Lt. Gen. Baron Tokugawa signed flag

[Papa Nambu]

I had a feeling this flag was worth a gamble on because it appeared to have 2 kaō signatures which usually mean someone important. (And thanks to Nick for teaching us what a Kaō is.)



I haven't translated everything but on the right is the name and signature of Lt.Gen. Baron Tokugawa Yoshіtoshi, along with a message from him and his hanko (seal stamp). And of course the usual "Eternal good fortune in battle" slogan in large kanji on the far right.



What I thought was another kaō on the other side, but with this guy's writing it might just be a quickly scribbled kanji.


Large "Certain Victory" kanji at the top.


Some other signatures.


The Baron's message and hanko, the kaō is at the bottom of the larger kanji to the right.

Baron Tokugawa Yoshіtoshi was from the Tokugawa clan who ruled Japan as the shogunate during the Edo period. He was the first person to fly a plane in Japan in 1910. Although he retired in 1939, he returned to duty in 1944-45 as Commandant of the Army Aviation School.

1924 - 1925
Commanding Officer 2nd Air Battalion
1925 - 1927
Director of the Research Department, Tokorozawa Army Aviation School
1927 - 1929
Commanding Officer 1st Air Regiment
1929 - 1931
Director of Training Department, Tokorozawa Army Aviation School
1931 - 1934
Commandant of Akeno Army Aviation School
1934 - 1937
Commandant of Tokorozawa Army Aviation School
1937 - 1938
Acting General Officer Commanding Army Aviation Corps
1938
General Officer Commanding Army Aviation Corps
1938 - 1939
Attached to the General Staff
1939
In Reserve
1939
Retired
1944
Recalled
1944 - 1945
Commandant of the Army Aviation School
1945
Retired

[Stu W]

Ooh, nice one. Would look great on my flag wall!

Regards,
Stu

[Paul G]

Nice catch

PG-

[Nick Komiya]

The kind of flag I like. Very astute of you to notice the Kao. Now you are buying with your head, not your eyes and that's a big step for collector-kind. What you have is a collection of names that made Japan's aviation history. To the left is the name of Genichi Suzuki, Mayor of Tokorozawa. He was a graduate of Waseda University and a former army admin officer. He was instrumental in bringing Japan's first airport to Tokorozawa, where Tokugawa made Japan's first flight. Here is his grandson Gentaro Suzuki.
By the way, the little poem with the Hanko besides Tokugawa's name is not by him, but someone else.

[Nick Komiya]

And here is Tokujiro Saito, whose signature is to the left of Tokugawa's. He was the chairman of the Saitama Prefectural Parliament in the 60s from the constituency of Tokorozawa. I guess it was his son that went to war, and he brought together the big names of Tokorozawa together to get their blessing for his son.　Once you understand the context, it becomes fairly easy to identify most of them, as they represent the who's who of Tokorozawa-city.

[Papa Nambu]

Thanks for your input, Nick, and the information on Suzuki & Saito. As I mentioned it's thanks to you that I even know what a kaō is.

The hanko stamp looked like the 2 kanji on the left side might be a very stylized of 徳川 which along with the proximity to his signature caused me to assume it was Tokugawa's.

[Nick Komiya]

The Poem looks to be signed by an Odagiri. This flag can be dated to after 15th Oct 1941, as that is the date Tateyama signing at the very top became colonel. His full name was 立山武雄、Takeo Tateyama and he also made aviation history when he was an Army Flight 1st Lt. , an instructor at the Tokorozawa Army Flight School. On 17th March 1927 he made a successful parachute drop from 400 meters. He also had an illustrious career during the war. With all this clout that Saito is showing, it is quite likely that the son became a pilot as well. Once you know that Tokorozawa is the magic word, this flag just won't stop talking.
At the end of the war, he was in Manchuria at the flight officer's school there.

[lugernut]

Congrats on a great find. I have a signed flag that came from Gudacanal but it's in bad condition.

[Papa Nambu]

I'm reading the owner's name as Saito Yoshikou 斋藤 芳皐

[Nick Komiya]

Strange name so I didn't want to bet on it myself, but there seems not many other possibilities.
Houkou is the only other way to read it. That sounds a little more first-name-like to me, but remains a bit of an oddity still. These days naming your child in ways most people cannot read is regarded as bad for the kid's self confidence, but in the old days it often led to a show of snobbery, flaunting ones knowledge of the Chinese classics, etc.

[petopoint]

great background story

Wow, I'm amazed on how this flag can still 'talk to us' so many yrs
later. Fantastic historical narrative on the subjects involved.
I wonder though how this particular flag ended up in a US servicemans
hands? If the son (original owner) was stationed in Manchuria last,
I would have thought the Russians would have a better shot at
capture once they invaded. Great score on it, Congrats and thanks
for the perspectives,
Peto at point

[Papa Nambu]

I wonder though how this particular flag ended up in a US servicemans
hands?

These days not all Japanese militaria in the USA is a "bring back". I buy a lot of things directly from Japanese dealers and collectors (I especially like antique dealers who don't specialize in militaria, get some great deals from them now and then) and do quite a bit of searching the antique and flea markets of the Tokyo area myself once or twice a year.

However I did put in a few years in the USMC many years ago, so I guess you can say it ended up in a US serviceman's hands.

[leaftree]

it appeared to have 2 kaō signatures which usually mean someone important. (And thanks to Nick for teaching us what a Kaō is.)

Anyone have the link to this? I did a search of the forum and came up with nothing. I am unfamiliar with the term.

[Papa Nambu]

Anyone have the link to this? I did a search of the forum and came up with nothing. I am unfamiliar with the term.

There's been some variation in the romanji spelling
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=491525

And on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka%C5%8D

Examples:

[RussellM]

Very nice looking flag Papa, and great info from Nick once again.
The kanji on this flag looks exquisite and elegant.

Regards

Russ