If you’ve ever heard of Susami in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, then it’s likely because of the town’s most famous feature: a post box that lies off of the coast and ten meters beneath the sea. It’s not just there for decoration, because this is a real post box that receives an estimated 200 pieces of mail each day, all of which are retrieved and delivered to their final destinations. As explained in a newly released episode of Great Big Story, the underwater post box was conceived by Toshihiko Matsumoto, the postmaster of Susami. He created it to boost tourism for the town, and it succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
Matsumoto first came up with the idea for the underwater post box in 1999, and it’s proven to be a boon for the town in several ways. It earned a Guinness World Record for the deepest underwater post box, and it’s become popular destination for divers from around the world. To date, it’s estimated that over 38,000 postcards have been mailed from the post box, and it’s open for anyone who is willing to put on the proper equipment and make the dive for themselves.
Naturally, paper mail wouldn’t fare well in that underwater environment. That’s why there’s a dive shop that not only allows people to rent its equipment; it also provides waterproof materials to write and send postcards. Every day, a diver comes down to the box and brings its contents back to the surface before dropping them off at the town’s post office. There are certainly easier ways to send and deliver mail, but this is probably the most fun that anyone will ever have while sending a postcard. Posting a letter, down where it’s wetter, under the sea.
What do you think about the underwater post box? Let’s discuss in the comment section below!
Images: Great Big Story
Some other innovations that are big in Japan:
- Notepads with sculpted surprises inside.
- A knife made from dried fish.
- Christmas cake flavored Pepsi!
