Asakiyume mita

On this day in Pen Pal, Em learns that the people born on dry land are given certificates to commemorate that fact . . . and for other, more weighty purposes. Everyone who's ever needed to establish their identity knows how crucial a birth certificate can be.

They can be elegant--here's some fancy lettering on a Massachusetts birth certificate:



Here is the top of a Japanese birth certificate:



And here is the top of an English birth certificate:



If you're a US citizen and you have a baby overseas, your child is entitled to US citizenship. But you need to get a consular report of birth abroad--here's what the top of one of those looks like: