Gotochi Cards

January 23, 2018

Just before Christmas, I did a few Gotochi Card exchanges with other people in Japan, and I will share a couple of the cards with you now.  I got some great cards!

From Chiba

This is the 2017 Limited Edition Card.

From Okinawa

This is the 2016 Card.

I'll be posting more of these swapped cards soon!

Gotochi Card - Kagoshima

September 14, 2017

I received a Gotochi card from a friend in Japan.  We are both Postcrossers and we started exchanging our prefecture cards a few years ago.

This card shows Shirokuma, a dessert made of shaved ice.  In Kagoshima, it is covered with condensed milk and then fruit is scattered on top.  It is said to resemble a polar bear...Shirokumi translates to "white bear".

You can read more about it if you like here.

Thanks, Annette!  It's a great card.

There's No Place Like Home

March 4, 2017

The topic for today's Blog Linky Party is Home.  That poses a difficult question for me.  Should I choose the country that I have been living in for almost 20 years (my Japanniversary is at the end of this month), or do I pick the country where I was born, and spent many of my formative years?

Home to me is still Canada.  I was born in Edmonton and raised there until I was four.  After that, my family began a nomadic existence for a few years as my father worked for oil companies all over the world.

When we came back to Canada I was not quite a teenager and from then on I wanted to go to the big city, Edmonton.  We lived about 75 miles outside the city, so a trip to Edmonton was always exciting, even if it was with my parents!

After university, I moved to Edmonton and even now, that is my hometown.  I have three cards to show you today.  The first one is a general view of Edmonton in summer.  Summer in Edmonton is glorious but very short!

Bird's Eye View of Downtown

I often took a bus to the downtown area to see movies or to go shopping.  It has changed a lot since I moved away, but I try to keep up with the changes!

This is the area of Edmonton that I used to live in, Old Strathcona. It was near the University of Alberta, and many of the buildings along this street are rather historic.  In the near left of the picture, you can see the Princess Theatre.  When I lived in Edmonton, I lived and worked in Old Strathcona and it was wonderful.  I saw many, many of my favourite films at the Princess.  I used to have a membership there and went once or twice or even more times a week if I had the money and they had films that I wanted to see.

One of the few times that I have ever done a swap for a postcard was when I saw that a person in Canada had sent out a postcard from my University.  I begged her to send me one and she graciously agreed.  Camrose is a small city outside Edmonton.  I wanted to go to a smaller university, where I wouldn't be lost in the crowd.  I think I made the right choice.

Old Main Building, Augustana Campus,
University of Alberta

Although the campus has changed greatly, Old Main remains in place.  It has been updated, but for me, this postcard shows my "home" where I went to University and started my journey to become me!


I hope that you have enjoyed my quick look at my hometown(s) and will visit the other members of the Blog Linky Party.  Thanks for visiting me today.

Thank You/Movie Card

January 23, 2016

I recently sent a non-Postcrossing card to a person in Morocco and she sent one back to me to say thank you.  I like the card and the stamps that Eva used, so am posting them here for your enjoyment too.

Eva is interested in Alice in Wonderland cards and I happened to have a good one.  I sent it to her and she sent this great movie card back to me.  

She notes that it isn't a Moroccan illustration, but thinks I may like this postcard anyway...and I did!  

projekt plakatu Andrzej Krajewski

I love these great stamps...how lovely to have a book on a stamp!

Thank you Eva!  I appreciate your sending this card to me!

Gotochi Cards - Chiba

November 18, 2015

I have done another private swap and have received some more lovely Gotochi cards from Chiba.

Have a look at these beauties.

If you can use a browser translator you may be able to find out more about these items here. The page leads to the Japanese Post Office's Chiba Gotochi card page.

Thank you so much!

Gotochi Card - Chiba

November 2015

I haven't received any Postcrossing cards for a few days, so thought I would update you with some of the other cards I have received.

I recently did a trade with a person in Chiba.  She sent me these great cards.  I of course sent her some from Yamagata.

Rapeseed flower

Tai - Sea Bream

Asari - Clams

I love them, especially the cute little tai.  I've eaten tai quite often in Japan.

Gotochi Cards - Aomori

June 2014 --Sunday Bonus!

A friend who lives in Aomori sent me these cards to update my collection.  I am very happy to have them in my collection.

Flatfish Miso

Tsugaru Shamisen

Gotochi Cards

January, 2014

I did a private swap with another Postcrosser for these cards for my collection of Gotochi cards.  I don't mind swapping Gotochi for Gotochi, but I don't swap them outside of the country.

Here's what I got.

I love these cards!  Aren't they great?! Thank you so much for swapping with me Junko!

Private Swap - United Kingdom

November 26, 2013

One of the lovely things about Postcrossing and blogging is we "meet" many new people.  I "virtually" met a gentleman in England and asked if I could link to his blog.  He graciously allowed me to do that and then I offered to send him a mailbox Gotochi card from Japan.  He accepted, on the condition that he be allowed to send me a card too.  He found a great card for me!

T.E. Lawrence

He wrote, " This is T.E. Lawrence, the author, about whom the film Lawrence of Arabia was made.

I think my favourite films are Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady and Love Actually. Audrey Hepburn is my favourite Actress."  He mentions that he received the card I sent and wishes me all the best.

Look at that very cool top stamp.  It's a James Bond novel stamp.  I like it a lot!

Thanks for a great trade Scriptor!