How the mail reaches even remote Seto citrus island

Shikoku, the fourth-largest island in the Japanese archipelago and home to four prefectures, is surrounded by more than 600 scattered islands, most of which are in the Seto Inland Sea. Mail is delivered to the 59 of them that are inhabited, as it is to every corner of Japan as long as even a single person lives there.

One of those 59, Nakajima in Ehime Prefecture, is the largest and most populous of the Kutsuna Islands, a cluster of more than 30 isles of varying sizes, and lies about 10 kilometers off the port city of Matsuyama, the prefecture’s capital.

It is one of Japan’s leading citrus-growing islands, cultivating a wide variety of species including Unshu mikan (satsuma mandarins) as well as iyokan, Kara mandarins, Beni Madonna and Setoka. In early summer, the entire island is filled with the sweet, refreshing scent of citrus blossom. The citrus trees, which are planted on the island’s steep slopes, produce sweet, succulent fruit in the abundant sunshine.

In summer the island is busy with beachgoers, and in late August it hosts the Nakajima Triathlon — an event with a 40-year history that attracts competitors from across Japan. The cycling route that circles Nakajima is part of the Kutsuna Ai Land Sea Route within the Ehime Marugoto Cycling network, which allows cyclists to enjoy spectacular year-round views of the Seto Inland Sea.

Mail addressed to Nakajima is transported by ferry from the post office in Matsuyama responsible for the area five days a week, from Monday through Friday. The journey from Mitsuhama Port in Matsuyama takes approximately one hour and 20 minutes. Five ferries serve the island each day. Standard mail is carried only on the first ferry in the morning, while Yu-Pack parcels are transported three times a day — in the morning, afternoon and evening.

When the morning ferry arrives, the mail vehicle heads straight to Nakajima Post Office, just a minute or two from the port. This is one of the three post offices on the island. Nakajima Post Office provides financial services, including insurance and savings, besides postal services. All mail addressed to the island’s 1,900 residents, spread across 950 households, is first delivered here.

Five postal workers are involved in delivery operations here. On the day that the reporting team from The Japan Times visited, Konomi Hamasaki, the only female carrier, was on duty with a few other workers.

Hamasaki sorted the morning mail deftly according to her delivery route. She noted that many of the items brought to the island are daily necessities and agricultural supplies essential to residents’ lives. This is why she ensures that everything that arrives is delivered on the same day, no matter what. “I truly feel that I’m supporting the lives of all the islanders,” she said.

While the Seto Inland Sea is generally calm, severe weather such as typhoons can cause the suspension of ferry services. On such occasions, two days’ worth of mail is brought into the post office the following day and must be delivered that day. “Then our work becomes a race against time,” Hamasaki said.

The mail carriers use motorcycles with a load capacity of 60 kilograms, as many of the paths are too narrow for cars. In places that are unreachable even by motorcycle, they park and continue on foot.

One of Hamasaki’s delivery destinations that day was the home of citrus farmer Sadashi Toshinari. A narrow, winding path led uphill to his house through an orchard full of lush, green mandarin orange trees. Toshinari, who was busy working in the fields, broke into a broad smile when he saw Hamasaki approaching.

The fresh, tart scent of the deep-green mandarins wafted through the midsummer air. Hamasaki handed Toshinari a summer greeting card from his family temple. The two chatted and laughed together, looking almost like father and daughter.

Toshinari grows high-end citrus varieties such as Beni Madonna, Kanpei and Setoka, which require great care in both cultivation and delivery. “Every year, I send boxes of harvested citrus fruit to customers outside the island, but I’ve never received any complaints. I feel at ease knowing the post office handles them carefully,” he said.

Hamasaki is originally from Matsuyama but moved to Nakajima when she got married. She became a mail carrier after taking on a short-term part-time job handling shipments of oranges produced on the island. When the citrus harvest season arrives in winter, many farmers ship boxes of fruit off the island. The post office sets up a dedicated shipping counter for this purpose. “While working at the counter, I watched the mail carriers at work and learned how mail gets delivered. I thought it looked demanding, but at the same time, I felt it was a job that truly contributed to the community on the island, so I wanted to give it a try,” she recalled.

As in many other rural areas, the population of Nakajima is declining, and many elderly people live alone. During her rounds, Hamasaki finds herself naturally paying attention to things like whether mail has piled up or if there are elderly residents she hasn’t seen recently.

“It’s not just our island. Young people are becoming scarce on many of the surrounding islands,” she said. “On smaller islands with fewer residents, there is a shortage of mail carriers. Experienced staff members from Nakajima Post Office take turns visiting nearby Nuwa Island several times a month to help with deliveries. I will eventually learn the delivery routes and start helping out there as well.”

The island’s only bank branch closed down in 2022. There is an ATM at the JA agricultural cooperative, but financial services provided at post offices are just as indispensable for the residents of Nakajima as mail services. The same is true for many remote areas like Nakajima across the country, which is precisely why Japan Post’s basic policy pledges nationwide universal service.

Hamasaki said the best things about Nakajima are the beautiful ocean, starry night skies and fresh air. “When the mandarin orange harvest season arrives, the entire island turns orange and the air is filled with the scent of ripe fruit,” she said. She rides her motorcycle all over the island all year round, immersing herself in Nakajima’s rich natural beauty. “I enjoy my job, and I am glad that I can interact with people here and support their lives through my job. I hope to continue doing this work for as long as possible,” she said.

Destination Region is a series produced in partnership with Japan Post, and this article features postal workers serving communities across Nakajima.
The series will continue profiling postal workers around Japan.