1921 Imperial Japanese Crown Prince Hirohito Europe Tour Postcard Set Stamps
This is a complete set of three commemorative postcards issued in 1921 to celebrate the return of Crown Prince Hirohito, later Emperor Showa, from his historic tour of Europe. The set was published by the Choyokai association of the Printing Bureau and includes its original commemorative wrapper. The significance of this set goes far beyond ordinary vintage postcards. In 1921, the 20-year-old Crown Prince Hirohito became the first Japanese crown prince to make a major overseas tour, visiting countries including the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Italy. This journey took place only a few years after the end of World War I, at a time when the international order was rapidly changing. For the young heir to the Japanese throne, it was an important opportunity to directly observe European royal courts, politics, military institutions, and society. During his visit to Britain, Hirohito met King George V and experienced the British constitutional monarchy firsthand. The journey became one of the most important international experiences of his youth. Five years later, in 1926, he ascended the throne as Emperor Showa. He would remain Emperor through some of the most dramatic events in modern Japanese history: the Manchurian Incident, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II, Japan’s defeat in 1945, and the country’s postwar reconstruction. That makes these postcards especially evocative. They do not simply show a young Japanese royal. They preserve scenes from the life of a man who would later become one of the central figures of 20th-century Japanese history, at a moment when he was still a young Crown Prince encountering the wider world. The three postcards depict scenes connected with the European tour, including: Crown Prince Hirohito during his visit to Oxford A ceremonial carriage procession in Britain A meeting with local officials during the tour Each postcard also bears a 1921 commemorative stamp issued for the Crown Prince’s return to Japan, together with a special commemorative cancellation dated September 5, 1921, from Osaka. The original wrapper is also included. It features traditional Japanese imperial imagery including the chrysanthemum crest, paulownia motifs, cranes, and waves. What makes this set particularly desirable is the combination of several surviving historical elements in one group: the complete three-postcard set, the original wrapper, the commemorative stamps, and the special commemorative cancellations. Rather than being simply a postcard set, this is a compact piece of Japanese imperial, diplomatic, postal, and prewar history. More than 100 years old, it naturally shows some age-related toning, light wear, and minor edge wear. Please examine the photographs carefully for condition. An especially interesting piece for collectors of Imperial Japanese history, Emperor Hirohito, royal memorabilia, diplomatic history, postal history, and early Japanese postcards. A young Crown Prince, five years before becoming Emperor, seen at the beginning of a journey that would place him at the center of modern Japanese history. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
