Make Your Mark: Customized Hanko Seal Sweepstakes

For anyone seeking to elevate their signature, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is proud to announce a special giveaway that will help you make your mark – quite literally! In partnership with Name of Japan (formerly Kamakura Hanko), we’re offering two lucky winners the chance to receive their very own personalized hanko – a traditional Japanese name seal handcrafted by award-winning artisans.

As visitors to Japan quickly discover, the ancient tradition of hanko seals as a form of signature remains a vital part of everyday life, as you can read more about in our new article here. Dating back to 57 AD when the practice of seal-making arrived in Japan from China, hanko seals gained prominence when the Japanese Imperial Family adopted them for important contracts following the Taiho Code of 701 AD. Their use gradually spread from emperors to aristocrats in the Nara period (710 – 794 AD) and eventually to samurai during the Kamakura period (1185 – 1333 AD), before becoming widespread during the Meiji era (1868 – 1912) when a national certification system was established. Despite modern alternatives like digital verification, hanko seals remain deeply integrated into Japanese culture across all areas of society, as they are still essential for major life events – from marriage licenses to home purchases – and continue to be cherished as elegant heirlooms that embody personal responsibility and trust.

In their Kamakura workshop, the couple create handcrafted stamps using millennium-old techniques and premium materials such as Japanese boxwood and Japanese cedar sourced from Yamanashi and Kagoshima prefectures. Founded in 1951 as Kamakura Hanko, the company Name of Japan is now led by third-generation artisans Mitsuhiro and Chieko Tsukino. In their Kamakura workshop, the couple create handcrafted stamps using millennium-old techniques and premium materials such as Japanese boxwood and Japanese cedar sourced from Yamanashi and Kagoshima prefectures. Their exceptional craftsmanship has earned major awards, including the 2023 National Crafts Grand Prix, and they’ve created seals for everyone from politicians to sumo champions and prestigious temples.

For this special giveaway, two lucky winners will receive a custom-made hanko (valued at $200 USD) meticulously crafted over 4-6 hours with techniques handed down through generations. These exquisite personal seals will feature your name (rendered in katakana for non-Japanese names), with unique designs thoughtfully created by the artisans themselves. Hanko seals represent not just a beautiful craft object but a functional and enduring piece of Japanese cultural heritage. Enter now for the chance to win a hanko keepsake of your very own – simply follow the simple steps below!

Entry Method

No purchase required to enter; simply follow the instructions below to enter online or by direct mail-in. Giveaway open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, eighteen years of age or older:

Online Entry:
*Fulfill both (a) Newsletter and (b) Instagram steps below. 

1. Newsletter Sign-up and/or Subscriber Confirmation:
   1. Signing up for our Newsletter at: https://www.japanhousela.com/happenings/newsletter
      *Skip this step if you are already a subscriber, and go to (2)
   2. Entering all five sections in the Google Form Link (full name, email, Instagram username, address, phone number) and submit: https://forms.gle/8GgpZtaGWBkPMEtD9;
2. Instagram Follow and/or Follower Confirmation via engagement:
   1. Follow the @japanhousela Instagram account;
   2. Like the Sweepstakes announcement post on Instagram

or

Mail-in Entry:

Mail a postcard with your name, address, phone number, and email address with a note referencing the Kamakura Hanko Giveaway, to JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, Attn: PR & Marketing Department, 6801 Hollywood Blvd. Suite 205, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Upon receipt of the mail-in entry, you will receive one (1) entry into the Sweepstakes. All mail-in entries must be hand-printed.

Winners

Two winners will be selected by random drawing on June 2, 2025, and will receive one original hanko by Name of Japan (retail value $200 USD).

Those who have successfully submitted the affidavit back to JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles within 5 days of being notified, will receive their prize around June 30, 2025. Since these are customized and handmade, please allow some flexibility.

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Related Article

Sealed with Tradition | The Enduring Artistry of Japan’s Hanko Seals

While many Western countries have long relied on the handwritten signature as their mark of identity, Japan developed and maintained a different system: stamps known as hanko seals that are exclusive to a single person and are used to authenticate everything from marriage certificates to major business deals. These modest, pocket-sized objects have become inseparable from Japanese identity itself, their impressions marking both individual lives and social history.

Read Article