My Latest IJA field cap.

[GHP]

EM field cap: I know the kanji's on the leather is small but is there any way it can be translated, thank you. The top one looks to be naka (medium)..

Yes, the top one is 中 naka/ch. Since it is in ink that seens to match the other three kanji, I'm thinking it might be his rank 中尉 (chū-i/1st Lt.) or perhaps unit 中隊 (chūtai/company). I do not think it is his family name -- I've never seen "Naka" alone as a surname; it is always followed by another descriptive like "mura" (village), "yama" (mountain), "kawa" (river); etc.

Can you get a clearer image of the kanji? I'm squinting my eyes real hard and can't make the three out. Top one might be 吉 Yoshi ...

--Guy

[Jareth]

Great collection Rodney! Infinite variations exist. Early to late, manufactures variations etc. you need the very first one piece/ two piece felt caps & 1945 linen multiple section variant

[Geoff Ward]

Very nice collection! Thanks for sharing! Geoff

[BRUNO FRANCK]

aloha Rodney

here is mine officiers cap,,,

tommorow i post other officiers cap

greetings Bruno

[RodneyO]

Mahalo Jacquesf, yes these are addicting….., like they say in the ole Lay’s Potato Chips commercial, “Bet you can’t eat just one”, now it's “Bet you can’t buy just one”!! Funny that's what happened when I started to collect Japanese canteens (and bayonets) too..
WW2 Jpns canteens.jpeg

Mahalo Guy!, your eyes are better then mines even when I was holding it I couldn’t make them out except for the top kanji, “naka”.
I’ll try to get better pictures over the weekend, again Thank you for your help!!, I know how hard it is to read Japanese.

Mahalo Jareth, that’s my goal (hopefully with the wife’s approval! ) to find different variations of the field caps up to 1945. I see more Showa 19 (1944) then any other dates, and almost every one are unissued.

Mahalo Geoff, wish more people would post their field caps!! I think the mid-war ones are very well made with the gauze liner and thread loops for the havelock for blocking the sun on the back of your neck.

Mahalo Bruno for posting that outstanding Officer’s field cap!! Mines might be his backup field cap, where as yours is a worn piece, which I think is a lot more desirable! Also I like the fact that the your officer’s field cap has the thread loops for the havelock, reminds me of the officer in the movie “Burmese Harp”.
Can’t wait to see what else you have!!
Burmese Harp.jpg


Aloha All,
Rodney

[RodneyO]

EM field cap:

[RodneyO]

EM field cap: issued cap with name and different pattern star.

[RodneyO]

EM field cap: name under the front of the leather sweatband.
sorry missed the picture....

[RodneyO]

here's the picture,

[zts]

my soldier's field caps

my officeer's field caps

kendo

[zts]

my jp soldier tropical trousers

[BRUNO FRANCK]

hi zts,, nice collection you have there

haloha Rodney
great looking EM field cap

here is mine second officiers fieldcap

thanks for looking

greetings Bruno

[GHP]

kendo


Slight correction: Jukendo [bayonet fencing]. 銃剣道

Still taught in the Japan Self-Defence Forces:

小松一曹
Komatsu Issō
Master Sergeant Komatsu on left.


--Guy

[GHP]

I'm not 100% certain, but I think this surname is Masaki:

政木
Masaki

[RodneyO]

Aloha All,
Wow Zts!, That's a nice collection of Japanese militaria especially your field caps both enlisted and officers!! Is there outlines of the star on field caps that are missing them and do you think they were they removed after the war? Are the liners dated?

That’s a nice Jukendo set with the framed picture, is the owner one of them in the picture? Also that’s a nice pair of green lightweight tropical trousers. I have one similar to yours and if I recall dated Showa19.

Aloha Bruno, another excellent “issued” piece and a named one too!! Your star is very similar to the one on my issued field cap but has the backing behind the star.
Mahalo for posting them!!!

Mahalo Guy for all your hard work translating kanji.
Here’s the pictures I promised, hope these will help: