Japanese Flags in WAF

[Nick Komiya]

This is not a matter of translation. For people that do not have knowledge of Japanese history、literature　and movies, this will look and read like an authentic flag. As a mininum, you need to know the Samurais, Kenshin Uesugi, Kuranosuke Oishi and the movie, "Aizen Katsura" to know that this flag is bogus in the sense that it was not made for a Japanese soldier to go to war with. Sorry to say, but your friend simply didn't have the necessary knowledge to understand the joke in this flag. If a GI brought it back, it's a fake made for souvenier hungry Americans. If your friend is non-Japanese he/she did an admirable job, but if it was a Japanese that advised you, shame on him/her! If you don't believe me, show the flag and my response to a Japanese who had proper schooling and this person can confirm that this is nowhere close to being a classical Hinomaru flag. The author wrote it in a way that any Japanese at the time of writing would instantly know it's bogus.
I'm sorry, if I disappointed you, but I myself find such flags interesting as part of the GI culture.

[DZR]

No offense taken, I appreciate the feedback. I bought it as part of a GI bring back grouping. Nothing anyone has said would indicate that a GI couldn't have brought it back. So it is what it is.

It came in this (bloody) hokobukuro along with four other flags and some paper items.

[DZR]

One of the other flags...

There were also two very small, very thin silk flags, and one large silk flag.

[Nick Komiya]

"Aizen Katsura" the title of the movie, which was misread as "Aizome Kaoru" was a love story that was made into a movie several times, including 1938 and 1954. Depends on when the GI was in Japan, but the author was referring to one of these versions.

[Jareth]

I wonder if the painter just copied the names off the movie poster?