New Year’s Mail Service

The New Year's Mail Service in Japan, established in 1900, is a special postal initiative that operates partly for charitable causes. This service ensures the timely delivery of billions of New Year's greetings, known as nengajō. This tradition is part of the broader Japanese New Year celebration, Shōgatsu, which marks the beginning of the calendar year. The postal system in Japan was officially established in 1871, with a nationwide service implemented by 1872. It became a government monopoly in 1873, introducing uniform tariffs, postage stamps, and postcards.12