＜Summer greetings to all !!＞
I would like to extend my sympathy during the heat.
In this summer, we are facing the challenge that we should to wear masks or face seeds giving hotter.
I’m sending my thoughts and prayers and love to those whom receiving heavy rain disaster including the Kyushu region.
I hope you have a wonderful summer . 2020 Midsummer

Along with the internet development, the letter greeting culture is being lost.
When was the last time you send a letter by mail ??

The last I wrote was this year’s New Year’s card from Tonga.
While I was writing , I remembered each person’s face and the last memory of them, and it made my heart warm. Also it became an unforgettable event because it was hard to send from such a small island.

Letter from remote islands will be delivered by carrie pigeons.
This is a lie.

You can ask someone around you and take over to your destination.
This is true.

I think that is common way , so that most of islanders don’t know there is a post office.

Anyway, firstly, I had to sent it to the postoffice in the capital.
However, because I couldn’t find any acquaintance to go to the capital, I walked around to find a post office like small journey. I could not post it easily.

Yah, can anybody imagine how tough to send it from my island !?

I wrote New Year’s cards in early December last year convincing it will take a long time.

“ Maybe over there “ I was said , and then “It’s not here !!” I was said again.
After repeating the exchange a number of times , I finally met the post office but I could not met a person in charge until next day.
Moreover, the next day ,I missed one more day due to business hours after work.
Eventually I went to the post office during working time.
I feel like that I wondered around for about a week for send the greeting cards.

The officer said they ship mails on a boat to the central office in the capital.
Every Friday, a boat bound for capital departs from the harbour.
After that ,whether it’s sent with a ship or an airplane from Tonga to Japan,,,
Every time I saw a boat at the harbour, I reminded that what route did the postcards go through and how long did it wait until Japan.

My friend contacted me that she got it in middle-February !! About 3 months !!
On the other hand, a card written by my friend in Tonga seemed to arrive at Japan from capital in a week.
It takes longer to be delivered domestically than to Japan from Tonga.

Compared to Tonga, Japanese mailing function is fast and sure . Moreover, you can even track it. Once again, Japanese posting system is how high quality.

It is said that Japanese modern mailing system “nationwide flat rate“ was established by Mr.Mitsu Maeshima in 1870 after Ekisei and Hikyaku.
The fact of Ekisei , which is said to be the beginning of communication, was first recorded at the time of the Jinshin Rebellion (672).
Just my imagination, however, the contact during the war… I slightly feel any faster than the current speed in Tonga.

The reason is not only Tongan’s slow working mood ,but also the demand for mailing is low because Tonga was orality culture without developing literacy culture.
There is no clear address yet in remote islands, they know who’s home only by area name and family name.
Actually, the information that appears in word of mouth is the best way than news in Tonga. Our Japanese rule was ‘ Ask first to Tongan people !’ I can say the speed might have increased dramatically as they started to use mobile phone or SNS.

Their culture does not rely on letters.

While learning and using Tongan language, I realised it first-hand knowledge.
Tongan language consists on alphabets from sound ,but it has obviously no relative rule with English. Traditional Tongan dance “Taolunga” has meaning in each movement like Hawaian hula dance.

Even if they are expressed differently, the heart will be immutable regardless of age and world. Looking at the bright faces of Tongans and beautiful motion of Taolunga, I reminded me the delicate, graceful Japanese writing ‘Kana character’ developed in the Heian period. It is said people would not want to show their faces and they often exchanged letters even in the near field.

Considering the history of Japanese character, I think that the act of taking a brush and feeling on paper is one of Japanese tradition.
Why don’t you spend a relaxing time thinking about someone??

Author ; Miki Kato