Description: This beautiful Japanese semi-postal postage stamp features a faithful multicolor reproduction of the famous fresco painting discovered inside the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus in Nara Prefecture. The featured vignette captures the "Asuka Beauties," a stylized group of four palace court ladies dressed in traditional, colorful pleated skirts and long-sleeved robes typical of high-status fashion during the late Asuka period. The figures carry various traditional court accessories, including a circular fan and a slender ritual staff. The top border displays the country name inscription "日本郵便" (Nippon Post) alongside "NIPPON" running vertically down the right margin, while the lower corner lists the dual face value of 50 yen for standard domestic postage plus a 10 yen charity surcharge.
Circa: 1973
Condition: MNH
Notes:
The original 7th-century tomb paintings were unearthed during a landmark archaeological excavation in March 1972, instantly stunning the nation as Japan’s first discovered full-color ancient tumulus murals. To raise crucial funds for the specialized preservation and scientific climate-controlled protection of the fragile archaeological site, the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued this special semi-postal series with a mandatory charity surtax. The exquisite printing was executed via high-end photogravure to accurately capture the fine cracking, uneven surface contours, and faded mineral pigments of the ancient stone chamber plaster.