Launching Over Japan

The idea of a Hanko, or personal stamp, will probably be fairly familiar to anyone who has lived in Japan.  Hanko are usually circular, or oval stamps, with the person’s name written in Kanji, and are the equivalent of a signature in western terms, on all sorts of legal documents.  When a foreigner comes to Japan, usually one of the first things they have done is have one made up, with their first or last name in katakana.  These days, they’re not asked for much, as the signature is making some major inroads, but every now and then, you’ll run into someone or some business that demands a hanko.

Like today…

Every now and then, as part of my job, we are required to receive packages for the company in our classrooms.  Usually, from the Kuro-Neko Takubin, or Black Cat Transport.  Today, the Black Cat showed up at my door with 6 packages, and six delivery slips to be signed.  I say signed because usually a signature will suffice for them as proof of delivery.  Not today, said the Black Cat, asking once again for my hanko.  After checking my bag, and finding my hanko not in it’s usual place, I was a little taken aback, not sure what to do.  Clearly this feline needed to drop the packages off as he was already unloading them into the classroom.  I told him that I had none, but he smiled, and said it was fine, motioning to a pile of novelty stamps reserved for stamping the student’s books for good work!

Taken further aback, I pick up my stamp of choice, featuring the internet famous “Kuma”, or more commonly known in America via 4chan, Pedo-Bear…

I then proceed to stamp all six documents with said stamp.

I’ll say it again to let that sink in.  I stamped 6 legally binding delivery notification slips with the likeness of the mascot for lolita complexes.

I think I deserve an internet award or something.   I wonder if I can have that stamp registered to me on the Japanese name/hanko registry…