1871, 200 mon vermilion, plate I, early printing, a vertical pair, positions 25-33, the latter with positional pinhole, tied by large "Saikyo Kensazumi" to the reverse of a cover to Tokyo.

Vermilion "year of the monkey 7th month 2nd day / Saikyo postal bureau", or Meiji 5.7.2 (5 August 1872). Circular framed hakoba-in "ima" (今) of Imadegawa letter box. Also struck with the large vermilion oval instructional marking "arrival delayed by river flooding" of Tokyo. Arrival framed "year of the monkey 7th month 9th day / Tokyo postal bureau", together with framed "Kojimachi / postal branch bureau" and vermilion "morning delivery".

The earliest recorded delay marking in Japanese philately, and a cover of outstanding postal-historical significance.

Rate: Up to 200 ri = 4 sen, second rate period.

Reference: Illustrated in 19th century, fig. 322; Dragon Covers, p. 63.