#s on a Japanese flag

[Volga Vigilante]

I just saw a flag that my Grandfather brought back from the war.  It looks like the number 4 written all around it. Any idea of the meaning or why?

Thanks  Volga Vigilante 

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

#4 is an unlucky number to them.

OLG

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

It is likely Japanese so it is not a number, certainly not a 4.  It’s been more than 50 years so I can’t tell you the meaning of the word .  If you told me a story about each character representing a soldier, I’d be tempted to believe it.

 

japanese digits are here

http://free.lessons.l-ceps.com/learn-japanese-free-lesson-3.html

[Marshal Dan Troop 70448]

32 minutes ago, Volga Vigilante said:

I just saw a flag that my Grandfather brought back from the war.  It looks like the number 4 written all around it. Any idea of the meaning or why?

Thanks  Volga Vigilante 

 

That symbol, looking like a "4" I believe it represents "strength/power". I seen it before on a Nambu and a Japanese student told us that what it represents. Just going what he said. And its written upside down, not really a 4. A 4 is a box with swirl from middle to top on both sides. Hard to explain on computer.  MT

I see Marshal Mo Hare put up a post and following it will show what symbol is used for numerals.

I'm not a Pacific Theatre WW2 collector, thought I have had many items over the years. But this flag was probable asking the gods for strength and power against his foe. Once you get a breakthrough on symbols of these flags, its easy to interpret their meanings. Flags were given to soldiers from families with symbols to protect them, and bought by individuals to put their symbols on.. Many flags also represented their families, wife, mother, father and children.to remember them, and protect the wearer.  Its a fascinating study which I only spent a little time on.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

7 minutes ago, Marshal Dan Troop 70448 said:

That symbol, looking like a "4" I believe it represents "strength/power". I seen it before on a Nambu and a Japanese student told us that what it represents. Just going what he said. And its written upside down, not really a 4. A 4 is a box with swirl from middle to top on both sides. Hard to explain on computer.  MT

I see Marshal Mo Hare put up a post and following it will show what symbol is used for numerals.

Precisely.

 

力

[Subdeacon Joe]

It looks like it combines the "senninbari" (1000 stitch belt)

"1000 "力" "Powers" Sash of 1000 Stitches, "

 

 

and "hinomaru yosegaki" (good luck flag)

https://patch.com/oregon/portland/u-s-wwii-veteran-travels-10-000-miles-return-hinomaru-yosegaki-flag-family

 

customs.

[Volga Vigilante]

The "4" on some of them have an extra line from top left to about 1/3 down on right vertical.   For the most part they all go around the center,  orientated on the center.  

Thanks to all.  Volga Vigilante 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

First, remember the correct orientation 力 when you describe it, your photo has everything sideways.

 

then both Japanese and Chinese have script forms as well as careless writers, less than writers of the western alphabets. That character only has two strokes, a change of direction is not considered a new stroke. A lifting of brush from paper is a new stroke.  Then some writers do not lift the brush which , to a westerner, looks like a new character but is not.

[Sedalia Dave]

Good explanation here.

 

It appears in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese writings and carries the same basic meaning in all four cultures.

 

Proper orientation.

 

[Seamus McGillicuddy]

Probably not applicable here but the Japanese word for 4 is shi which also means death.  My brother married a Japanese girl.  They wanted the wedding on the 4th but her mother said that was a bad luck word so they moved it to the 5th.

 

Seamus. 

[Volga Vigilante]

15 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said:

Good explanation here.

 

It appears in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese writings and carries the same basic meaning in all four cultures.

 

Proper orientation.

 

 

Thanks for the info.  It looks like several different people wrote on it.  Makes sense that family would do this for their soldier.   

Thanks to everyone. 

Volga Vigilante 

[Subdeacon Joe]

22 minutes ago, Volga Vigilante said:

 

Thanks for the info.  It looks like several different people wrote on it.  Makes sense that family would do this for their soldier.   

Thanks to everyone. 

Volga Vigilante 

 

 

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senninbari

 

Quote

Construction, and types[edit]

Senninbari were most commonly made from white cloth with 1000 red stitches added. This is seen as a very lucky color combination.^[3] Yellow, red, and green cloth were also used with varying colored threads (yellow-gold, red, white, black, green, etc.) applied.^[4] The stitches were usually arranged in multiple rows but might also be placed in patterns creating images of flags, patriotic slogans or tigers. The most common slogan seen was bu-un cho-kyu or "eternal good luck in war". Tigers as stitched or painted artwork were popularly portrayed on senninbari since they were known to be able to roam far away from home and then return safely.^[5]

Senninbari took various forms and were not just made as belts. Some forms included hachimaki (headbands), belts, vests, and caps. The rarest forms of senninbari take the form of good luck flags. Senninbari were most commonly made to be worn around the waist. These examples are known as senninbari-haramaki (a haramaki or abdomen belt is traditionally worn in Japan to help maintain good health).^[6]

History[edit]

The custom of producing senninbari originated during the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. In their earliest forms, senninbari were small handkerchief sized pieces of square material that contained 1000 knots or stitches applied to it in order to impart strength to the material. The implication of this was that as an amulet, or good luck piece, compounded strength or luck was to be passed along to the man carrying it. In general, senninbari and later one-thousand stitch belts were believed to confer courage, good luck and immunity from injury (especially bullets) upon their wearers. Some Japanese soldiers rejected the belief that the senninbari could protect them from harm. Instead, they felt that this good luck item would simply allow them to be in the position to inflict the greatest damage upon the enemy before offering their life up in battle. Others in the military wore the senninbari as a devotional to the women back home.^[7]

Makers[edit]

A senninbari could be made by a man's mother, sister, or wife if married, who would stand near their local temple, train station, or department store and ask any female passerby to sew in a French knot stitch. During the most hectic days of the War in order to meet demand, women's patriotic organizations would gather to make senninbari en masse. These were then placed in imonbukuro or comfort bags and sent overseas to the soldiers. According to the custom, any woman born in the "year of the Tiger" could sew either 12 stitches or a number of stitches that added up to her age. Some belts were lined with the woman/women's hair as an added form of protection. The custom of placing hair in bags or pouches as a good luck charm, dates to early folk belief found on the island of Okinawa. Additionally, coins could be sewn into the belt as an amulet as well.^[8]

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

What unit was your grandpa in?

 

[Volga Vigilante]

I'm ashamed to say I don't know very much about the time my Grandfathers were in the army.  I think he was in the 25 infantry division 35 battalion.  He passed when I was little and I don't recall him ever talking about his sevice. The only story told very often was how he met my Grandmother. Dad remember him talking once when he was young about his company and how few came back