This exhibit presents the postage stamps, postal history, and postal stationery of the four gunto [island groups] that made up and governed the Ryukyu Islands from the end of World War II until the formation of a central government on April 1, 1952. Each gunto was independently governed, issued its own stamps (used until mid-1948), and had its own postal rates and regulations (until April 1, 1949). This display, in turn, can be thought of as five separate exhibits; the size of each varying from very short for Kume which issued only one stamp to much longer for Amami with its wide range of stamps, postal stationery and postal markings.

Kume, an island off Okinawa, was invaded by the American forces June 26, 1945. Its postal system was independent until turned over to the U.S. Military Government for Okinawa on May 4, 1946. Although it was the first occupied area to have a civil government, it was the second to have a postal service, and is now famous for issuing the only mimeographed stamp in the world.

Okinawa was invaded April 1 1945; the first civilian postal system began operating on September 7, 1945. Initially, due to post-war primitive conditions, there were no stamps or postal markings (and very little paper). A free mail system was rapidly replaced with paid, stampless letters and then the issuance of stamps valid for this gunto. The stamps were never valid for international mail and the stampless mail system remained in effect through February 15, 1950.

Miyako continued its local post office until December 1945 when the US Navy established a government. Stamps were issued in February 1946 by Postmaster Tomiyama along with postal stationery and on certain occasions, stampless material.

Yaeyama was the next gunto to come under the American government December 22, 1945. Its mail system remained identical to the pre-war Japanese postal system until late 1947. Stamps were first issued in early 1948 and were used for a very short period. Used material from this gunto is very rare.

Amami was not administered by the United States until February 1946. It is the most complex of the guntos in terms of stamps and postal stationery. The stamps were validated by a variety of seals in a variety of colors; new items continue to be discovered. No covers with stamps are known. The stationery contains many of the rarest pieces of Ryukyu philately with no items existing in a quantity of over 1,000.

Highlights:

15 sen postal card. (Okinawa) November 1, 1947
50 sen postal card (Amami) Errors