Personal stemp honko

Also known as an inkan, is a carved, personalized stamp that you use as a signature when signing official documents.

Essentially, a Hanko (はんこ) is a carved stamp that has your last name on it in kanji characters. Inkan (印鑑), which is used interchangeably with Hanko, is actually the name of the mark or the signature the stamp leaves behind.

The stamp is usually no bigger than 2cm in diameter and comes in round, oval, and square shapes. So, it’s very small, fits in the palm of your hand easily, and comes in a stick-like container that resembles a thick lipstick.

When the carving is pressed on a piece of paper, the Hanko stamp leaves the owner’s last name in red ink, which is the color of most inkan stamps. However, the red color of the ink isn’t a rule, and you might see ones with different colored ink too.

Hanko stamps are used in various ways in daily life. For example, you can use it to sign when receiving a package you ordered or sign your banking papers and other documents.