Missing Post Office

The Missing Post Office was created by artist Saya Kubota as a part of the Setouchi Art Festival in 2013. Housed in an actual disused post office and staffed by the artist and a retired postal director, Missing Post Office has many of the hallmarks of an actual post office. There are uniforms and familiar symbols. The central piece of the post office is the "Drifting P.O. Box" which houses messages on post cards which can be read by any visitor. The messages may be written to anyone or thing. The artist compares it to writing messages in bottles, but instead of releasing them into the ocean, the Missing Post Office will keep those messages safe until they find their proper readers via serendipity. It is a curious system, but touching and thoughtful. I especially liked this story about the postcards addressed to Kota.  The Missing Post Office is still open. You can submit messages (in postcard form only) to the project at: 

Missing Post Office (Hyoryu Yubinkyoku)
〒769-1108
Hyoryu Yubinkyoku Dome
Awashima 1317-2, Takuma Town, Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture

Comments

[Yuri]

Hi! I was totally amazed! My ancestors were actually from this small island Awashima some 500 years ago as serving the feudal chief in the castle. Anyway, it's not Miyoto city but Mitoyo city instead. I'd better send a postcard too. Thanks for the infomation.

[Donovan Beeson]

Thank you for catching my error! I have updated the address.

[Cindy R.]

That article about the postcards to Kota--what a tearjerker!