Postal Symbol Day

What Is Postal Symbol Day?

Every February 8th is "Postal Symbol Day" (〒マークの日, Yūbin Māku no Hi) in Japan. On February 8, 1887, the Ministry of Communications (逓信省, Teishinshō) issued a notice establishing its official emblem. The notice specified a "T" shape, but six days later, on February 14, it was changed to 〒, and the February 19 official gazette explained that "T" had been a mistake for 〒. The symbol was later placed on post boxes, post offices, postal vehicles, and it is often written before postal codes in Japanese addresses. The 〒 symbol is one of the most familiar symbols in Japan.

The Origin of the 〒 Symbol

There are several theories about why the mark changed. The most commonly told is that "T" was found to be the international sign for postage due, so a stylized katakana "テ" (te, from "Teishinshō") — 〒 — was adopted instead. The "T" itself is variously said to come from the character 丁 (tei) or from the initial of "Teishin." The symbol was designed to be easily recognizable on post boxes and official correspondence. Over the following century, it became thoroughly embedded in Japanese visual culture. Note that 〒 is unique to Japan and is not used as a postal symbol outside the country.

Postal Codes in Japan

Japan introduced postal codes (郵便番号, yūbin bangō) on July 1, 1968 — initially 3 or 5 digits, later expanded to 7 digits in 1998. The 〒 symbol is often written before postal codes, making it instantly identifiable in address formatting. Japan's 7-digit postal code system provides precise geographic resolution — identifying specific city blocks and, in some cases, specific large buildings or organizations — enabling highly efficient automated mail sorting.

The Symbol in Daily Life

The 〒 symbol appears so ubiquitously in Japan that it has transcended its postal function to become a general symbol for "post office" or "mailing" in digital interfaces, maps, and signage. The Japanese map symbol for a post office is 〒 inside a circle; post boxes throughout Japan are marked with the symbol; and postal code fields in online forms are labeled with 〒. It is one of the most successful symbol designs in Japanese history.

Fun Facts

• The correct shape: Under a 1950 Ministry of Posts notice, the correct form of the symbol is slightly wider than it is tall.
• On uniforms and boxes: after 〒 was adopted, it came to be placed on mail carriers' hats and uniform sleeves, postal flags, and letter collection boxes (today's post boxes).
• Not the "postal mark": in the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), 〒 is called the "postal symbol" (yūbin kigō), while "postal mark" refers to the face-like 〠.