Nick Komiya

[Edokko]

Nick, I'm new to this forum, but reading your posts, your old Japanese abilities are just incredible, awesome work !!

I am also starting to feel that the flag may not be a per-se "Tokkokai" or Kamikaze member owned flag. The contents doesn't seem to "ring" right for a flag given to someone about to go on a certain death mission. There are several women's signature too, and not sure that the official Tokkotai missions were openly known to civlians in those days.

[Jareth]

Welcome Takehito Jimbo! Hope to see more of you! Now we are blessed with two of the best translators around...Nick & Edokko!

[MikeB]

Nick Komiya...

Edokko-
You are correct. In many cases, the family members of Tokko-tai only suspected that their loved ones were members of the suicide squads. There was rarely any kind of open discussion with regard to the nature of one's last military assignment. The book, Cherry Blossom Squadrons and others talk about how the pilots would sometimes be given the option to travel home and visit relatives one last time. Relatives would sometimes be left a final letter that explained the nature of the son or husband's mission. The final poem was sometimes left at home too but normally was created back at the military base prior to departure. Often parents would read about the deaths of their sons in the paper once the mission was over or might hear about it on the local radio.
Whether there are extant Tokko-tai flags that commonly have the signatures of women on them would merit examination. I can see how there may be examples of this. I am just not sure culturally how often this would have occured. Mike

[Edokko]

Hey Jareth, good to see you here ! Gunboards was getting kinda' stale and was looking for some fresh air. been looking at Trey's Castlethunder too.

Mike, thanks for your insight. Yes, I do not think that the "suicide squad" members themselves widely let it be known of their mission prior to their departure. At the best, a one night visit to their immediate family and perhaps some of the local shop or restaurants keepers near the airbase where they were stationed. Perhaps the flag was made by such locals, but would be hard to prove. Nice looking flag though.

[MikeB]

Nick Komiya...

Edokko-
Many of the yosegaki hinomaru produced at the end of the war had far fewer signatures than those decorated and presented at other times (not always, but quite often.) Since most men were still presented with prayer flags toward the end of the War, there would be extra room on them for added signatures, poems, slogans, etc. should some choose to place those at a later date. A standard good luck flag, initially given to a man near the end of the War could have become a yosegaki hinomaru to a Tokko-tai later on in time. Another thought.... Mike

[Jareth]

Hey Mike I forgot to say welcome back. I'm glad you decided to participate once again on our board. Your knowledge is most appreciated.

[Chako]

Photos

Hello Edokko, it's good to see you here. This Forum is fortunate to have you and Nick onboard and I would like to thank you both for your help.
Attached are the photos of the right hand side of the flag, hope they help.
Take care, C.

[Chako]

Photo

4

[Nick Komiya]

Chako,
Thanks for the additional photos.
1.@12o'clock another "Kamikaze "
2.@ 2o'clock "Tokkotai"
3.@ 5o'clock falling cherry blossom reference
4.@ 4o'clock the name "Isami Kondo"

I'm starting to feel that Kamikaze and the Tokko references are getting a bit unnatural and that there is a possibility that they may have been added later to an original flag. The famous song "Doki no Sakura (Comrades of the Cherry blossom)" likened the tokko pilots to blossoms falling (to their deaths), so the cherry poem is worth attention. However, the writing here looks quite clumsy (like done by a 8 year old child)and the grammar is not right.
Another thing that is scary is the name Isami Kondo. Look him up on the internet and you will find that his role in Japanese history in the last days of the Samurai was as prominent as Davy Crockett's in the Alamo. Anyway he is a much idolized figure in Japan. So if you find a signature that says Davy Crockett on a WWII item, you'll probably feel someone is pulling your leg or it's a weird coincidence. That's the problem we have here. Coincidence or is someone declaring April Fools to us?

[cbuehler]

OK, I will grant the expertise of our Japanese writing experts here. However, I have been collecting and studying Japanese military material for over 20 years and if there is one thing I have learned is that ANYTHING that purports to be related to Tokkotai has a huge burden of proof to go along with it, especially these yosegaki!

CB

[Edokko]

The 5'oclock cherry blossom reference is actually a famous poem originally written by a literary scholar named Motoori Norinaga back in the late 17th century, the contents were meant to describe the virtues of delicate selflessness but was used by war time militaristic educators to stoke up self sacrificial fervor. It goes "Shikishima no yamato gokoro wo hito towaba asahi ni niou yamazakurabana" and is seen on many yosegaki flags, commemorative trays etc and not necessary Tokkotai related.

But, I agree 100% with Nick about the "Kondo Isami" signature at 4'oclock. This one really throws the flag into doubt now. Kondo Isami was the chief of Shinsen-gumi, a group of bad-ass tough guys who ruled the streets of Kyoto and sliced up all the anti-government insurgents that were conspiring to overthrow the Tokugawa goverment back in the very last days of the Edo period. A very cool name, but would not wan't to see on a WW2 flag if you wan't it to be authentic. I recall seeing another flag with Kondo's name before... maybe I seen this flag.. hmm can't remember.

Chako-san, great to be talking to you here !

[Chako]

Thanks

Nick and Edokko,
Thank you both, again, for all of your work. It is a tremendous asset to the Forum to have you here.
I thought I had this one figured out long ago but you've added much new information. The Isami Kondo part is curious. To clarify for me; it's that name in the form of a signature, an actual well-wishing flag signer, or as part of an exhortation to "fight (die, live, be) like the historical Isami Kondo?"
Edokko, I'd be happy to send the flag if you would ever like a hands-on look.
And if anyone ever comes across any information on Yokota Norio......
Best regards, C.
.

[Nick Komiya]

Edokko,
The cherry blossom reference I made was the one immediately below the Isami Kondo signature. The one you quoted is proper and correct, but it does not refer to the blossoms falling, but rather talks about the beauty of the mountain cherry blossoms in the morning sun representing the spirit of Japan, which is more a positive message about life instead of the glorification of death.
Under Kondo, you will find that someone tried to spin the mountain cherry reference to a praise of death by trying to say, "Mountain cherry, let your blossoms fall in this world of fighting". This tried to take advantage of the former poem, but botched it both grammatically and handwriting-wise.
The way Kondo appears is not as a reference, but as a signature, Chako.

[MikeB]

Nick Komiya...

Thanks Jareth for your message-
I received a nice message from Eric too. Once my sore feathers had a chance to get smoothed out I decided to come back. Now, if I can just stay focused here and on the "flag section" of the forum then perhaps I can stay out of trouble! Where else can you go and talk about flags, stitch belts or anything else Japanese with the likes of the guys here?! It feels good to be back... Mike

[Edokko]

Nick, got it, I see the "hetakuso" (lousy) poem you refer to now, hehe, real childish, but again could be a country bumpkin level educated guy who wrote it. But unfortunately the big downer is the Kondo signature.