日満航空郵便連絡記念 reads Commemorating Airmail Service Connecting Japan and Manchoukuo

The Manchukuo air mail service began operation on 3rd November 1932 with airmail delivered by the Manchukuo Air Transport Company. An airmail system already existed between Japan and Manchuria operated by the Japanese, this recognises the start of the Manchurian operation of the service.

This cancel was widely available in Japan also Dairen, Antung, Mukden and Hsinking. In Manchukuo it was available between 3rd & 5th of November.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Chinese day date figure can read 3,4 and 5 (above)

Size 37mm dia (excluding wing). Known colours - orange red only.

The characters read 满洲国大礼奉祝紀念 Manchurian Solemn Ceremony Offering Respect Commemorative, the date represents the first anniversary of the founding of Manchukuo.

The design features a phoenix and the flags of Japan and Manchukuo.

This cancel was only available from Antung, Mukden and Hsinking Post Offices.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - orange red

The characters read 満洲国承認一周年記念Commemorating the 1st Anniversary of (Japan's) Recognition of the State of Manchukuo.

The design features the flags of Manchukuo over a map of the new state.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - orange red

航空郵便夜間逓送開始記念 reads Start of Night Airmail Services Commemoration.

The cancel shows a bi-plane flying above a lighthouse at night.

The date is changeable and can read 1st to 3rd. In China Stamp Radar shows this cancel for Dairen, Lushun (Port Arthur), Antung, Mukden and finally Hsinking, an indication of the route flown. In Japan the cancel ran from 1st to 6th and covered various stops between Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Size 35mm dia. (excluding wing). Known colours - red

The characters read 满洲国大礼奉祝纪念 The Celebration of the Enthronement Ceremony.

The design features the orchid emblem of Manchukuo and two phoenix.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

大典観兵式紀念 reads Commemorating the Imperial Review of Troops in conjunction with the Enthronement.

This cancel celebrates a review of the army by the Emperor that took place Hsinking airfield. The design features the army star and flag, two artillery shells and the phoenix.

Limited distribution with only 5 post offices in Hsinking

Diameter 35mm. Known colours - deep violet only.

禦名代秩父宮殿下奉迎記念 reads Welcome the Imperial Representative, Prince Chichibu.

This commemorates a visit by Prince Chichibu, younger brother of the Emperor Showa as the Imperial Envoy to Hsinking. The visit took place during June 1934. On 6th June he visited the the Emperor Kang-te to congratulate him on his enthronement and present him with the Japanese Grand Cordon of the Chrysanthemum (Japans highest honour) and the Order of the Precious Crown to his Empress Wanrong.

Available in China from Dairen, Mukden and Hsinking Post Offices only.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - red

歓迎日本國聯合艦隊紀念 reads Commemorating the Welcome to the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Issued to welcome the Japanese combined fleet which anchored off Dairen. The design features a Japanese flag, a ships anchor plus ships at sea with aircraft overhead. This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read 19, 20 or 21 (above), 19 being the most common.

Limited distribution to only 14 post offices, including Mukden and Harbin.

Height 48mm x Width 42mm. Known colours - deep violet, blue and black.

陸軍特別大演習紀念 reads Commemorating the Army Special Grand Manoeuvres.

This cancellation is to publicise a series of special army manoeuvres that took place near the capital 新京 Hsinking. It features a border of stars, the foreground shows a barbed wire entanglement with clouds, a flag and aircraft above.

Limited distribution with only 6 post offices in Hsinking.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and light blue. The blue is a later strike and cannot be considered a legitimate usage.

御巡狩紀念 reads Commemorating the Imperial Visit.

The reason for this cancel is an Imperial visit to the 奉天 Mukden area by the Emperor Kang-teh. The picture shows the 奉天 Mukden North Mausoleum which is surrounded by stone elephants and an elephant appears in the foreground. The phoenix is an Imperial symbol. Roman figures can read 19 or 20 (above).

Limited distribution, with only 6 post offices known.

Size 38mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and blue.

御巡狩紀念 reads Commemorating the Imperial Visit.

Issued to commemorate an Imperial visit to 吉林 Kirin. The central image features the Kuan ti Mausoleum. Kuan ti was a Han dynasty general, a great soldier and a just ruler.

Limited distribution with only 4 post offices known.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and red. 

(Inner circle) 改変地方行政制度紀念 reads Commemorating the Revision of Regional Administrative System.

This cancel shows an emblem designed to publicise a reorganisation of the provinces of Manchukuo for administrative purposes. The cancel features doves to signify peace and the rays of the sun to signify the dawn of a new prosperity. The eleven characters represent the first character in the names of each administrative region.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Roman figure can read 1, (above) 2 or 3, 1 being the most common. The design made it hard to use and perfect impressions are very rare.

Limited distribution with only 16 post offices known.

Height 38mm x Width 39mm. Known colours - deep violet and blue.

建國三周年並帝政實施周年紀念 reads Commemorating the Third Anniversary of the Founding of the State and the First Anniversary of the Establishment of Imperial Government.

Issued in recognition of the third anniversary of the founding of the state and the first anniversary of the enthronement of Kang-teh as Emperor. The design shows a map of Manchukuo with an inscription.

The date is changeable and can read 1 (above), 2, or 3.

Limited distribution to only 27 post offices, 14 of these in Hsinking.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, black, reddish brown and blue.

