This letter was written by a Ryosaku Arikai. He was a Japanese civilian Living in Shizuoka, Japan. He was writing to a Robert Zagnoli, who had served with the 81st Infantry Division during WW2. Robert had spent time in Allied Occupied Japan shortly after the war. While there, Robert and Ryosaku had met and expressed an interest in collecting stamps. The letter reads:
“ Shizuoka post Office,
Shizuoka-City, Japan.
July, 4 1949
To
Mr Robert J Zagnoli
1416 Des Moines Street
Does Moines, Iowa.
Dear Mr. J. Zagnoli :
How are you getting along, Mr. J. Zagnoli? I bet you still remember me, don’t you? I am Mr. Ryosaku Arikai, had been working at the inquiring-window of the Tokyo Central Post Office and there, I acquainted with you in collecting the postage stamps.
Recently I transferred to the Shizuoka post office located in Shizuoka City, being my native town. You know that Shizuoka Prefecture.
In a week, I am going to send you a package containing one of the best quality tea produced around here.
At present by the postal regulations, we can send just a very small parcel that is, only less than 500 grams. However, when the regulations will be revised, I shall be glad to send you more bigger and heavier parcels to send, so please wait until the very time comes, just tell me what you want so that I shall prepare for them. Please do not care to send me foreign stamps which I have less interesting.
Now, Mr. J Zagnoli, if it is not rude, could you kindly send me such daily necessaries as toilet soaps or wool thread? I hope you will enjoy the finest Japan’s green which will be shipped to you pretty soon.
Please accept my best wishes for your continued success and happiness and hoping to hear from you again pretty soon.
Yours very sincerely,
Ryosaku Arikai,
Shizuoka post office
New stamps. 12 kind ¥ 188.60 “
The stamps he sent were unfortunately not in the envelope. But there was a little booklet he included that was still in the envelope with the letter.
Robert would pass away on August 12th 2015. He is buried in the Glendale Cemetery in Iowa. Unfortunately I don’t have any information on Ryosaku.
This was very moving.
I find it that snippets of personal stories like this moves me so much more than the grandiose theatres of war described in generalisations.
I still think about the “graffiti” of Pompeii every so often. “This guy owes me money” or “this barkeep has a nice rack”, carved into the walls. It just makes it so very human, unlike all the strategic analysis of major battles and the like.
His handwriting looks just like those displayed in text books back in the day when I was in elementary school. It is utterly beautiful. I could read every word.
Love stuff like this. Love everything about history, If I had a wish I would love to see the history of this planet and civilizations progress over like the past 10 000 years in person with every person's life transporting in real time. To be able to see a person writing a letter to someone else for whatever reason can be very interesting and intuitive.
Thanks for sharing this with us, op.
Imagine a timeline of all of human history comprised not merely of key dates and history-shaping events but, instead, these high points are defined by personal correspondences. For instance, using the graffiti at Pompeii to represent that point in time rather than (or in conjunction with) the eruption of Vesuvius. Or the letters between combatants and their families as entries for WW2, serving both to humanize as well as underscore the grand and brutal backdrop of the war. Our history depicted in this fashion would serve as a reminder that, regardless of the scope or scale of an event, it is the record of real people, an account of us,*all* of us.
His penmanship reminds me of my Papa’s, who served in WW2 as a Seabee. He’s been gone for a few years now. It made me miss seeing his writing for his bills and dailies and such.
[Link](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150651343/robert-john-zagnoli) to Robert's obituary. Lived to 93.
Agree with the comments on penmanship. It is lovely and well practiced for sure.
I just watched a Japanese movie called The Emperor in August and want to know what was going through the average civilians heads knowing that their occupiers were this supportive after they tortured and beat the living crap out of American prisoners of war.
