1943 Burma WW2 Japanese Military Mail Gunji Yubin Railway Station Art Miyazaki Postcard

Front Description

This Japanese wartime military postcard reproduces a watercolour and ink sketch of a railway station in Burma, drawn by an Imperial Japanese Army officer. The printed captions in the white margin below the picture read right to left:

The artist's handwritten inscription runs across the bottom of the picture: "18-1-13「タ4」駅風景". The date "18-1-13" is Shōwa 18, January 13, i.e. 13 January 1943. "「タ4」" appears to be a location or station code, and "駅風景" means "Station Scene". A circled monogram, "M.M", appears at lower right; these are the initials of Miyazaki Matsuichirō.

The drawing is dominated by a huge, spreading tree with thick, twisting orange-brown trunks and broad branches. Its canopy of loosely washed green foliage shades the station platform. At right, a wooden railway carriage with rows of windows stands at the platform, and a plume of grey steam or smoke rises beside the tree. Railway tracks run off to the left, lined with telegraph or signal poles carrying small flags. Around the base of the tree are platform structures, possibly a water tank, a ticket booth and bins.

Several Burmese figures stand on the platform. They wear the longyi (wrap skirt) in red, orange and purple. Two women balance wide baskets on their heads, and one figure in a blue top stands beneath the tree. The pale sky is washed in soft greens and blues.

The style is lively and spontaneous, with bold black ink outlines filled in with watercolour washes, typical of a soldier's field sketch. The card shows light edge wear, slight toning and a few tiny specks in the margin, but it is in good condition overall.

Back Description

The back is printed in red ink on buff/pink-toned wartime card stock.

The card is unused. It has no address, message or censor's seal. The reverse has light toning, some faint smudging near the top edge, and minor edge wear.

Estimated Era

This card was produced in 1943, during the Japanese occupation of Burma. The artist dated his sketch 13 January 1943 (Shōwa 18). It was printed as a military post card (軍事郵便) and issued by the Army Soldiers' Relief Department (陸軍恤兵部). That department distributed free postcards to troops at the front so they could write home, and many of these cards reproduced sketches made by serving soldiers and officers.

Other features are consistent with this date:

The railway scene is of particular interest. In 1943, Japanese forces were extending and operating the Burmese railway network, which included the building of the Burma–Thailand "Death Railway". Collectors of Burma campaign history, Japanese military mail and wartime soldier art seek out cards like this one.

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