Japanese bag

[J. M. C.]

I just picked up a Japanese flag that came inside this interesting little bag.

I could use some help with the translation.

Thanks in advance.

[J. M. C.]

The one on the back looks like it is "infinite fortune in battle" but the rest have me stumped still.

I wonder if the bag was originally made to store the soldier's flag?

[Nick Komiya]

The bag is called a "comfort bag" sent from home to cheer up the soldiers in the front. This was a practice started during the Russo-Japanese War. Originally, it was a delivery from one's family, containing photos, drawings, letters, magazines, sweets, Senninbari, etc and the army paid for postage and there was no limit on how many a family could send. But as the war progressed it turned out that some soldiers weren't getting any. So the Army started to make it an obligation for municipalities and schools to send these bags to the front, making them a somewhat impersonal treat in the end. Many school children were made to write letters by their schools to be put in such bags. The bag shown here is from Niigata Prefecture, a late war obligatory gift from ones home town rather than from family. The flag would not have been the original content, as signed flags are too personal and getting a flag full of signatures of strangers would have been counter productive. Photos of a famous actress, the King magazine (later Fuji magazine), hard biscuits were typical contents at that time. After he had consumed the contents, the soldier must have merely used it as a multipurpose bag.

[J. M. C.]

Thank you Nick.

Here's a shot of the flag. It's not in the best condition but it still has a nice look to it with a lot going on.

[GHP]

海軍工廠
Kaigun kōshō
Navy Arsenal/Shipyard

平野健君
Hirano Ken-kun [健 can also be "Takeshi"]

第八寮
Dai hachi ryō
Dorm #8


--Guy