Hanko
99% Invisible20 Juli 2021

Hanko

Hanko, sometimes called insho, are the carved stamp seals that people in Japan often use in place of signatures. Hanko seals are made from materials ranging from plastic to jade and are about the size of a tube of lipstick. The end of each hanko is etched with its owner’s name, usually in the kanji pictorial characters used in Japanese writing. This carved end is then dipped in red cinnabar paste and impressed on a document as a form of identification. Hanko seals work like signatures, only instead of signing on a dotted line, you impress your hanko in a small circle to prove your identity. But unlike a signature, which you can make with any old pen or touch screen, in Japan you need to have your own personal hanko with you whenever you stamp something, and you have to stamp it in person.

Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.

Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Avsnitt(782)

Artistic License Redux

Artistic License Redux

Idaho was the first state to slap a slogan on a license plate, “Idaho Potatoes,” which may not seem like a big deal, but it turns out this idea would end up having outsized consequences, and not just ...

10 Feb 33min

The Em Dash

The Em Dash

The strange history of a punctuation mark that makes writing feel human, and why people now think it proves the opposite. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-...

3 Feb 39min

Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

Constitution Breakdown #6: Adam Liptak

This is the sixth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution.This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article III, which establishes the judicial branch, alongside New York Times...

30 Jan 1h

What’s in a Name

What’s in a Name

Throughout Africa and beyond, Zimbabweans are known for choosing some of the most bold, head-turning English-language names. Zimbabwean producer Kim Chakanetsa tells the story of how her country's jou...

27 Jan 26min

Audio Flux

Audio Flux

This week we're featuring Audio Flux, a short-form audio challenge where artists squeeze surprising stories into three minutes.Find out more about Audio Flux by visiting audioflux.orgFollow Audio Flux...

20 Jan 37min

Exit Interview With Michael Bierut

Exit Interview With Michael Bierut

A young designer faces an impossible brief and discovers the spark that will define his legendary career. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole...

13 Jan 36min

Mini-Stories: Volume 22

Mini-Stories: Volume 22

Performance changing gear, a Titanic era nurse with unbelievable resilience, and an ingenious art vending project reveal how innovation and endurance shape unexpected worlds. Subscribe to SiriusXM Pod...

6 Jan 33min

Beyond the 99% Invisible City

Beyond the 99% Invisible City

From rogue stop signs to rooftop mini golf, discover how chaos and creativity quietly shape the urban world. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a wh...

30 Dec 202539min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

framgangspodden
varvet
badfluence
rss-jossan-nina
rss-borsens-finest
rss-svart-marknad
avanzapodden
svd-tech-brief
uppgang-och-fall
fill-or-kill
rss-dagen-med-di
affarsvarlden
borsmorgon
bathina-en-podcast
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
lastbilspodden
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
tabberaset
24fragor
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet