Flag translation

[Joet]

[Joet]

Please help identify

[MauroP]

報國盡忠 something like "loyalty and patriotism"

[Joet]

Thank you. Any idea of the historical/cultural significance?

[SteveM]

It's dated 2600 (Imperial Year), which is 1940 in the western calendar. The writing on the right side is a bunch of patriotic slogans. The writing on the bottom are the people who signed the flag. The left side is a spiritual reference, the name of the person to whom the flag was presented: Katō Sadaharu, and a weird "Yay!" kind of exclamation. Probably had significance to the people presenting the flag, but its lost on me. 

 

Usually these are presented by schools or factories or neighborhood associations, sending colleagues off to war. 

 

As with all antiques, the market is flooded with fakes and imitations. 

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Hi Steve , I thought that the writing looked very 'amateurish' and wondered if a non Japanese hand was at work . Any thoughts on this ?

Ian Brooks

[Nobody]

The writing is very neat and natural.

Only one thing I feel strange is that "報國盡忠" was written from left to right, though that was probable also in that era.

 

 

 

[Joet]

My Grandfather was a Marine in the 1st division and stationed in Pacific Theatre brought this home.  It has been in our family since the end of WW2.  I value the input and if it is significant I appreciate knowing more about it.  

 

Thank you for your input and if you know anywhere I could take it on the east coast close to NYC where someone may be interested in looking more closely at it please let me know

[Joet]

7In other words, this is very likely not a fake since it came directly from Pacific Theatre and has been on our family possession for over 70 years.  Same with the Sword in other link I posted.  Sadly, he died less than 5 year after the war so we were unable to get any of the back story of how they were acquired which is a shame.  I am thankful to have this forum which can uncover the history and significance of these priceless pieces of history.

 

Thanks again

 

Joe

[Brian]

Steve M has given you the translation, and Moriyama san confirmed that it is native Japanese natural style writing (L to R being unusual but was sometimes done at that time) so all is good.
Nice item. Keep it out of direct sunlight.

[Julian]

Hello Joe 

before i start collecting nihonto i was focused on Japanese ww2 ..here  3 exemple of many i have in the past ..i think the writing is very to uniform and its too organized too be originaly made for Japanese soldier 

dont forget that GI made their own flag sometime 

Best regards 

[Bruce Pennington]

I'm not a flag follwer, but I've seen a couple of posts at Warrelics asking about these red stamps.  They are usually from a shrine or something along that line, and I don't think I've seen these faked (though like I said, I don't follow the flag discussion very often). If no one here can check it out, run it by the guys at Warrelics HERE.

[SteveM]

The red seal above is from Shibagaki Shrine in Osaka (柴籬神社之印).

https://www.shibagaki.or.jp/

[Bruce Pennington]

And based on Steve's earlier description of these being made for send-off, it would explain the uniformity of the writing. 

 

Any idea, though, if the shrines today make these as souvenirs?  Could it be a modern souvenir sold by the shrine?

[Nobody]

  On 2/12/2021 at 2:08 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

.............

 

Any idea, though, if the shrines today make these as souvenirs?  Could it be a modern souvenir sold by the shrine?

Expand  

No way!

[Brian]

There you have it.
I suspect they would be illegal anyways. Weapons and not art. Can you confirm that Koichi?

[Tom Darling]

The corner attachment ties,  if I recall to be ( military)  WWII period, should be leather. All others made after  WWII. IMO.

[Joet]

Brian,  I don’t understand what you mean when you say:

There you have it. 
I suspect they would be illegal anyways. Weapons and not art. Can you confirm that Koichi?
 

Is this item illegal?  Also, does anyone know if there are any articles or museums that keep these?  Or is considered to be just a piece of ww2 memorabilia...

 

‘Thank you

 

[Mark]

these flags are reasonably common. I have owned dozens and dozens. At any big militaria show you can buy as many as you want (genuine ones) for $150 or so. they were given to  military men going off to war by family, friends, workmates etc.  They were carried for good luck and many were taken by souvenirs by vets. 

 

There is a reasonably modern book dealing with these flags. The book explains all about them. you can probably find it by researching. If i recall it i will add it

[SteveM]

It wouldn't be illegal for a shrine to sell a flag. It would just be unusual. Since these flags are highly associated with young men going off to war, it is unlikely that any shrine would want such an association now. Consider these as relics of an unfortunate past. 

 

Even the "rising sun" flags are not illegal to display in Japan. The Japanese do not consider the rising sun emblem to be problematic, and indeed it is still a part of the naval self-defence force insignia. It is the logo of Asahi Shinbun (newspaper), among other things. 

[Brian]

Weird,
I thought I was typing this on a topic about those mass produced wartime daggers. You know the type...souvenir crude daggers with fake hamon. I meant those would be illegal nowadays and not able to be sold.
Dunno how I ended up posting this in a thread about flags.

[Mark]

you could get this book

Imperial Japanese Good Luck Flags and One-Thousand Stitch Belts Hardcover – June 30, 2008

by Michael A Bortner (Author)