日露戰役三十周年戰陸軍記念日reads 30^th Anniversary of the Russo-Japan War Army Commemoration Day

Issued in honour of Army Day on the 30th anniversary. of the victory in the Russo-Japan War.  The battle of Mukden lasted from 20th February 1905 until 10th March, the day the Japanese army entered the city.

The image shows the Mukden city gate, the army star and medal, with two artillery shells in the border.

The date is changeable and can read 10th (above), 11th, 12th or 13th.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

萬國郵便聯合為替約定加入五十週年紀念 reads 50^th Anniv. of Acceding to the Exchange Agreement of the Universal Postal Union.

Issued in honour of the Universal Postal Union's 50th Anniversary of Japan signing up to the exchange of International Money Orders. The building is listed in The Large Commemorative Datestamps of Japan 1902 -1944 by Charles A. L. Swenson as being the Savings Bureau Building.

This cancel was available in Japan, the KLT and mail SMRZ post offices in Manchukuo.

The date is changeable and can read 21st (above), 22nd, 23rd or 24th.

Size 37mm dia. Known colours - red

皇帝陛下訪日紀念 reads Commemorating the Imperial Visit to Japan.

Issued in recognition of the Emperors first visit to Japan. This depicts Phoenix over the sea, with the rising sun as a clear reference to Japan. The three dates of issue represent dates of the Emperor's departure, arrival in Japan and return to Manchukuo.

This cancel has a changeable date, the right hand Chinese day date figure can read 2, 6 (above), or 24th. This cancel was also available on 25th, 26th and 27th but the for these days the date "24th" was used.

184 Post Offices were issued with this cancel with 169 different P.O. name variations.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and blue.

满洲国皇帝陛下訪紀念 reads Commemorating the Manchukuo Imperial Visit.

Issued in recognition of the Emperor Kangteh's first visit to Japan. The inscription is the same as Zirkle 12 above. The design features a wreath of rice and corn with Orchids and Chrysanthemum.

The date is changeable and can read 2nd to 27th. The Encyclodedia of Japanese Philately only lists 6th to 24th which appears to be correct only for Japan. Dates 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 27th were only available in Manchukuo. The cancels were connected with the PO's in towns he passed through at the time of his visit.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

新京東京間航空郵便一日連絡開始紀念 reads Commemorating the Inauguration of One Day Air Mail Service between Hsinking and Tokyo.

Issued to celebrate the First Air Mail Flight between 新京 Hsinking and Tokyo. This allowed a 24 hour postal service between the two cities and was established long before this cancel. The emblems of the two cities are shown in the centre with arrows indicating the direction of travel.

The date is changeable and can read 1 (above), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10.

Authorisation to use this cancel in Manchukuo was limited to just three Post Offices in Hsinking.

Size 38.5mm dia (excluding wing). Known colours - deep violet only.

Design features; a battleship and naval emblems flanked by two torpedoes. The characters read 日本海海戰三十周年記念 Commemorating  the 30^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Japan Sea.

These cancels were the first to use the new main post office format, for instance 新京中央 instead of  新京.

The date is changeable and can read 27th (above), 28th, 29th or 30th.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

大典観艦式紀念 reads Commemorating the Grand Ceremonial Naval Review in conjunction with the Enthronement.

To celebrate the Naval Review of the River Defence Fleet, the cancel shows a warship, the Sungari River bridge at 哈爾濱 Harbin and a decorative border of anchors and ropes.

The date is changeable and can read 9, 10 (above) or 11.

Limited distribution with only 9 post offices known.

Size 36mm dia (anchor tip to anchor tip). Known colours - deep violet and dull red.

郵政徽章制定紀念 reads Commemorating the Adoption of the Postal Service Insignia.

To celebrate and publicise the adoption of the Postal Service Insignia, this was used on uniforms, vehicles and the postal flag.

The date is changeable and can read 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 (above). The 15th was a Sunday, so if you were wondering if the Post Office in Manchukuo worked on Sundays, presumably they did. The interesting thing about the example shown above is that it has no day date set. The day is completely missing.

53 Post Offices were issued with this cancel with 44 different P.O. name variations.

Size 36.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet, red vermillion, blue and black.

昭和十年國勢調査記念 Commemorating the Shōwa 10 (1935) Census.

The image shows the census bell ringing out over a map of Japan.

The date is changeable and can read 1st (above), 2nd, 3rd or 4th.

Size 35mm dia. Known colours - red

廳舎落成紀念 reads Commemorating the Completion of Post Office Building (Nansuichung).

Issued to commemorate the opening of a new post office building Nan-Sui-Chung (now Nan sui zhong) in Chin-Chou. There is a sign on the building in the foreground 南綏中 giving the name in Chinese. In the background is the great wall and a gatehouse.

Only issued at 南綏中 Nan-Sui-Chung.

The date is changeable and can read 6, 7, 8, 9 (above), 10 or 11.

Size 36mm dia. Known colours - deep violet only.

葉峯鉄路通車紀念 reads Commemorating the Opening of the Yeh-Feng Railroad.

This cancel marks the opening of a short railway line built to link 赤峰 Chi'ih-feng with 葉拍壽 Yeh-pai-shou in Jehol. Prior to the opening of the railway the camel was the main mode of transport in this remote region.

These are the only two towns named on these cancels to see the other example click here. For Yeh-pai-shou the day date figure can read 1st (above), 2nd or 3rd at Ch'ih feng only, it can also read 4th.

Size 44.5mm dia. Known colours - deep violet and red. A red colour exists but this is likely to be a forgery or an unauthorised later strike.