Rare Japanese Flag or not?

[g warren]

I do not collect too much japanese so I need some help. Picked this up today at a show, it is not like any other Japanese flags I have seen, it is multipiece construction with applied meatball, silk in three sections, with a pole sleeve at one end, other collectors told me all the red stamps are from temples but they have never seen this many on one flag and that it could be for a high ranking officer, any ideas guys, I paid twice the price of a common flag, did I pay too much?

[Der Texaner]

If it is WWII period, I'd say its worth more just based on the the design and quality. Certainly a beautiful flag, and i'm looking forward to hearing the translation. I'd say you did very good if you only paid twice what a regular signed flag would go for. I would of jumped on it.

[MikeB]

Rare Japanese Flag or not?

gwarren-
Thanks for posting the images of your flag. The lay-out of the writing with the hanko (stamps) above is interesting and different. Anytime you have a stamp on your flag it makes it a little bit different than the average signed flag. Many only have kanji and no shrine seal or personal seal. Some guys collect flags with different seals- they are sort of hanko collectors. I have a flag with the saying, BUUN CHOKYU written on it and then about 30 different hanko markings, all organizational or from shrines. Another flag I have lacks any writing and just has the seals, at least 20-30 on it.
Once you get your flag translated, then you will be able to see really how different it might be. Good luck and thanks again for the post. Mike

[g warren]

Translate?

Can Anyone Translate The Writing On My Flag For Me, It Would Be Greatly Appreiated, Thanks Greg

[Der Texaner]

There are at least 2 gentlemen I know who post regularly in this forum that will be glad to help you. I think one is away for a few days, but I'd say give it another day or so and they will be able to help you. You might try the Axis History Forum. I've had good luck with the guys over there translating material. If you do find out something, not from this forum, I'd love to hear what it is.

[GHP]

I do not collect too much japanese

Thank goodness you didn't say "jap" again. Nothing against you, I'm sure you're using it as an abbreviation -- but many of us who have lived in Japan and have close ties there do get touchy. Please don't flame me (as happened to me on another forum) -- I'm not chastising you. I'd just like the general collecting public to recognize that times now are different and "jap" is a pejorative word.

Now, on to your most interesting flag. I can't read the first kanji of the family name, but it is to ".....ta Keibitai-cho." [the image needs to be rotated 90º right for it to be right-side up] The section I partially translated is at the very top left of the image as it is now.

Keibi=guard; tai=unit; cho=leader/commander. Kebitai is translated in my dictionary as "garrison, guards; patrol squad. If I'm not mistaking ..... it *might* be the equivalent of "border patrol". My fencing teacher was a master sergeant in the keibitai on the Soviet-Manchuria border back in 1943-44, and the term "keibitai" sounds very familiar.

[/quote] the stamps on the far right (really, the bottom): first and second, can't read; 3rd is "hisshyo" secretary; lines 5-7 are the titles of various department heads .... "kacho"; the last one is "Kyakucho" (bureau/administration head ... like post office level). The names on the far left (top) are all office personnel "kamin".

Now .... what is interesting is that the names are not Japanese as far as I can tell. They are all comprised of 3 kanji which is typical of Korean and Chinese names; whereas Japanese normally have 4-6 kanji in their names (4 being the norm).

Regards,
Guy

[Eric Doody]

G Warren,

If the flag is rotated 90 degrees clockwise, the four large, bold, kanji around the sun are "protection, victory, war, and nation" when read counter-clockwise starting with the kanji at one o'clock.

Hope this helps.

Eric

P.S. On a side note, I edited your posting by spelling out the word "Japanese."

[g warren]

japanese

you are correct as i did mean the word jap as a slang term for japanese, i meant no harm as i collect mostly german and to tell you the truth at shows that is the term i hear the most and just picked it up, i did not intend to offend anyone, i suppose its like referring to all germans as nazis.