Eki_stamp

<i>Eki</i> stamp

Eki stamp

Collectible stamp at Japanese train stations


An eki stamp (駅スタンプ, train station stamp) is a free collectible rubber ink stamp, which is found at many train stations in Japan and Taiwan.[1] Their designs typically feature imagery emblematic of the station's associated city or surrounding area, such as landmarks, mascots, and locally produced goods. A time-limited event involving eki stamps pertaining to a specific theme, especially a collaboration with a product of Japanese popular culture, is often called a stamp rally.[2]

A stamp stand at Nagoya Station

Some suggest eki stamps were inspired by the success of shuinchō stamp books.[2] Eki stamps have existed since at least 1931, when one was installed at a station in Fukui[3] and shortly thereafter, eki stamps were installed at major stations throughout Japan. These stamping stations are equipped with collectible rubber ink stamps featuring unique designs representing the station's city or its surrounding attractions. Travelers can use their own notebooks or stamp books to collect these stamps, making it a pleasant way to document their journey.[4] Today, eki stamps exist at nearly all staffed train stations in Japan. Eki stamps also commonly exist at other passenger points of boarding like subway stations, airports, ports, and highway service areas.

See also


References

  1. Chen, Rou-jin (2018). 一個木匠和他的台灣博覽會. Taiwan: 麥田. p. 32. ISBN 9789863445074.
  2. "The Design Nostalgia of Japan's Train Station Stamps". HYPERALLERGIC. January 6, 2016. Retrieved September 10, 2018.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Eki_stamp, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.