切手

I’m not a 切手収集家 (stamp collector) but sometimes the post office offers 切手 (postage stamps) that I can’t refuse…so I have a few collectors’ sheets of stamps from the Japan Post Office.

One of them is the 「スター・ウォーズ切手」 (“Star Wars” stamps). These stamps came in a nice, hard-cover protective binder illustrated with Star Wars artwork.

Japanese "Star Wars" stamps

And here is the protective binder:

Another series of stamps that the post office in Japan offered a few years ago was what they called 「科学技術とアニメ・ヒーロー・ヒロインシリーズ」 (“Science & Technology and Anime Heros & Heroines Series“)…which included such anime as 「鉄腕アトム」 (“Astro Boy“) and 「名探偵コナン」 (“Detective Conan“)…but the one I got was Series Four: 「科学忍者隊ガッチャマン」 (“Science Ninjas: Gacchaman” (known overseas as: “Battle Of The Planets“)).

I used to watch this cartoon in America when I was a kid.

Star Wars Celebration

Next weekend (Friday, July 19 – Monday, July 21 (July 21 is a holiday in Japan (Click here for my FAQ about it)), is the Star Wars Celebration in 千葉県 (Chiba prefecture), Japan.

It’s being held to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of the Star Wars movie in Japan.

For this event, Pepsi Cola is giving away small bear toys designed to look like Star Wars characters with purchases of their “NEX Zero Calorie” cola. These bears are made by Be@rbrick.

I’m not much of a cola drinker…especially “zero calorie” cola, but I bought a few bottles just so I could have the Star Wars souvenirs. They might become valuable one day!

I got the Yoda one (even though it’s the ugliest one), as well as Darth Vader, Darth Maul, and a Stormtrooper (because I’ve always liked the villains!).

It turns out, though, that the only ones that are exclusive to Japan are “Wicket” and “Paploo“.

I’ve never heard of these characters (I like the Star Wars movies…but I’m not a huge fan), but I’m gonna try to get them both (since they’re “Japan only”)!

My friend from high school is a huge Star Wars fan and wants to come to Japan to attend this event. If he does come to Japan, then I’ll go to the Star Wars Celebration with him…otherwise it’s unlikely that I’ll go.