Yokaren trinket

[Staldion]

Hello fellows collectors if Japanese militaria, I wanted to share my last buy, it's a nice iron anchor with the kanji for Yokaren on it. It's almost 10 inches long and a 2,2 pounds. It's well made and looks old. Unfortunatly I do not know if it was made for a Navy base (deco for a mess ?), or to sell to civilians to support war effort, or even for a vet / vet association post war. Everything is possible IMO. It was unexpensive and will make an awesome display anyway so I like it a lot whatever it is and wherever it came from !

Still I would be happy to learn if one of you already see such anchor and want to share some knowledge about it's origin. Sorry for the small picture, if you clic on it you'll get à better view.

[gunto]

Dosnt look it was meant to hang on wall.
Paper weight?

[GHP]

According to this collector site, this symbol hung on the gate at the Mie Air Corps Detachment, Nara .

http://cb1100f.b10.coreserver.jp/collection2_c.html
奈良海軍航空隊（三重航空隊奈良分遣隊）
の予科練の校門飾られていた予科練校章
Nara Navy Air Corps (Mie Air Corps, Nara Detachment )
The prep-school's main entry gate was adorned with this Prep School Badge.

It was probably a keepsake for the students. I thought 1kg was too heavy for a paperweight, but I've got a 4"x4" Iron Cross paperweight (10.5cm x 10.5cm) weighing about that much.


--Guy


--Guy

[Staldion]

Didn't thought about it because I am already seeing it on my wall with a hook but yes it may be a paper weight! I am not use to this kind of tool, don't you think the metal should have been coated each side ? Because I won't use it as such today as it's leaving à black anchor shadow, I am glad I tried on paper before puting it on a wall...

[Staldion]

Hi Guy, didn't saw your post when I started mine. Awesome you find it thank you so much ! I am just leaving work I ll check the link back home, looks to be full or interesting data, thank you! About your Iron Cross is it one sided like this anchor with bare iron on back ?

[GHP]

Hi Guy, didn't saw your post when I started mine. Awesome you find it thank you so much ! I am just leaving work I ll check the link back home, looks to be full or interesting data, thank you! About your Iron Cross is it one sided like this anchor with bare iron on back ?

Yes, my "iron cross" is one-sided. I do not think mine is authentic, though -- perhaps a fake. It is supposed to be a memorial piece with three dates of of issue prior to WWII: 1813, 1870, and 1914.

Ah... found an image on Google Image:


Cheers,
--Guy

[Staldion]

Nice paper weight ! Thanks for sharing. I was wondering about dimensions (the anchor is 25cm x 19cm) but I found other quite big paper weight (on the net) from the period in various shapes such as battleship or tank.

It won't ever get close of any sake cup I swear !

[GHP]

...I was wondering about dimensions (the anchor is 25cm x 19cm) but I found other quite big paper weight (on the net) from the period in various shapes such as battleship or tank.

It won't ever get close of any sake cup I swear !

Ouch! That anchor is a BIG paperweight!

--Guy

[Staldion]

Yes, maybe too big. I tried to use it as paper weight and I can tell you if it is it's real purpose, it's not very well made at least. The shape is unadapted, edges of the anchor are quite sharp, making it easy to hurt the paper. With it's size, shape and weight it's also complicated to grab it, I won't put it on papers I often need to check.

All japanese military paper weight (文鎮 / 卦算 / ペーパーウエイト) I found on the web are smaller, or lighter and/or easier to grab. I am still looking for other example of the same item to confirm/disprove this hypothesis.

I think there is still a chance for it to be an actual ornement from the Mie Air Corps, Nara detachment. From what I found few of the site remains today, a museum has been opened with a small exhibition / monuments in memory of the students. I am going to ask them if they now something about it.

Main gate of Nara detachment airfield during the war :



Same today:



Wartime airview :



Same today :



Sample of what remains today :







(Pictures thanks to: http://shinkokunippon.blog122.fc2.co...entry-535.html)

Obviously no anchor at the main airfield's gates. In the link you provided Guy the author speaks about the Tenrikyo temple in Nara like the place his anchor is coming from. The Navy did requisitioned / rented buildings in Nara for the yokaren and other Navy men implicated in the airfield. Unfortunatly the author didn't tell how the Navy used the building. I didn't find anyway to contact him trough his website. The Tenrikyo have a website I will give it a try and ask.

