Japanese Flag

[chen]

..

[RonR]

You guys are terrific!

Many, many thanks for taking your time to help!

Best regards,

[Papa Nambu]

Chen reads the Chinese way which doesn't always match the Japanese meaning, but his translation gives you a good idea of the content. Chen is a very helpful member of our group!

[chen]

True Papa, this is why you and Nick need to "fine tune" my translation.

[Nick Komiya]

Very nicely executed flag. The characters 3 to 5 as marked by Chen refers to the Girls of Kouyagi Township, calling to the young soldier to fondly remember the local girls. Kouyagi used to be part of Nagasaki. There are 2 slogans that refer to Tokkotai, and one wishes the owner to be successful in joining the ranks of those young ( but soon to disintegrate) cherry blossoms. Whether he actually became a Tokko pilot cannot be known, but it is clear that he was expected to become one.

[GHP]

Item 13 posted by Chen (Prayer)

入隊ヲ祈
Nyuu-tai wo Onori.

We pray for your enlistment.

ヲ is the pre-war katakana for "wo"; today the hiraganaを is used. "Wo" (normally pronounced as "O") indicates direct object [prayer] of action [enlistment].

[RonR]

You guys are SUPER!

Many, many thanks!

[GHP]

Item 11 by Chen 断

Tan! ... followed by artistic signature [a "kao"]

decision; judgment; resolution

In this example, it more than likely means "BE RESOLVED"

I'll try to get to the others later today as time allows.

--Guy

[GHP]

Items 1~ 5 by Chen:

思い起せよ
香焼娘

Omoi-okoseyo!
Kou Shou Musume

Remember [!!]
[Your] Incense-offering Daughters

The suffix ~seyo is an imperative; the citation form for this kanji-compound is Omoi-okosu; so they are commanding/strongly requesting the receipient to REMEMBER ! [omoi-oko~seyo] the women who offer incense on his behalf.

The verb "offer" is a bit lax, and should literally be "burning" [incense burning]
The noun "musume" literally means daughter, but often is used to mean "girl" ... and a bit roughly, "hey girl!" would be "Oi, musume!"

--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

The "incense burning" is actually Koyagi, a name of a place. For incense, the verb to burn is never　焼く（Ｙａｋｕ）, but　焚く(Taku). Gocha there, didn't it? But I'm really impressed with your knowledge of Japanese. I enjoy reading how you meticulously analyze the grammar, which of course for me is a novel way of reading Japanese.

[dog soldier]

Now this is why I always return to the Japanese militaria forum .you guys have a wealth of knowledge that you are happy to share and I really appreciate that.i think this thread is turning out to be a real learning point for us newbies in this area.thank you guys, I have started looking at the flags I have

Graeme

[GHP]

The "incense burning" is actually Koyagi, a name of a place. For incense, the verb to burn is never　焼く（Ｙａｋｕ）, but　焚く(Taku). Gocha there, didn't it? But I'm really impressed with your knowledge of Japanese. I enjoy reading how you meticulously analyze the grammar, which of course for me is a novel way of reading Japanese.

Now, that makes sense! I need to learn geographical names ... but you know, when I look in Nelson's Kanji dictionary .... it OUGHT to mention those kanji are read as "Koyagi", oughtn't it!!!! Hmmmm .... maybe it did, and I didn't count the correct stroke order to find the second part of the kanji-compound. (My bad!)

...For incense, the verb to burn is never　焼く（Ｙａｋｕ）, but　焚く(Taku). Gocha there, didn't it?

Yah ... ya got me! Thanks for helping me learn.

Cheers,
--Guy