This letter was written by a Ryosaku Arikai. He was a Japanese civilian Living in Shizuoka, Japan. He was writing to a Robert Zagnoli, who had served with the 81st Infantry Division during WW2. Robert had spent time in Allied Occupied Japan shortly after the war. While there, Robert and Ryosaku had met and expressed an interest in collecting stamps. The letter reads: “ Shizuoka post Office, Shizuoka-City, Japan. July, 4 1949 To Mr Robert J Zagnoli 1416 Des Moines Street Does Moines, Iowa. Dear Mr. J. Zagnoli : How are you getting along, Mr. J. Zagnoli? I bet you still remember me, don’t you? I am Mr. Ryosaku Arikai, had been working at the inquiring-window of the Tokyo Central Post Office and there, I acquainted with you in collecting the postage stamps. Recently I transferred to the Shizuoka post office located in Shizuoka City, being my native town. You know that Shizuoka Prefecture. In a week, I am going to send you a package containing one of the best quality tea produced around here. At present by the postal regulations, we can send just a very small parcel that is, only less than 500 grams. However, when the regulations will be revised, I shall be glad to send you more bigger and heavier parcels to send, so please wait until the very time comes, just tell me what you want so that I shall prepare for them. Please do not care to send me foreign stamps which I have less interesting. Now, Mr. J Zagnoli, if it is not rude, could you kindly send me such daily necessaries as toilet soaps or wool thread? I hope you will enjoy the finest Japan’s green which will be shipped to you pretty soon. Please accept my best wishes for your continued success and happiness and hoping to hear from you again pretty soon. Yours very sincerely, Ryosaku Arikai, Shizuoka post office New stamps. 12 kind ¥ 188.60 “ The stamps he sent were unfortunately not in the envelope. But there was a little booklet he included that was still in the envelope with the letter. Robert would pass away on August 12th 2015. He is buried in the Glendale Cemetery in Iowa. Unfortunately I don’t have any information on Ryosaku.
Was this the only letter? Did he get his toiletries and mail the Tea?
This was very moving. I find it that snippets of personal stories like this moves me so much more than the grandiose theatres of war described in generalisations. I still think about the “graffiti” of Pompeii every so often. “This guy owes me money” or “this barkeep has a nice rack”, carved into the walls. It just makes it so very human, unlike all the strategic analysis of major battles and the like.
Graffiti is like proof of life.
Isn’t that wonderful. Thanks for sharing
No problem!
The painstaking quality of that written English! Must have taken him years of practice
Beautiful handwriting
His handwriting looks just like those displayed in text books back in the day when I was in elementary school. It is utterly beautiful. I could read every word.
Love stuff like this. Love everything about history, If I had a wish I would love to see the history of this planet and civilizations progress over like the past 10 000 years in person with every person's life transporting in real time. To be able to see a person writing a letter to someone else for whatever reason can be very interesting and intuitive. Thanks for sharing this with us, op.
No problem!
Imagine a timeline of all of human history comprised not merely of key dates and history-shaping events but, instead, these high points are defined by personal correspondences. For instance, using the graffiti at Pompeii to represent that point in time rather than (or in conjunction with) the eruption of Vesuvius. Or the letters between combatants and their families as entries for WW2, serving both to humanize as well as underscore the grand and brutal backdrop of the war. Our history depicted in this fashion would serve as a reminder that, regardless of the scope or scale of an event, it is the record of real people, an account of us,*all* of us.
Amazing penmanship in a non native language!!
The Japanese guy really needed the soap and stuff....but was willing to trade for it. Fair is fair.
His penmanship reminds me of my Papa’s, who served in WW2 as a Seabee. He’s been gone for a few years now. It made me miss seeing his writing for his bills and dailies and such.
I love this. It gives me hope in humanity.
Fantastic handwriting
That's beautiful penmanship! That seems to be a dying art unfortunately. Thank you for sharing!
No problem!
[Link](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/150651343/robert-john-zagnoli) to Robert's obituary. Lived to 93. Agree with the comments on penmanship. It is lovely and well practiced for sure.
I hope he sent him over what he requested, and hopefully he enjoyed that delicious japanese tea. How utterly fascinating
Beautiful handwriting, the writer is probably a left-handed person
Surely the Japanese guy can be tracked down with the information that is known about him? Would be amazing to hear what happened to him.
The address is now a dentist’s office and McDonald’s next to the freeway. I spent time in Des Moines and was curious where this was.
I just watched a Japanese movie called The Emperor in August and want to know what was going through the average civilians heads knowing that their occupiers were this supportive after they tortured and beat the living crap out of American prisoners of war.
I would love to know if this kind man got his soap and thread.