Cherry Blossoms: 10 Sen Ultramarine with Syllabics
Genuine
4 February 1875
Scott #45 and Sakura #46 with syllabics 
(ni-4) on hard foreign wove paper, or syllabic 
(ho-5) on soft porous wove paper.
Size 19 1/2 mm x 22 1/2 mm
The Government engraved all the plates for this stamp. Although some plates are not fully verified, it is believed that there were 4 plates for syllabic ni (4), and maybe two plates for syllabic ho (5).
Reminder: Only 16 petals or florets in the genuine Kiku Crest (Chrysanthemum Crest). There are no known forgeries of syllabic .
Syllabic (ni-4)
Syllabic (ni-4)
Secret mark omitted
Syllabic (ho-5)
Secret Mark
This secret mark is found on both the genuine stamps with syllabic and syllabic . On the upper curls on the west dragon’s back the top curl originates from the lower curl well clear of the dragon’s back. On the east dragon, the top curl originates close to or touching the dragon’s back.
Most forgeries and reproductions do not have this characteristic. The ABC forgery, however, since was taken from a photo, does appear to have this characteristic. But, like most of these forgeries, the printing is poor and easy to recognize.
Differences Between Genuine and Forged
These characteristics are typical of most of the forgeries. Not all forgeries have all the characteristics.
A: Genuine: In the bottom ‘kanji’ character of the central inscription, the top horizontal stroke is usually separated from the vertical stroke. Forgeries: In most forgeries this horizontal stroke touches the vertical.
B. Genuine: In the lower pair of curls on the right dragon’s back, the top curl originates from the lower curl clear of the dragon’s back. Forgeries: In some forgeries it originates from or very near the juncture of the lower curl and the back.
C: Genuine: There is a clear space between the rounded ends of the both on both the left and right side. Forgeries: There is no space, or very little space.
Important: All 10 sen stamps in blue with syllabic 
(2-ro) are forgeries. Wada printed his Plate 25, 10 sen green forgeries with syllabic in both the green and blue colors. See under Wada 10 sen green for details. Also the syllabic is not in a box as it is the genuine blue 10 sen stamps.
“Signed” Forgeries
Positions 1-3 of the Wada, Plate 29 forgeries below all have 14 petals in the Chrysanthemum Crest. Positions 4-6 all have 15 petals.
Wada: Plate 29, State I
Sankō vertical below central characters.
Wada: Plate 29, State 2
Sankō on either side of thin-lined central characters.
Wada: Plate 29, State 3
Sankō horizontal below central characters.
Wada: Plate 29, State 4
Sankō on either side of thick-lined central characters.
Maeda: Type 1 with sankō
Maeda: Type 2 with sankō
Mihon: Type 1 with sankō
17 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
Mihon: Type 2 with sankō
17 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
Mihon: Type 3 with sankō
16 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest
“Unsigned ” Forgeries
Most “Mihon” forgeries like those above are known without sankō, but as of this writing none have been found for this issue.
Wada: Plate 29
Either 14 or 15 petals in Chrysanthemum Crest in all positions.
Wada: Plate 30
Very insidious forgery.
Spiro
ABC Kurabu (ABC Club) - 1950's-1960's
For more information about the ABC Kurabu Forgeries click here.
Note: Numbers in parenthesis and bold are the catalog numbers found on reverse of the forgeries. State 4 forgeries did not have any numbers on the reverse. It is believed that State 4 forgeries exist for all different values. But only a few State 4 examples were available for examination. When State 4 was available for examination, the design type is recorded.
ABC (Kurabu) Club Forgery blue syllabic ニ – Design 119
States 1, 2, 3, & 5 (No. 38)
Characteristics of Design 119:
-
-
- Break.
- Cloud lines missing or blurred.
-
Reproductions
Tayama 1912
This 10 sen stamp, syllabic (ni-4) is found in sheet 2 included with the 1912 issue of the Communications Law Monthly Report. It has the type 1 cancel.
Inscriptions translate:
10 sen blue;
Issued: Meiji 8.2 (February 1875);
Off Sale: Meiji 10.6 (June 1877);
Invalidated: Meiji 22. 11 (November 1889)
Click here to see more information about Tayama reproductions.
Japan Stamp Publicity Association
JSPA Sheet No. 5 issued 20 April 1962
The stamp in this sheet reproduces the genuine issue of 4 February 1875 on hard wove paper with syllabic ニ (ni-4). The sheet is on wove paper. For more information click here.