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NewsPaper Delivery in Japan

Very early in the morning, much before dawn, you will hear the sound of motorbike going around the houses and apartments. They are ‘Shimbun haitatsu’ newspaper delivery.

Although people who subscribe newspaper are decreasing than before, along with the spread of the internet that provides various information immediately, especially among young generation. Internet will update you per minutes. But newspaper delivery is still much alive.

One way or another we must get things Win

To combat with the internet news services, newspaper agents are very keen to keep up the number of subscription. They send salespersons occasionally to visit houses to look for new customers. They show up at your doorstep with some incentives.

The subscription would be usually either three, six or twelve months.
Typically, those will be some tickets for museums or some popular events, and bottles of washing soaps. Actually, if you keep the subscription you will hardly in need of buying the washing soap because they give you plenty.

I’ll take care of it

Then you will have newspaper delivered every morning, and evening if you order for evening paper as well. Not to disappoint early birds, you will hear them coming even as early as three o’clock in the morning! Delivery is only off on Sundays.

If you will be out of home for some time, the agent can keep the papers of the whole period of absence for you so that you can read them once you are back. Or they can simply deduct from the monthly fee.

What is Chirashi?

One additional benefit of newspaper subscription is ‘Chirashi’ – a bunch of flyers are coming enclosed with newspapers every day. Chirashi are locally issued flyers therefore it contains full of useful local information that you may not reach via other sources.

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Tamaki SAITO(西東たまき)

Born in Tokyo and raised in Chiba prefecture. I'm excited to reveal the Japan's life behind the scenes that you can hardly learn from the regular sources. Let me hear how far it worked from your side!

-culture