Original WW2 japanese signed flag?

[fpicoli]

Hi,

I was wondering if this item is a original ww2 Hinomaru Yosegaki (japanese signed flag).
I know that many fakes are available for sale on the websites like ebay.
So, any info would be appreciated.

regards,

Fábio

[GHP]

祝凱旋藤岡裕君
Shuku Gaisen Fujioka Hiroshi-kun
Congratulations on your Triumphal Return, Mr. Fujioka Hiroshi

広島県佐伯郡小方村電話玖波十八番
Hiroshima-ken Saiki-gun Ogata-mura (Denwa Kuba Jūhachi-go)
Hiroshima Prefecture, Saeki County, Ogata Village (Phone No. Kuba-18)

柴田佳能
Shibata Kano

We'll need Nick's help to get a feeling for what the flag imparts. All I can make out is that there are a lot of signatures that identify their prefecture in the signature. Yamaguchi Prefecture, which borders Hiroshima Prefecture, is prevalent. There is one signature that is the "Yamaguchi Prefecture Japan Red Cross, Yamaguchi City branch office."

山口県日本赤十字社山口支部 。。。
Yamaguchi ken Nihonsekijūjisha Yamaguchi shibu...

=====

I like the heading! That is the older "clerical script" 隷書体 Reishotai:






--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

Looks OK to me. Most of the people signing are from Yamaguchi Prefecture and the most striking thing about this flag is that most people also provide their addresses instead of any slogans or messages, which is highly unusual.

[fpicoli]

Was it offered as a gift for the recipients return after the war was over???
Because of the sentence "congratulations on your triumphal return"

[GHP]

Was it offered as a gift for the recipients return after the war was over???
Because of the sentence "congratulations on your triumphal return"

Probably not because Japan lost the war, so it would not be a "triumphal" return. This was probably presented after he came back from a deployment. Perhaps early in the "China War"? But it is all speculation since the flag is not dated -- we just will not know when it was presented.

--Guy

[fpicoli]

Just one more question:

No doubt that it is a original pre-war or a ww2 item, not post war, right?

Thank You all.

Regards,

Fabio.

[fpicoli]

Hi nick,

The addresses instead of slogans could be a sign that the flag was presented to the soldier on his arrive from a campaign?

Could that be possible? Was that a common practice then?

[Staldion]

Ciao Fabio,
IMHO would make more sens if the flag was presented to the soldier before coming back home. People who signed may have been the soldier's brothers in arms, adresses would be in order to keep contact and meet again in homeland. It have been done by US soldiers on flags too.

Just like today you may ask the people you work with for some time to write their mails or Fb account somewhere in ordre to keep in touch before living.

[Nick Komiya]

I agree with Guy that this was a welcome back flag rather than a going to war flag. It is commemorating the fact of a victory, not wishing the soldier victory like in a send-off flag. By checking each address, it can be possible to pin-point when this was done, as villages continued to be absorbed into towns and cities and ceased to exist at various points even during the war.

[helmuthunter]

Very very nice indeed