Japan Philately Week 1984

Costume Japan Paintings

April 20, 1984

Complete set of 2 commemorative postage stamps on the Philately Week 1984 :

Issued by Japan

Issued on Apr 20, 1984

Issued for : Two 60-yen postage stamps (se-tenant) will be issued on April 20, 1984, in commemoration of Philately Week.

Colour : Multicolour

Type : Stamps, Postal Used

Denomination : 60 Yen each

Stamp Size : 41.9 mm x 29.7 mm

Quantity Issued : 45,000,000 stamps

About :

Philately Week was established in 1947 to promote deeper public interest in collecting postage stamps, and various events such as the Japan Philately exhibition are scheduled to be held during this week.
The design of the stamps is the color prints of “Hanshiro Iwai IV playing Shigenoi” and “Oniji Otani III playing Edobe” by Sharaku Toshusai.
Sharaku is said to have gained the inspiration for these works from “Koi-nyobo somewake Tazuna” (based on the Monzaemon Chikamatsu play which was adapted by “Tanba Yosaku Matsuyo no Komuro Bushi” which was rewritten and enlarged by Kanshi Yoshida and Shoraku Miyoshi).
The life of the artist Sharaku is clouded in mystery and it is believed that he worked only for the 10 month period from May, 1794 to the spring of the following year. However, within this short period, he was able to put his astonishing artistic energies into the production of a few masterpieces before his sudden disappearance.
Other works of his which have been used as designs for stamps include “Ichikawa Ebizo”, “Miyako Dennai” and “Dai-dozen Dohyo Iri”.