T
ourists can send postcards
from just about anywhere in
the world – but have you ever
received one from under the sea?
Former postmaster Toshihiko
Matsumoto first came up with the
idea for the world’s only underwater
postbox as a means of attracting
more visitors to his town of Susami
in Wakayama Prefecture of Japan –
and it worked.
Since the unique attraction was first
planted of the coast of the village,over 38,000 postcards have been
mailed through the postbox.
The mail, written on waterproof
paper using oil-based paint markers,
is collected every day by dive shop
owner Hiroaki Yamatani and delivered
to the post oce, from where they are
sent to their respective addresses.
In addition to being the world’s
first underwater postbox, it also
holds the Guinness World Record
for being the world’s deepest
postbox at 10 metres deep.Divers buy water-
resistant postcards
from a local store126 | April• 2018News Worth Sharing
Postcards from Underwater
COMPILED BY TIM HULSE