[Staldion]

Hello,

Little update, I didn't received anything back from Tenrikyo cult yet. I am effraid I won't receive anything as I doubt they are willing to comunicate about their implication / connection in ww2. I suspect they may fear bad advertising if people believe they supported such thing like the Yokaren.

Anyway, I did found another trinket, IJN related, anchor shaped, which I am pretty sure to be post war, look at the glossy inscription on it, I believe it's more plastic than laquer, it's way too glossy IMO. The cool thing though is that it could b used as a beer opener (look the top's shape and let me know what you think about it please).

Also any translation assistance would be welcome on this one.






I have also bought this little one which I believe to be ww2 period, it was sold as a goodie that IJA aviation graduates could buy. It's heavier than the small anchor (even if the little anchor is bigger than this propeller symbol), and shows discoloration on the front side. Back side show way more of gold color so must have spend many years exposed to the sun.

This one have a chance to be a paper weight I think.





And now a quick shot of all the items together so you can compare the size. Sorry for the poor light, it's already dark here, I would be glad to take better picture if needed.

[GHP]

6 April 1985

Hello! Nice plaque.

浦戸海軍航空隊跡記念碑建立記念
Urado Kaigun Kōkūtai Seki Kinenhi Ken-ritsu Kinen
Urado Naval Air Corps Site Memorial Stone Monument Erection Memento

Here's another for sale on Yahoo-J.

Monument:



History of Urado Kaigun Kōkūtai base -- erected on 6 April 1985

碑文


当地は旧浦戸海軍航空隊の隊門跡である

予科練とは飛行予科練習生の略称で旧海軍航空機搭乗員である　この採用制度は昭和五年に制定さ れ

全国より選ばれた少年達はよく鉄石の訓練に耐え無敵の空威を発揮したが　連合軍沖縄に迫るや全 員特

別攻撃隊となり　祖国の繁栄と同胞の安泰のにみを願いつつ肉弾となり敵艦に突入し　その八割が 若桜

で散華したのである　浦戸航空隊は昭和十九年十一月一日開隊されたが　昭和二十年五月に入り愈 々本

土決戦必至の戦況のもと　練習生は敵を水際に撃砕すべく日夜陸戦特攻訓練に終始し　身を以って 国難に

殉ぜんと決するも予期せぬ終戦となり　当隊司令堀内豊秋大佐指揮のもと整然と復員し　戦後四十 年の今

日を迎えたのである

浦戸海軍航空隊は消滅したが　この地こそ我が青春の一時期を鍛え励み共に死守せんと決した終生 忘れ

難い心と励みのふるさとである　故に記念碑を建立し戦没者の冥福を祈り　戦争の悲惨さと平和と 生命の

尊さを後世に伝えるものである

昭和六十年四月六日　海軍甲種飛行予科練習生　第十四期会、第十五期会、第十六期会建立

Cheers,
--Guy

[Staldion]

Good evening Guy !

Hey, that's the one I bought, good catch ! Thank you for the translation, the one I had googled from the action was unclear, I had the memorial notion but was pretty confused by the rest of the sentence. I hadn't linked it to an actual monument, amazing !

I think it shows pretty well the quality differences between post war goodie and what I am more and more confident to call war time IJN Art and craft memorabilia. At à Time where there was not material shortages anymore. I wonder if theese littles anchors were for sale at the monument gift shop or given to the donators of the memorial?

Anyway what do you think of my beer / can opener theory ? That's what I think when I have it on hand. Even if it doesn't seems very respectful ?

Cheers,
Mat.

[GHP]

...

Anyway what do you think of my beer / can opener theory ? That's what I think when I have it on hand. Even if it doesn't seems very respectful ?

Cheers,
Mat.

Hi Matheus!

Yes, it sure looks like a beer bottle opener to me as well.


--Guy