô also houses a few art galleries. For some time this was the deepest station in Japan. Now you can see the tallest tower in the country from the street.

5. Kanda Curry Grand Prix, #Akihabara. One of many advertisement rubber stamps for rallies. I didn't see any more of these and the theme didn't catch my interest, but hey, another one to the collection.

6. #Akihabara Station. The place to be if you are into anime, manga, electronics, maid cafés, or all at once! If you love trains, Akiba offers some of the coolest spots in Tokyo to take pictures, like the old Manseibashi Station. Dawns here are really a bliss!

7. #Tokyo Station. A colonial style building in the middle of Marunouchi, close to the Imperial Gardens. The pivotal point of the rail network. The "Capital of the East". Need I say more?

8. Higashi-Nihombashi Station. Close to the Nihombashi Bridge, the start of Japanese roads, it is connected underground with Bakurochô and Bakuro-Yokoyama.

9. #Asakusa Station. One of the landmarks of Tokyo and the whole of Japan. Once you get there you will instantly be transported back to centuries ago, just to be brought back to present when you spot the Skytree in the distance. An amusement park? You got it. Hint: visit Asakusa by night, the pictures when there's no people will be unforgettable.

10. #Kinshichô Station. Not far from the Skytree ("far" in Tokyo terms) and close to the beautiful Kameido neighbourhood, it provides quick access from and to downtown Tokyo. Kameido Tenjin is usually not crowded at all, and a great detour in your 1-week stay in the capital.

11. Bakuro-Yokoyama Station. If this looks like a déjà-vu it's because it shares the area of Bakurochô and Higashi-Nihombashi, so everything from them applies here as well.

12. #Ôji Station. A place for kitsunes! They are mythological creatures that resemble foxes 🦊 . Ôji is famous for being "the town of sacred foxes". They even have kitsune-themed parades!

13. #Ueno Station. One of the most important parks in the city, housing museums, temples, restaurants, a zoo with capybaras and who knows what else. The Benzaiten temple at Shinobazu pond is worth the visit on its own.

14. Tokyo National Museum. A complex of buildings encompasing centuries of Japanese and Asian art. A great entry point to understand Japan's craftmanship throughout history. And five stamps all in a row to collect.

15. Hama-Rikyû Gardens. An ancient place for emperors with a few tea houses, ponds with salt water, ducks and views to the harbor. Also a nice location for a picnic and tree lovers.

16. #Yûrakuchô Station. We are so close to Ginza that you can feel the luxury everywhere. Go here to find many of the most exclusive brands you can spend your money on, and the Moomin store as well.

17. #Miyajimaguchi Station. Let's get out of Tokyo for a bit. When we ask about Japan maybe one of the most iconic images you can think of is the torii over the sea, in the island of Miyajima. This stamp is inland in the JR station and you have to walk a bit to the ferry terminal. But believe me: your memories of Miyajima will last forever. Don't forget to go past where the tourists always gather, the island has much to offer.

18. #Hiroshima Castle. When the USA destroyed the city they took away the old castle with the bomb. This new one is built in an ancient style and it houses a museum containing the history of Hiroshima, old weapons and garments and a lookout in the highest floor to admire the whole city. Don't miss the shrine nearby.

19. #Hakata Station. The "new Fukuoka", close to the port and the airport, shows its joy through their station stamp. We are now more than one thousand kilometers away from Tokyo!

20. #Kyôto Station. The "romantic and historical capital" is the counterpoint to Tokyo. You can breathe history everywhere with many of the most important religious sites in the country. Just minutes away from Fushimi Inari or the Bamboo Forest, Kyoto deserves a few days to completely understand it.

21. Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. A complex of temples close to the Kyoto Station where the main hall is open to prayers and public alike. One of the main attractions is a rope made of human hair that was used to build the temple.

22. Gion-Shijô Station. Kyoto is having a problem with overtourism that has already hit the national news, in part due to some people causing trouble around #Gion. Both neighbours and geishas have already expressed concerns about it, but the streets get more crowded every day. Take a stroll through Pontochô and by the river while you can, just in a civilized manner.

23. Umekôji-Kyôtonishi Station. Chances are that you will be visiting the Kyoto Aquarium or the Railway Museum (or both!) if you use this modern station. The surrounding area is perfect for a day outside the most famous tourist attractions. Look for the Pokémon manhole!

24. #Kyoto Railway Museum. An excellent place for die-hard rail fans. This outstanding museum offers everything one would want to admire: vehicles, technique, history, simulators, a huge shop in an ancient station... These stamps were part of the 100th anniversary of freight transport.

25. JR #Nara Station. A mere 45-minute trip from Kyoto is one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and it shows. Nara is home to the two things that have made it world-famous: deers and the giant wooden Buddha. Just look at this rubber stamp, it's a work of art.

doragasu Apr 21, 2024

@stage7 Thumbs up for the PCB look-alike in this one 👍

@doragasu Every JR station with a rubber stamp in Tokyo has its own themed stamp with the shape of a kanji 😄.

doragasu Apr 21, 2024

@stage7 Yeah, I know, I read your toot about it months ago. All of them are really cool, but being in love with electronics I specially like the Akihabara one with the traces looking like printed circuit board tracks.