Document 72 Hours

Shibuya Post Office: Countdown to a New Era

A few minutes' walk from the famous intersection in Shibuya, Tokyo, is a 24-hour post office. In recent years, this post office has handled an increasing volume of packages for delivery, mainly due to the popularity of online flea market apps among people of all ages. In late April and early May 2019, Shibuya was abuzz as people celebrated the dawn of the Reiwa era. For 3 days spanning this period, we spoke to customers around the clock at Shibuya Post Office, including a woman sending clothes she sold online, an elderly man who has collected stamps for over 60 years, and a woman sending heartfelt messages to her 3 adult children. What else were people posting? And what sentiments were being delivered along with their postcards and packages?